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overhead view of a baking dish full of gnocchi in a creamy tomato sauce.
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Creamy Gnocchi Bake Recipe

Our favorite creamy gnocchi bake recipe with tomatoes and three kinds of cheese. This cheesy oven-baked gnocchi dish is so good that you won’t be able to stop eating it!
Course Main Course, Pasta Recipes
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 755kcal
Author Adina

Equipment

  • Food processor
  • Skillet
  • Baking dish about 10x8 inches/ 25x20cm, Note 1

Ingredients

  • 1 lb pre-cooked gnocchi Note 2
  • 1 red bell pepper medium to large
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove large, grated
  • 2 cups tomato puree or passata 500 g, Note 3
  • 1 cup cream cheese 230 g
  • 1 ball mozzarella 4.5 oz/ 125 g
  • 1 cup Parmesan freshly grated, 2.5 oz/ 75 g, Note 4
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • fine sea salt or Kosher
  • ground black pepper
  • a little butter for greasing the baking dish

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Butter the baking dish.
  • Blend pepper: Clean the bell pepper, remove the seeds, and chop it roughly. Blend it in a food processor (I prefer to use a small food processor). Set it aside.
  • Simmer: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the skillet and cook 1 grated garlic clove for about 30 seconds, often stirring. Add the pepper puree and cook for another minute. Pour in the tomato puree, bring to a boil, and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
  • Combine sauce: Add 1 cup of cream cheese and stir well or whisk with an egg whisker until the sauce is smooth. Heat the sauce for about 1-2 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of oregano, salt, and pepper to taste (Note 5).
  • Add the gnocchi and about ½ of the grated Parmesan (½ cup/ 35 g) to the sauce. Toss to combine. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish.
  • Add cheese: Slice 1 ball of mozzarella and arrange the slices on top of the gnocchi bake. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan (½ cup/ 35 g).
  • Bake for about 20 minutes or until the cheese is melty and golden.

Notes

  1. My baking dish was packed to the brim, so I don’t recommend using a smaller one. A slightly larger one should be fine, but not too large.
  2. Gnocchi: They are sold in bags and are either refrigerated, frozen, or vacuum-packed. I prefer refrigerated ones. Dried gnocchi should be cooked according to the package instructions before using them in this recipe. Should you use dried gnocchi, you will need about ½ lb (250 g).
  3. Tomato sauce: You can also use marinara sauce or your favorite tomato sauce.
  4. Parmesan: 1 cup of freshly grated Parmesan weighs about 2.5 oz (70 g). If using pre-grated Parmesan, you will need less, about ½ to ¾ cup, as it has less volume than freshly grated cheese. However, I strongly recommend using freshly grated cheese.
  5. Seasoning: The sauce will need less salt if you use marinara or another tomato sauce. Always taste and add more salt and pepper as needed.

Nutrition

Serving: 1portion from 4 | Calories: 755kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 25g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 123mg | Sodium: 1372mg | Potassium: 798mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 3002IU | Vitamin C: 52mg | Calcium: 700mg | Iron: 7mg