Creamy Tuscan Gnocchi Skillet (Printable)

Pillowy gnocchi in a luscious garlic-Parmesan cream sauce with spinach and sun-dried tomatoes.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Gnocchi

01 - 1 lb potato gnocchi (store-bought or homemade)

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
04 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
05 - ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained and sliced
06 - 3.5 oz baby spinach leaves

→ Cream Sauce

07 - 1 cup heavy cream
08 - ¼ cup vegetable broth
09 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
10 - ½ tsp dried Italian herb mix
11 - ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ To Finish

13 - Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
14 - Extra grated Parmesan, for serving

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the gnocchi according to package instructions until they float. Drain and set aside.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
03 - Incorporate sun-dried tomatoes and sauté for 2 minutes. Add baby spinach and cook until wilted, approximately 1 minute.
04 - Pour in heavy cream and vegetable broth. Stir in Parmesan, Italian herbs, and red pepper flakes if using. Simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
05 - Add cooked gnocchi to the skillet and toss to coat evenly. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until heated through and creamy.
06 - Serve immediately topped with fresh basil leaves and additional grated Parmesan.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Ready in 30 minutes with barely any hands-on time once you start cooking.
  • The sauce is ridiculously creamy without feeling heavy, somehow both comforting and elegant.
  • Store-bought gnocchi means you skip the fussy homemade version and still look like you actually know what you're doing.
02 -
  • Don't overcook the gnocchi before they go in the skillet or they'll fall apart when you toss them around; the moment they float is when you pull them out.
  • If your sauce looks too thin after simmering, it will thicken as it cools slightly, so resist the urge to overdo the simmer time.
  • Taste the sauce before adding the gnocchi because that's your last chance to adjust the seasonings without worrying about over-salting from the pasta water.
03 -
  • Don't use those tiny pre-shredded bags of Parmesan if you can help it; they contain anti-caking agents that make the sauce slightly grainy instead of silky.
  • Brown your onions just slightly at the edges for extra depth instead of keeping them completely pale and translucent.
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