15 Minute Tomato Basil Gnocchi

Name: Tomato Basil Gnocchi
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 2 T extra virgin olive oil; 2-3 garlic cloves (minced); ½ c broth (vegetable or chicken); 1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes (do not drain liquid!); 2 T tomato paste; ½ - 1 tsp Italian seasoning; ¼ tsp crushed red pepper (optional); ½ tsp pepper; ½ tsp sea salt; 1 lb gnocchi; ⅓ c grated Parmesan; 2 c baby spinach; 2 T chopped fresh basil

Last Updated July 26, 2021. Published January 16, 2021 By Lorie Leave a Comment

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15 minutes is all that you need to whip up this one pot Tomato Gnocchi with fresh basil, as well as all the garlic and parmesan! Such a simple dinner to prep and prepare but tastes like an amazing meal that you had to work for. The whole family will love it!

Pot with gnocchi cooked in tomatoes with basil.

Simple, one pan dinners are WHERE. IT'S. AT.

At the end of a long, exhausting day, getting a delicious dinner on the table in as little time as possible makes for the best kind of evening.

This Creamy One Pot Pasta is a crowd pleaser around here, and it makes a regular appearance at out dinner table.

However, there is NOTHING quicker to whip up than this Tomato Basil Gnocchi.

Why this Recipe Works:

Gnocchi is a very quick cooking pasta. Gnocchi cooks up super quickly--just a few minutes in boiling water. This Tomato Basil Gnocchi uses broth and tomato juices to cook in at a very low boil but is still able to cook in no time!
Only one ingredient to chop. The only ingredient you need to cut or chop is the basil. Everything else is basically ready to go. I often have minced garlic ready in the fridge as well so that always helps speed things up.
Mostly shelf stable and pantry ingredients. Lots of long lasting pantry staples in this one pot pasta. Diced tomatoes, tomato paste, gnocchi, and even the broth. It is a great dinner option when you are low on produce or other fresh foods.
Ready in 15 minutes. This is the bonus of it all. Literally from the time you start cooking this to the time you are ready to spoon it onto your plate is 15 minutes. That is quicker than carryout!

Tomato gnocchi in white bowl with fresh basil.

What you will need:

Two cups of fresh spinach is actually not a lot once it cooks down. Feel free to add more. If you want to use frozen, you are fine with about ½ cup thawed frozen spinach.
I have only used gnocchi that is shelf stable versus refrigerated or frozen for this tomato gnocchi recipe. You should be fine with any kind as it all cooks relatively quickly.

Spinach, broth, parmesan and ingredients labeled on counter.

How to make this:

Nothing gets much easier than this Tomato Basil Gnocchi. 15 minutes and you will be all set!

Heat the garlic in olive oil over medium heat until fragrant--about a minute or a bit less. (step 1)
Add in the tomatoes, broth, tomato paste and seasonings. Stir to combine and allow the tomato paste to dissolve. (steps 2-3)

Garlic in olive oil and tomatoes with spices.

Add the gnocchi and stir to combine allowing as much of it as possible to be immersed in the liquid. Turn the heat to medium low and allow to cook for about 5 minutes, or until the gnocchi is cooked through. Stir frequently so that the gnocchi doesn't stick to the skillet. A low, gentle boil is fine but don't let it get any higher than that. You can turn the heat down a bit even. (steps 4-6)

Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the parmesan and allow it to fully melt. Once it's melted, stir in the basil and spinach. Allow the spinach to wilt. (steps 7-9)
You are all set from there! Serve it up with extra parmesan and freshly chopped basil.

Parmesan and spinach added to the skillet of gnocchi.

I better warn you, it may be safer to make a double or triple batch of this Tomato Basil Gnocchi.

Leftovers are really hard to come by on this one. But if you are lucky enough to have them, this dish is better the second day!

Notes and tips:

This One Pot Tomato Gnocchi should work well with frozen gnocchi as well. You may need to cook the gnocchi itself a minute or so longer if the center is still cold but other than that you should be in the clear.
There are lots of gluten free gnocchi options out there these days. I have tried the Delallo Gluten Free version before and we loved it as well!
For a creamier sauce, add 2-3 tablespoons of heavy cream before adding in the spinach and basil. Delicious!
If the sauce seems too thick, add in 2-3 tablespoons extra broth or more until desired thickness.
Sometimes the spinach will get clumped up with the cheese. To avoid this, I add the spinach at the very end and use a clean spoon that doesn't have any cheese on it already. You can also chop the spinach into thin pieces.

Pot of tomato basil gnocchi with serving spoon.

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