This simple tomato sauce gets tons of flavor from herbs steeped in olive oil that lusciously coats potato pillows of gnocchi, topped with fresh balls of mozzarella.
In This Post
It’s a lunch I remember with fondness, and regret.
Fondness because it lit my fire for choosing gnocchi as my favorite thing to order on each and every Italian menu for the rest of my eating out days (ask my husband, I am not kidding) and regret because I didn’t go to that restaurant for more gnocchi more often than I did.
That gnocchi dish was truly made of little pillows of heaven. In fact, that was the name of the dish, Pillows From Heaven, roughly translated into English. I’ve since moved away and honestly, the way restaurants go, it’s probably gone too. But I’ll never forget my first time.
But it doesn’t matter much now, because while I still love going out, I’m just as happy making gnocchi at home.
Once again, this year I’m partnering with DeLallo Foods to share recipes using their pastas, pestos and sauces and with my love of the little potato pillows, obviously gnocchi has been high on my list.
But to which sauce do we turn to? Brown Butter Sage? Bolognese? Gorgonzola Cream?
Let’s keep it basic. And tasting fresh. And because you can stock the pantry with these simple ingredients, this sauced gnocchi meal makes for a perfect dinner no matter what night of the week. We’re going classic with a sweet, rich sauce of tomato’d Pomodoro.
What is Gnocchi?
If you’ve never eaten gnocchi before, you’re really missing out. Truly, I feel sorry for you. Please please remedy that as soon as possible by making this gnocchi with pomodoro sauce.
Essentially, gnocchi is a small dumpling that’s made with some combination of mashed potatoes, flour, and sometimes eggs or cheese. When made right, they’re ultra soft and slightly chewy.
Gnocchi can be dressed up so many different ways and are a cinch to cook. You know they’re finished cooking when the dumplings float on top of the boiling water.
What’s in This Gnocchi with Pomodoro Sauce?
This recipe is one I’ve made for the past few years after seeing a version of it on one cooking show or another. Alton? Was it you?
Here’s what you’ll need to make the homemade pomodoro sauce and gnocchi:
- Olive oil
- Fresh herbs
- Yellow onion
- Garlic
- DeLallo San Marzano tomatoes
- Kosher salt and pepper
- Red pepper flakes
- Heavy cream
- DeLallo potato gnocchi
- Mozarella balls
- Grated Parmesan
How to Cook Gnocchi with Pomodoro Sauce
This a one pan meal—okay two pans but who’s counting—with DeLallo’s potato gnocchi nestled in the same pan I’ve cooked the pomodoro sauce in. Balls of potato gnocchi among little balls of mozzarella and topped with fresh parmesan cheese. It is like heaven!
The sauce starts with the oil. Oil that has been gently infused with fresh herbs to give the sauce a subtle accent of herbal freshness instead of a hit over the head one can sometimes experience with the addition of dried herbs. For this sauce, fresh is the way to go.
The onion and garlic are simmered to softness in the fragrant oil, creating the jammy sweetness to this tomato sauce. As always, be present when cooking garlic in oil, watching it carefully so it doesn’t burn, or the sauce will be bitter. And that would be a crying shame.
The tomatoes are crushed into the pan with your hands and get a generous sprinkling of kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper and red pepper flakes. The homemade pomodoro sauce simmers for 30-40 minutes or until it sauce reduces and thickens. Finally, a splash of heavy cream is mixed in to add a delightful creaminess to the sauce.
The pillowy cooked gnocchi is then stirred into the sauce and topped with slices of mozzarella and grated Parmesan. Drizzle a little extra olive oil over the top so that after a time under the broiler, the gnocchi and cheese develops a cripsy crust that offsets the smooth texture of the rest of the dish.
Can I Use Dried Herbs Instead of Fresh?
No, I recommend using fresh herbs in the homemade gnocchi sauce. Dried herbs are too potent for this recipe.
Is There a Heavy Cream Substitute I Can Use?
If you don’t have cream on hand or simply want to omit it, you can leave it out. You could likely use whole milk in the sauce instead of heavy cream, but it wouldn’t turn out as thick and creamy.
How to Reheat Gnocchi
If you wind up with leftovers from this easy gnocchi recipe, I recommend reheating them on the stove over medium-low heat. Don’t microwave gnocchi, otherwise you’ll wind up with rubbery dumplings.
What to Serve with Gnocchi Dishes
Because this easy gnocchi recipe is so rich and hearty, I like to keep my sides simple. Here are a few dishes I like pairing with this gnocchi:
- Arugula Salad with Shaved Parmesan (3 Ways!)
- 5-Minute Parmesan Zucchini
- Caesar Salad with Garlic Croutons
- Beet, Carrot, and Pomegranate Salad
- Burrata and Heirloom Tomato Caprese Salad
- Caprese Zucchini Salad
Tips for Making the Best Gnocchi
When creating a sauce this simple, the ingredients need to be the best. You could use fresh tomatoes, but having a pantry-ready stock pile of quality San Marzano tomatoes makes this dish.
Crushed red pepper flakes pack a good amount of heat, so you only need a pinch in this recipe. If you prefer spicier sauces, you’re welcome to add a little extra.
When cooking the gnocchi, be sure to salt the water generously. You want the gnocchi itself to have some flavor, otherwise the dish will fall a little flat.
More Pasta Dishes You’ll Love
- Cheese and Spinach Manicotti
- Mom’s Homemade Spaghetti and Meat Sauce
- Spinach Lasagna Roll-Ups
- Homemade Cheeseburger Macaroni
- Shrimp Scampi Pasta
- Skillet Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
- The Cheesiest Spinach and Cheese Lasagna
- Baked Sausage and Cheese Rigatoni
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Bookmark this recipe and leave a comment below, or take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats
Gnocchi With Pomodoro Sauce
Ingredients
- ¼ cup DeLallo extra virgin olive oil , plus 1 tablespoon
- 4 stems fresh Italian flat leaf parsley
- 4 stems fresh oregano
- 2 stems fresh rosemary
- 2 stems fresh basil ,plus 2 more stems for serving
- ½ yellow onion , diced
- 3 cloves garlic , pressed or minced
- 1 28 ounce can DeLallo San Marzano tomatoes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup heavy cream , optional
- 1 16- ounce package DeLallo potato gnocchi
- 8 ounces cherry size mozzarella balls , cut in half
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Add ¼ cup olive oil to a 10-inch high sided sauté pan or a saucepan over medium heat. Add the parsley, oregano, rosemary and 2 stems of basil and cook for about 5 minutes or until the herbs become crisp.
- Remove the herbs and discard then add the onion and garlic to the oil, lowering the heat if needed so the onions cook gently and don't brown. Cook until the onions are transparent, about 5-7 minutes, then crush the tomatoes with your hand and add to the pan with juice.
- Season with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper and red pepper flakes and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until the sauce reduces and thicken, stirring occasionally. Stir in the heavy cream and remove from the heat.
- Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of water to a boil and add the gnocchi. Season generously with kosher salt and cook until the gnocchi float to the top of the boiling water.
- Drain and then place the gnocchi into the cooked sauce. Top with the halved mozzarella balls and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese then drizzle the tops of the gnocchi with the remaining olive oil.
- Broil for 5-8 minutes or until the cheese melts and the tops become crispy. Garnish with additional basil leaves and serve immediately.
Nutrition
Gnocking on Gnocchi’s Door
Gnocchi is a go-to staple to keep in the pantry thanks to DeLallo’s vacuum packed sealed packaging. It makes meal planning a snap. Here are a few more gnocchi recipes that will take you straight to heaven’s door.
- Pumpkin Gnocchi with Hazelnut Browned Butter
- Garlic and Herb Gnocchi Salad
- Truffled Gnocchi Macaroni and Cheese
- Spring Vegetable Gnocchi
Hey, thanks for stopping by, make it a great day and make something good.
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This post is part of a partnered series with DeLallo Foods. As always, thank you for reading and supporting companies I partner with, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you. There are affiliate links in this post of which I receive a small commission. All opinions are always my own.
Josh
Excellent recipe! I only added a touch of sugar, maybe 1-2 tsp. I don’t usually write reviews but my girls really loved it!
Sounds delicious Josh! Glad you all enjoyed :)
Shawnyk
Absolutely delicious. Followed the recipe aside from adding about 20 quartered cherry tomatoes, which I softened with the onions and garlic. Amazing flavor. Adding to our dinner rotation.
Sounds delicious! Glad you were able to add your own twist to it!
Heather
Thanks for a great recipe! We’ve made it several times. I love that it uses fresh herbs since I usually have some growing in pots. The fresh mozzarella is such a wonderful finishing touch! Yum!
So glad to hear Heather! Thanks for the comment and the 5 star rating!
Alicia
how should I prepare the tomatoes if I use fresh tomatoes instead of canned?
Hayley
Hi Alicia! We haven’t made this recipe with fresh tomatoes, but we do have a tomato sauce recipe that uses fresh: https://www.foodiecrush.com/simple-roasted-tomato-sauce/ We would suggest making a sauce with them first, otherwise the texture and consistency won’t be right. We hope this helps!
Glider
I’ve made this recipe many times and it is always a favorite. The weird thing is, that I saw it on America’s Test Kitchen—the same recipe with the same ingredients and directions. It’s even on their website! You should hire a lawyer to sue these guys for ripping off your recipe (I mean, a lot of recipes Pomodoro are similar, but the ingredient wording and directions were so similar…)
Thanks for the info Gilder. I’ll look into it.
Sylvie
How long can it be kept in the refrigerator or can I freeze it
I’ve never frozen it so I don’t know but assume it would freeze well. It will last in the fridge for 3 days.
grannie fannie
Delicious!! I loved using the little mozzarella balls, it looked pretty and it was very tasty
I’m glad to hear!
Emily Andersen
This was one of the best recipes I’ve ever tried! It was an absolute win for us!
I’m glad you enjoyed Emily!
Haemi @Borderless Comfort
Hey Heidi, How are you these days?
I just wanted to update you on my family’s obsession with this sauce.
I make this sauce all the time and we have it with tortillas, fried croquettes, and sometimes with pita bread.
Thanks again for sharing such a hit recipe.
I’m glad to hear you all enjoyed!
Janice E. Wielusz
what is the serving size in the nutritional value list?
Hayley
Hi Janice! You’ll find the serving size and nutritional info directly in the recipe (in the recipe box). It’s 229kcal and 4 servings. We hope you enjoy!
Alice
This was absolutely delicious. Fresh herbs are pretty expensive where I am, so I used dried for all except the basil which I happened to have growing on my windowsill. It still turned out great. I especially like the result from broiling at the end.
The only thing I wanted to point out is that the recipe card says total cooking time is 30 minutes, but within the recipe itself it says 5 mins for the herbs, 5 mins for the onions, 30 mins for the sauce to reduce and 5 mins to broil. The total cooking time is a minimum of 45 minutes, more if using the upper time guides within the recipe. Doesn’t detract from the delicious result, but just something to note.
Karla
Amazing! Perfect for a meat-free dinner on a cold Winter night. Please try- you won’t regret ☺️
Happy to hear you enjoyed Karla!
Itzel
i found this recipe by accident browsing stuff to try gnocchi out. And my god was I lucky, I’ve probably made this over 30 times. It is one of my favourite recipes to cook and eat, everyone who tries it absolutely loves it, this is such a tasty recipe it’s unbelievable.
Happy to hear you enjoyed Itzel!
Voleo
How am I supposed to hear the sun to the desired temperature I don’t understand? But why is there cheese in this recipe I thought gnocchi don’t have cheese. I am gluten-cheese intolerant I can’t have that. For anyone there’s cheese in here!!!
Rebecca
Absolutely delicious! Even my picky eater went back for seconds. Thank you
I’m glad you enjoyed Rebecca!
Dave
Absolutely delicious recipe
Lisa
This is such an incredible pasta dish. It is a favorite among family and friends. I’m Italian and this has become one of my favorite dishes to make.
I’m glad you enjoyed it Lisa!
Lyn
I have loved this recipe for years! I want to make it for a friend who just had a baby, but she’ll need to be able to heat it up from the fridge. Any tips on how long & at what temp to reheat this in the oven?
Hayley
We’re so glad to hear that, Lyn! If reheating this in the oven, we’d recommend covering with foil and heating at 325 for 15-30 minutes or so (just enough to warm up).
Michael
Another superb flavoursome meal. Sauce was delicious using the VFTGI fresh ‘tomato sauce’. I also added zucchini and portobello mushrooms to round out the gnocchi/potato and tomato flavour! Another keeper of a recipe! Cheers…
I’m glad you enjoyed Michael!
Haemi at Borderless Comfort
Hi Heidi! Found you via Pinterest..
Little pillows of heaven!! Love it! And I love gnocchi. I’m definitely trying this dish. But I have to try making the Brown Butter Sage sauce. I’ve had something like it dining out but never at home.
Thanks!
PJ
I can honestly say this is one of the best tasting things I’ve ever put in my oh so grateful mouth. Absolutely delicious!!! Followed the recipe exactly but added a tsp. Of sugar to cut acidity of tomato. Kudos!
Marie
amazing! made it for my family and turned out delicious. will be using again.
Ramelis Nicholson
This was perfect, infusing the oil with the herbs made it next level. My very picky carnivorous husband raved about it despite there being no meat. ( I did serve it with some rolled up prosciutto, but still)
Don Warkentin
After making countless meals from recipes found online, this is the first time I have ever posted a comment about one. The flavour in this dish is out of this world! I had fresh rosemary but had to substitute dried for the remaining herbs. I found some fresh thyme sprigs in the fridge so they went in for good measure. We wanted some more protein so I tossed some diced, oven-roasted chicken breasts into the pan. I added more garlic too because three cloves is just never enough … for anything. Outside of those changes I stuck pretty close to the recipe, adding more Parmesan and red pepper flakes to my dish after serving.
I have already started making plans to recreate this meal next weekend for my daughter and sister. Thank you for such an amazing recipe, my taste buds are still singing!
I’m so glad you enjoyed!
Abeer
Can’t believe I cooked such a delicious sauce… this tastes like Italian restaurant quality (and I only used dry herbs)! Thanks for the excellent recipe.
Brianna
Overall, I am so pleased with how this came out. I followed every direction.
My husbands only comment was that it was a little “tomato-y”. I think what he meant by this was that a sauce is a little acidic, I would recommend NOT skipping out on the heavy cream if you are sensitive to acidity of tomatoes. Also, use salt very sparingly!
I will definitely be making this again!
Glad you liked it Brianna!
Joanne McKenney
This is such a simple dish but, oh my, what incredible flavor! Thank you for sharing this!
Happy to hear you enjoyed Joanne!
MishkaBeaner
One of the best tomato sauces I have ever had, hands down… I did not add heavy cream and instead used a small can of tomato purée, a can of chopped tomatoes and mussi pizza sauce. I used dried parsley and basil too and added 1tsp of salt and 3/4 pepper and 1/2 chili flakes… it was simply delicious !
Patricia Castello
I just started following you recently and look forward to receiving your Friday Faves! I ran out to the grocery after seeing this in your post yesterday and made it for dinner last night along with the Arugula Salad with Shaved Parmesan, both were outstanding. Thank you for a new favorite meal!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them both!
Natacha Welsh
This was delicious! From the moment the fresh herbs hit the pan, the house smelled so good. This dish is decadent and took me back to the days of travel and Italian goodness. This is a keeper!
Bella
First off, I came across your recipe because my son and I were looking up how to pronounce random words and google recommended gnocchi. We didn’t know what it was so we looked at the pictures and became obsessed with your photo.
Second, I hardly ever trust blog recipes because I’ve been disappointed one too many times, but after seeing the photo I decided to give it a try, especially since it isn’t very expensive to put together.
This is amazing. My very picky 6 year old wants me to make it again and this is a very hard child to please. Thank you.
So glad you both enjoyed it! :)
April
This was delicious! I made a few adjustments (half my herbs were dry and half fresh and I blended my tomatoes because I don’t like chunky), but overall I followed the recipe. I had the cream to add but completely forgot about it, which was fine because it was spectacular anyway. I really love the taste of san marzano tomatoes! I didn’t even know about them until I went to a nice Italian restaurant that used them for their pizza sauce so this recipe piqued my interest.
I can’t wait to eat all the leftovers and make it again! My husband wants me to add meat (insert eye roll here), so I may try adding kielbasa that was cooked in a pan at the last minute and/or just add to his dish to satisfy him.
So happy you enjoyed April!
DeVonna
OMG! This is heaven on a plate. Mind you this recipe takes about 90 minutes from start to finish, but totally worth it. I even had some left over and it was just as heavenly the second time around. The only thing I changed is I used the fresh mozzarella pearls instead of the full size that need to be halved, which saved time.
So glad you enjoyed it DeVonna!
Erika
Absolute perfection! I am no chef, but when I make this recipe, I feel like one! One of my favorites that I’ve made so many times since finding it about six months ago that I now have the items to make it on hand all the time! Something about the flavor and texture combinations in this recipe is addicting to me! Thank you so much!!
Happy to hear it was a success!
Kayla
This recipe changed the way I make all my red sauces from scratch now; the herbs adding aromatics in the beginning is crucial.
Al
I hate to admit how long I have had this bookmarked and never made it. With Autumn looking towards winter in Scotland this was the perfect recipe thanks for sharing.
Michelle LM
My husband has been experimenting with cooking and made his own gnocchi for this recipe and oh my goodness what a delicious meal! The sauce was so simple but so good. It will definitely be on our table again soon.
Pat Mc.
This was outstanding! I made it for my son who loves gnocchi & orders it wherever he goes…he said this was the best gnocchi he’s ever had!❤️❤️
Paula
Sooo delicious. . . I had some for breakfast the next morning! Will definitely make this again!
Dean
Just made this. Was super easy and super delicious. I added a splash of white wine, a splash of chicken stock, and a pinch of sugar to mine, as those are staples in my Italian cooking haha! Also I cooked mine in a cast iron skillet and in all fit in, so highly recommend using that if you’ve got one. This dish was super scrumptious — definitely recommend and will be making again.
Heidi
Thank you Dean. Glad you enjoyed!
Ipointoutnonsense
“Dried herbs are too potent”
Then just use less? Problem solved.
Anna
This sauce is the best ever. In Australia I haven’t come across a good commercial gnocchi so I make my own. Delish!!! Thank you. I particularly like the way you industry the herbs in the oil first. No lumos of herbs!!
Thank you Anna, and welcome to FoodieCrush all the way across the world. Yes, the herbs impart a delicious flavor!
Diane
Heidi…I would give this recipe 10 stars if I could! Made it last night exactly as written, no need to change a thing folks. I absolutely love the fresh, clean flavor of the simple ingredients. I understand if people can’t get all of the ingredients fresh, but I highly highly recommend that if you can. The fresh herbs, the San Marzano tomatoes (I’m sure great garden tomatoes would be awesome also), the fresh mozzarella and a good parmesan…to die for flavor! It was easy to prepare too. Thank you so much for the recipe and I will be making this often for sure!
Ashley @ Foodie Crush
Thank you so much Diane! Enjoy!
Vanessa Ruggiero
This looks wonderful! We are currently in quarantine and don’t have fresh herbs. I could probably wing it but if you had measurements for dried herbs I’d appreciate it if you could share them. Thanks!
It’s a great recipe your family will love. Use half the amount of herbs if using dried.
Laura
This recipe looks truly delicious, can’t wait to try it out this evening!
I’m just wondering about the carb count in the nutrition facts, it can’t really be that low for potato-based gnocchi? My package of gnocchi shows much higher carb count for a 3/4 cup serving but it is a different brand.