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.
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“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!” -Heather, FoodieCrush reader
This post is part of a partnered series with DeLallo Foods.
Sometimes the Simplest Recipes Are the Best!
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’m 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.
Gnocchi can be dressed up so many different ways and are a cinch to cook. But let’s keep it basic this time. And tasting fresh. And because you can stock the pantry with these simple ingredients, this gnocchi al pomodoro makes for a perfect dinner no matter what night of the week. We’re going classic with a sweet, rich, herb-infused tomato 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?
Enjoy!
What’s in This Gnocchi with Pomodoro Sauce?
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
- DeLallo potato gnocchi — A type of 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.
- Olive oil — I prefer using extra virgin olive oil, which is fruitier and perfect for sauces.
- Fresh herbs — I used a blend of oregano, parsley, rosemary, and basil to infuse the oil with a rich herb flavor.
- Yellow onion + garlic — Don’t be tempted to add more garlic or onion to the sauce, which would overwhelm the flavor of the tomato and herbs.
- DeLallo San Marzano tomatoes — I like to buy whole tomatoes and crush them with my hands directly into the skillet.
- Red pepper flakes — Don’t make the pomodoro sauce spicy, just gives it good flavor.
- Heavy cream — Just ¼ cup balances out the acidity from the tomatoes.
- Mozzarella balls — I prefer mini mozzarella pearls for this recipe, but you can buy a large ball of fresh mozz and cut it into small cubes too.
- Grated Parmesan — Freshly grated Parm will melt seamlessly into the gnocchi and tomato sauce.
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!
- Simmer the herbs in olive 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.
- Cook the aromatics. 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.
- Simmer to thicken. 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.
- Make it creamy. A splash of heavy cream is mixed in to add a delightful creaminess to the sauce.
- Broil to finish. 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.
Heidi’s Tips for Recipe Success
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.
You know they’re finished cooking when the dumplings float on top of the boiling water. A spider skimmer is my tool of choice for quickly whisking the gnocchi out of the hot water.
What to Serve with Gnocchi Pomodoro
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:
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below, leave a comment to tell us what you think, and tag me on Instagram @foodiecrush.
Gnocchi With Pomodoro Sauce
Ingredients
- ¼ cup DeLallo extra virgin olive oil , plus 1 tablespoon
- 4 stems fresh Italian flat leaf parsley
- 4 sprigs stems fresh oregano
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 sprigs fresh basil , plus 2 more stems for serving
- ½ yellow onion , diced
- 3 cloves garlic , pressed or minced
- 28 oz canned DeLallo San Marzano tomatoes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper , to taste
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup heavy cream , optional
- 16- oz DeLallo potato gnocchi
- 8 oz mini mozzarella balls , cut in half
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Infuse the olive oil. 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.
- Sauté the aromatics, then add the tomatoes. 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.
- Simmer to thicken. 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.
- Cook the gnocchi. 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.
- Assemble. 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 to finish. Broil for 5-8 minutes or until the cheese melts and the tops become crispy. Garnish with additional basil leaves and serve immediately.
Nutrition
FAQs
No, I recommend using fresh herbs in the homemade gnocchi sauce. Dried herbs are too potent for this recipe.
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.
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.
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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.
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.