This baked gnocchi recipe comes from the South of Italy. Potato gnocchi cooked in a meaty tomato basil sauce under a blanket of melted mozzarella and Parmesan. Easy, comforting and satisfying!
For another delicious but very different take on a gnocchi recipe, take a look at my Creamy Butternut Squash Gnocchi.
This gnocchi recipe I am sharing today is inspired by our recent trip to Southern Italy. Campania region to be exact.
If doesn’t ring a bell, think of Naples, Sorrento, Pompeii and Amalfi Coast. That part of Italy is filled with glorious sunshine and breathtaking landscapes. It is also famous for its delicious food.
Gnocchi Recipe
Even though the gnocchi themselves originate in Northern Italy, this simple gnocchi recipe was on a menu in almost every restaurant we went in the South. It is known as Gnocchi alla Sorrentina or Sorrento-style gnocchi.
It’s a very simple dish of potato gnocchi (usually made in house) baked in sweet tomato basil sauce and topped with fresh mozzarella. Simplicity at its best!
How do I make baked gnocchi?
I’ve changed the recipe a tiny bit by adding ground beef to my tomato sauce to make it a bit more substantial and to satisfy the meat lovers in my family. The Italians will not appreciate it as they rarely add meat to their pasta dishes but we LOVED it.
I guess, we take the best bits and adjust the rest to our taste, don’t we? A creative license as they call it!
I’ve simplified the recipe as well. It’s great to make your own gnocchi when you’ve got the time but most of us won’t bother. So I replaced the homemade gnocchi with a good quality store bought ones. I’ve used the Napolina brand as a nod to the place this dish came from.
Now let’s talk about the gorgeous meaty tomato basil sauce. You’ve got two options. You can easily make your own or buy your favourite brand of spaghetti sauce and add the ground beef to it. I promise either way this gnocchi recipe is to die for!
Do I need to cook gnocchi before baking them in sauce?
Yes, you do. Gnocchi are thick potato dumplings that need to be boiled first to achieve the soft and fluffy texture. They are extremely quick to cook and most brands take only 1 minute after they are added to rapidly boiling water.
You will know your gnocchi are cooked once they float to the top. Take them immediately off the heat and drain them. Don’t be tempted to give them another minute as they will continue cooking in the sauce!
Pro tip for improving the taste of your tomato sauce
It’s difficult to find tomatoes as sweet and delicious as they are in Italy, which changes the taste of the sauce. I recommend tasting your sauce at the end of the simmering time and adding 0.5-1 tbsp of sugar if the taste is too acidic. (This tip was given to me by an Italian cook.)
What to serve with gnocchi
You won’t need too much to round off this meal as gnocchi are very filling and a little goes a long way. I love serving this dish with a traditional green crisp Italian salad dressed simply with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
If you want to try something more interesting, go for our Warm Zucchini Salad or Roasted Parmesan Broccoli to compliment your Italian-themed meal.
More favourite Italian recipes to try:
- Slow Cooker Italian Beef Ragu
- Spaghetti Bolognese
- Sun-dried Tomato Pasta with Chicken
- Prawn Pasta in Tomato Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lbs lean ground beef
- 1 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 5-6 leaves fresh basil, torn or 1 tsp dried basil
- 2X400g/14oz canned crushed tomatoes or tomato passata
- salt to taste
- 500g/1lbs prepared gnocchi
- 100g/1 cup grated mozzarella
- 25g/1/4 cup grated parmesan
- 1 tomato, sliced
- 2-3 basil leaves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large pan, then brown the ground beef until no longer pink inside. Add crushed garlic, torn basil leaves, oregano, canned tomatoes or tomato passata and bring to a boil, salt to taste. Simmer over low heat for 15-20 minutes.
- While the sauce is simmering, cook the gnocchi in a pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions. Drain and mix with the sauce once the sauce is done simmering.
- Transfer the meat sauce with the gnocchi into a greased baking dish. Sprinkle with grated mozzarella and Parmesan, then top with a few tomato slices and basil leaves if desired. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and the contents are hot and bubbly.
Notes
- Alternatively you can use store bought spaghetti sauce instead of making your own.
oh another tip if ya want try this we also used canned whole Italian tomatoes canned and used a blender adding fresh basil and garlic blender on low speed ,,and cooked some tomato paste in olive oil stir stir stir then add sauce from blender ,,, Isn’t food full of LOVE and wonderful to share ,,..
Thank you! I do that once in a while too! That’s a great tip! 🙂
A beautiful recipe ,we make our sauce, with pork neck bones ,meaty ones ,MOM was from Napoli Calabrian ,and she used a bit of baking powder instead of sugar it removes the acid without the sweetness just don’t stir it in seems as thought the acid rises as sauce cooks ,,,and sometimes a farmers pork rib or two bone in ..we ate these with a salad after the pasta with a glass of wine wit a slice of peach in the glass thus a light desert before the ricotta cheese cake yummy
Oh this sounds like an amazing sauce, Joseph! I’ve never heard of a baking powder trick, thank you for sharing!
This is dreamy! SO delicious!
This was fantastic. Even my picky eaters devoured it 🙂
This gnocchi recipe is the ultimate comfort food! The whole family enjoyed this.
Amazing!! Thank you for letting me know, Valentina!
The flavors in this dish are incredible! I’m a sucker for anything with gnocchi and this recipe did not disappoint!
So happy to hear you loved it, Taylor! My husband didn’t want stop eating it!! lol