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This delicious gnocchi bake 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.

Baked gnocchi topped with melted mozzarella, basil leaves and tomato slices
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This 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. 

baked gnocchi with a spoon in the dish

Gnocchi Bake 

Even though the This is an affiliate link.gnocchi themselves originate in Northern Italy, this dish 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 a sweet tomato basil sauce and topped with fresh mozzarella. Simplicity at its best! 

Bolognese sauce and gnocchi on marble

How to make it

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!

Process shots for baked gnocchi recipe

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.

It’s well worth bringing gnocchi into your rotation as there are countless ways to make satisfying and interesting meals from these simple dumplings. To get you started, check out my Sausage Gnocchi in Romesco Sauce or Chorizo Gnocchi.

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 bake is to die for! 

baked gnocchi close up

Do I need to pre-cook gnocchi?  

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!

Recipe Tip

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. (An Italian cook gave me this little tip!)

baked gnocchi with mozzarella

Serving Suggestions

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. You can also explore our Italian salads and antipasti and pick your own!

More favourite Italian recipes to try

5 from 7 votes

Baked Gnocchi in Meat Sauce with Mozzarella Recipe

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Servings: 4
Potato gnocchi cooked in a meaty tomato basil sauce under a blanket of melted mozzarella and Parmesan.
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Ingredients 

  • 1 tbsp This is an affiliate link.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 This is an affiliate link.gnocchi
  • 100g/1/2 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. 

Nutrition

Calories: 563kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 1017mg | Potassium: 1070mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 942IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 310mg | Iron: 10mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Julia from Vikalinka

About Me

Julia Frey is a London based recipe developer and photographer. Julia founded Vikalinka in 2012 with the main mission to provide her readers with delicious and accessible everyday recipes, which could be enjoyed by everyone.

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Recipe Rating




12 Comments

  1. DC says:

    5 stars
    I cooked this for friends last night … OMG! It was beautiful (even if I say so myself). Second helpings and clean plates – that says it all. I gave my friend the printed recipe as she loved it. She couldn’t believe how few ingredients there were as the taste was spectacular. Thank you.

    1. Julia Frey (Vikalinka) says:

      Thank you so much for such a lovely review. I am absolutely thrilled you enjoyed it. Please feel free to browse my website for more recipes. ๐Ÿ™‚

  2. Joseph says:

    5 stars
    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 ,,..

    1. vikalinka says:

      Thank you! I do that once in a while too! That’s a great tip! ๐Ÿ™‚

  3. Joseph says:

    5 stars
    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

    1. vikalinka says:

      Oh this sounds like an amazing sauce, Joseph! I’ve never heard of a baking powder trick, thank you for sharing!

  4. Rachael Yerkes says:

    5 stars
    This is dreamy! SO delicious!

  5. Aimee Shugarman says:

    5 stars
    This was fantastic. Even my picky eaters devoured it ๐Ÿ™‚

  6. Valentina Ablaev says:

    5 stars
    This gnocchi recipe is the ultimate comfort food! The whole family enjoyed this.

    1. vikalinka says:

      Amazing!! Thank you for letting me know, Valentina!

  7. Taylor says:

    5 stars
    The flavors in this dish are incredible! I’m a sucker for anything with gnocchi and this recipe did not disappoint!

    1. vikalinka says:

      So happy to hear you loved it, Taylor! My husband didn’t want stop eating it!! lol