This one pot gnocchi is one of those dinners that comes together quickly with minimal cleanup. Pillowy gnocchi simmer in a creamy tomato sauce with your choice of ground meat, spinach, and parmesan for a cozy, flavorful meal the whole family will love.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Everything cooks in one skillet, which means fewer dishes and an easy cleanup.
- You can use whatever ground meat you have on hand—Italian chicken or pork sausage, ground turkey, or ground beef all work well.
- The gnocchi cooks right in the creamy tomato sauce, so there's no need to boil it separately.
- Baby spinach adds some fresh color and makes this a complete meal without needing a separate vegetable side.
- It's cozy comfort food that comes together quickly enough for busy weeknights.
Here are some other of our favorite cozy recipes to try!
Ingredient Notes
- Ground meat of choice – Ground Italian chicken or pork sausage, ground turkey, or ground beef all work great in this recipe. If using sausage, mild or hot both work well. Keep in mind that the amount of salt you'll need will vary depending on the meat you use. Italian sausage is typically already well seasoned, while ground turkey or beef may need additional salt.
- San Marzano tomatoes – We like using San Marzano tomatoes for their naturally sweet, rich flavor. Blending the tomatoes first creates a smoother creamy tomato sauce, but you can leave them slightly chunky if you prefer.
- Potato gnocchi – Shelf-stable, refrigerated, or fresh gnocchi will all work. Just keep in mind that cooking times can vary slightly depending on the type you use. If you like gnocchi, try our creamy chicken and gnocchi soup too!
- Heavy cream – A little heavy cream gives the sauce its creamy texture without making it overly rich. You can use the full ⅓ cup for a richer sauce or start with ¼ cup and add more to taste.
- Parmesan cheese – Freshly grated parmesan melts into the sauce much better than pre-shredded parmesan and adds plenty of flavor. We like to use a Microplane grater to freshly grate our parmesan into fine shreds.
See the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and measurements for this creamy gnocchi recipe.
Recipe Tips & Variations
- Season the meat to taste. Since the salt content varies between Italian sausage, ground turkey, and ground beef, it's best to add salt after the meat has cooked and taste the sauce before serving.
- Don't overcook the gnocchi. Potato gnocchi cooks quickly. Once it's tender, move on to the spinach and cream so you don't end up with mushy gnocchi.
- Swap the gnocchi. You can swap the gnocchi with tortellini if preferred.
- Keep the heat gentle. Once the tomatoes are simmering, reduce to medium heat as needed. A gentle simmer is all you need to cook the gnocchi and develop the creamy sauce.
- Add a little heat. Stir in red pepper flakes with the Italian seasoning for a spicy version.
- Add more vegetables. Sun-dried tomatoes, broccoli florets, or green beans would all be great additions. You can add sturdier vegetables with the tomatoes and give them a few extra minutes to cook.
- Finish with lemon. A small squeeze of lemon juice right before serving can brighten the creamy sauce.
- Make it dairy-free. Use a dairy-free cream alternative and dairy-free parmesan, or skip the cheese altogether. Coconut milk can work in a pinch, although it will give the sauce a slightly different flavor.
- Serve it with garlic bread. If you're looking for an easy side, garlic bread is perfect for soaking up the extra creamy tomato sauce.
How to Make One Pot Gnocchi
For the full recipe instructions, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Step 1: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add your choice of ground meat and onion, breaking the meat apart with a spatula as it cooks. Sauté for 6-8 minutes, or until the meat is browned and cooked through.
Step 2: Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
Step 3: Stir in the blended San Marzano tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer.
Step 4: Add the gnocchi and stir to combine. Cook for 3 minutes over medium heat.
Step 5: Add the spinach and cook for an additional 3 minutes until the spinach is wilted and the gnocchi is tender.
Step 6: Remove from heat and stir in the cream and parmesan cheese.
Step 7: Garnish with fresh basil, if desired. Serve immediately and enjoy!
One Pot Gnocchi FAQs
Store leftover gnocchi in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave, stirring halfway through, until warmed through. You can also reheat it gently in a skillet over low heat. If the sauce has thickened in the fridge, you can add a splash of water or broth while reheating to loosen it.
We don't recommend freezing this recipe. The creamy sauce and gnocchi can change texture after freezing and thawing.
Yes! That's one of the best things about this recipe. Ground Italian chicken or pork sausage, ground turkey, and ground beef all work well. The flavor will change slightly depending on which meat you use, but they're all great options. You will also need to add different amounts of salt to taste depending on the type of meat you use.
No! The gnocchi cooks directly in the creamy tomato sauce, which is what makes this a true one pot gnocchi recipe. There's no need to cook it separately.
Gnocchi releases some starch as it cooks, which helps thicken the sauce. If your sauce becomes thicker than you'd like, stir in a small splash of water or broth until it reaches your preferred consistency.
This is a complete meal on its own, but garlic bread, a simple green salad, or roasted vegetables would all be great alongside it.
Most gnocchi is not gluten-free, so find a specific gluten-free gnocchi if needed. For a dairy-free option, use dairy-free alternatives to the cream and parmesan cheese.
Other One Pot Recipes
If you make this one pot gnocchi recipe, please let us know how it turns out in the comments below and/or rate the recipe! Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram to show us your finished product—it makes our day every time we see you trying the recipes we love!
Creamy One Pot Gnocchi
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground meat of choice (ground Italian chicken or pork sausage, ground turkey, or ground beef all work well)
- ½ small onion, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1, 28 ounce can San Marzano tomatoes, blended
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 pound potato gnocchi
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 3 cups baby spinach
- ⅓ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste (will vary depending on type of meat used)
- Optional for garnish: fresh basil
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add your meat of choice and onion, breaking the meat apart with a spatula as it cooks. Sauté for 6-8 minutes, or until the meat is browned and cooked through.
- Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Stir in the blended San Marzano tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Add the gnocchi and stir to combine. Cook for 3 minutes over medium heat. Add the spinach and cook for an additional 3 minutes until the spinach is wilted and the gnocchi is tender.
- Remove from heat and stir in the cream and parmesan cheese. Garnish with fresh basil, if desired. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- Save time/prep ahead:
- This is already a quick one pot dinner, so there isn't much prep required ahead of time. You can save a few minutes by dicing the onion and measuring out the seasonings earlier in the day.
- If you're using homemade gnocchi, you can also prepare it ahead of time, although refrigerated or shelf-stable gnocchi makes this recipe especially convenient for a busy weeknight.
- For an even faster meal, keep a package of shelf-stable gnocchi and your favorite ground meat on hand so you can make this with ingredients you already have in the kitchen.
- Keep in mind that the amount of salt you'll need will vary depending on the meat you use. Italian sausage is typically already well seasoned, while ground turkey or beef may need additional salt.
- Most gnocchi is not gluten-free, so find a specific gluten-free gnocchi if needed. For a dairy-free option, use dairy-free alternatives to the cream and parmesan cheese.
- The recipe can be found on My Fitness Pal by searching "BWB One Pot Gnocchi." The nutrition was calculated using ground Italian chicken sausage. The nutrition content provided for each recipe is an estimate created through the My Fitness Pal database. Please be aware that the nutritional content of each recipe may vary based on the products you use, the precision of your measurements, and the source you use to obtain nutrition data. While we try to provide accurate information, we give no guarantee regarding the accuracy of the nutritional information provided.
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