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Creamy Tomato Gnocchi

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This one pan creamy tomato gnocchi recipe is easy comfort food at its best! It's convenient since it's ready in just 25 minutes, and you'll agree it's a restaurant quality dish.

Want a similar recipe without cream? Head on over to my Gnocchi with Tomato Sauce.

a bowl of creamy tomato gnocchi with grated parmesan

Why you'll enjoy it

This gnocchi with a creamy tomato sauce is one of those recipes that takes a few everyday ingredients and transforms them into something special and elevated. It just tastes gourmet, yet it takes under half an hour to make in a single skillet. I find myself making it for guests constantly, because who doesn't like easy clean-up?

It's one of those recipes that makes a filling meatless main, and you definitely won't feel like you're missing out. This gnocchi that's smothered in a tomato and white wine cream sauce is indulgent, and you can also serve it as a satisfying side dish.

What goes into it

  • Olive oil - for sautéing
  • Onion - we like using sweet Vidalia onions, but yellow or white will be fine
  • White wine - use a dry variety that you'd actually enjoy drinking. Try sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, or even chardonnay (but definitely do not use cooking wine)
  • Dijon mustard - it's a flavor enhancer for more savory goodness and one of my favorite tricks for sauces
  • Garlic - I use this garlic press to effortlessly mince the cloves without having to peel them
  • Italian seasoning - a blend of fragrant dried herbs all in one jar
  • Tomatoes - we're using a can of diced tomatoes for the best texture and consistency. Find a brand you enjoy since it's a key component. I like DeLallo and Muir Glen best.
  • Heavy cream - to make the sauce extra luxurious
  • Gnocchi - I use shelf stable gnocchi found in the dry pasta aisle of most grocery stores. It holds up well for this one pan method.
  • Basil - for a pop of freshness, and it perfectly complements the pink sauce
ingredients for creamy tomato gnocchi on a counter

One pan gnocchi tips

  • Can I use homemade gnocchi? Homemade gnocchi is very delicate and may fall apart, so I don't recommend using it in this recipe.
  • Do I need to pre-cook the gnocchi? No. It cooks right in the sauce. In fact, the starch released as it cooks is a necessary part of thickening the sauce!
  • Why isn't my sauce thickening? The timing is a guideline, so if your pan or stove runs hot (e.g. gas stove), you may want to lower the heat a bit. If the sauce hasn't thickened up enough, simply cook it for a bit longer.

How to make creamy tomato gnocchi

This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.

sauteing onion and adding seasonings in a pan

In a skillet, sauté the onion until softened. Stir in the white wine, Dijon mustard, garlic, and Italian seasoning until you've got a smooth mixture.

adding in cream, tomatoes, gnocchi, and basil to a pan

Add in the diced tomatoes, cream, and gnocchi. When it starts to bubble, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Give it a stir, and add in the fresh basil and salt & pepper. Let it cook until the sauce has thickened and the gnocchi is cooked through. Enjoy!

Substitutions and variations

  • If you're really not a fan, you can leave out or halve the Dijon mustard.
  • You can sub the white wine for vegetable or chicken broth.
  • Try stirring in some fresh spinach towards the end if you want to include some greens.
  • I don't recommend subbing the heavy cream for half-and-half or milk since acidity from tomatoes may curdle sauce, and it will end up less rich and possibly thinner.

What to serve with it

Leftovers and storage

  • Leftovers will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge in an airtight container. Be mindful that as time goes on, the gnocchi will release more starch and thicken the sauce.
  • When reheating, you can add in a splash more wine or cream to revive it. Reheat over a low heat in a saucepan until warmed through.
  • I don't recommend freezing this one. Cream sauces generally don't have success in the freezer.

Try these next

a skillet with creamy tomato gnocchi and a serving spoon

I hope you love this easy gnocchi recipe as much as I do! Made it? Let me know in the comments below, or tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram.

a bowl of creamy tomato gnocchi with grated parmesan

Creamy Tomato Gnocchi

This one pan creamy tomato gnocchi recipe is easy comfort food at its best! It's convenient since it's ready in just 25 minutes, and you'll agree it's a restaurant quality dish.
4.89 from 35 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4
Calories 456 kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 medium onion chopped finely
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 3-4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon dashes Italian seasoning
  • 1 (14 fluid ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
  • 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
  • 1 pound uncooked potato gnocchi
  • 1 small handful fresh basil torn or chopped
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • Freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional) to taste

Instructions
 

  • Add the olive oil to a skillet on medium-high heat. Sauté the onion for about 5 minutes (ok if it's lightly browned). 
  • Add the white wine, Dijon mustard, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Stir until you've got a smooth mixture and let it cook for about a minute. 
  • Add the diced tomatoes, cream, and gnocchi. Wait until it starts to lightly bubble again, then reduce the heat to medium and cover for 5 minutes. 
  • Give it a good stir, and add the basil and season with salt & pepper. Let it cook for another couple minutes to ensure the gnocchi is fully cooked and the starch thickens the sauce up a bit more.
  • Stir in parmesan (optional) or sprinkle it on top. Serve immediately. 

Notes

  • The gnocchi will cook right in the sauce - no need to cook it beforehand. 
  • This makes 4 reasonably sized portions. If you're feeding extra hungry people, I recommend serving this with a salad, garlic bread, and/or something else. It would also make a great side dish.
  • Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
     

Nutrition

Calories: 456kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 7gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 544mgPotassium: 287mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1046IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 105mgIron: 5mg
Keyword creamy tomato gnocchi
Author Natasha Bull

This recipe was originally published on August 30, 2017. It's been updated with new photos and better instructions but is the same great recipe!

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  1. Susan says

    5 stars
    Loved it. My tweek, use an entire onion and caramelize it. If you cook it according to the instructions, its still kind of crunchy. Definitely going into rotation!

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hi Hannah! That can sometimes happen, unfortunately. Are you absolutely sure you used heavy or whipping cream vs. something like half-and-half or a light cream? The acidity of the tomatoes can be a contributing factor as well as if you boiled it or put it into the pan when it was very cold from the fridge.

      Reply

    • Natasha says

      That would turn it into a completely different recipe, so I am not sure. You could try making the sauce separately, I suppose... but the starch released from the gnocchi thickens the sauce. Perhaps try this tomato sauce and make it with regular pasta: https://bit.ly/3Sc0AsT

      Reply

  4. Elke says

    I’ve made this before as-written and really enjoyed it 🙂 however I now don’t have Dijon mustard, and I was wondering if you think I could substitute honey mustard? Thanks!

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hi! I'm so glad you enjoyed it! I'd probably just leave the mustard out unless you're ok with a bit of sweetness. I'm having a hard time picturing how it would taste with honey mustard.

      Reply

  5. Emily says

    5 stars
    This was crazy delicious and super flavorful. Never considered about using the dijon mustard in a tomato sauce, but I am positive that is what took this over the top! Going on a regular rotation in our household. Thank you!

    Reply

  6. Lynel says

    5 stars
    Made this tonight and OMG!!! So delicious!!! My husband is thrilled that there are enough leftovers for dinner tomorrow (as am I). I followed the recipe to a tee and wouldn't change a thing. Will def be making this again for others as well! Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply

  7. Rhonda says

    5 stars
    I am a prep cook at my sons restaurant and I needed to make a lot so when the onions and tomatoes were cooking I added flour to make a rue and cooked out the flour then Added chicken broth and cream let this cook saved some of the cream in case I needed to thicken some more also Andes a dash of hot pepper seeds!!!! Awesome

    Reply

  8. Jillian says

    2 stars
    This recipe has so much great potential, and I love the creamy tomato aspect to it. The Dijon mustard was way too overpowering for us even after trying to dilute the sauce down and adding extra parmesan and seasonings, so when I try it again next time I’ll see how it tastes with no Dijon or maybe half. Loved how simple the recipe was though!

    Reply

  9. Penny says

    5 stars
    Oh my!! This was delicious and so quick and easy. I added some bacon and sauteed it with the onions. My husband loved it too, will definitely be making this again!

    Reply

  11. Denise S says

    5 stars
    This is a go-to recipe in my house. I sauté some Italian sausage out of the casing first then toss in the onions and go from there. It is so delicious! Even better with spicy Italian sausage. Yum!

    Reply

  12. Jean S Lucy says

    5 stars
    I had some left over diced tomatoes I wanted to use and found this WONDERFUL recipe. It looked and tasted like something you would get in a restaurant. Have a friend coming for the weekend and can't wait to make it for her. It is relatively quick and sooooo tasty.

    Reply

  13. Anne says

    5 stars
    Delicious!! This is as good as any dish I would order in a fine Italian restaurant. The only substitution I made is I used chicken broth in place of wine.

    Reply

  14. Cara Dempsey says

    Love this recipe! I couldn’t wait to make it and didn’t have all the ingredients on hand. I used a simple pasta sauce instead of tomatoes, chicken broth in place of the wine, garlic powder instead of fresh garlic (mine was bad and didn’t realize it) and 2% milk instead of half and half. It still was a thicker sauce (I was afraid it was going to be too runny). I added only a little bit of the seasoning since the sauce is already seasoned. Thank you for sharing! Today I reheated it in a skillet, added a bit of water and added shaved ham and covered. I topped with a touch of cheese and it was so good!

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Yay!! Glad it worked out for you, Cara! The starch definitely does a good job of thickening up the sauce.

      Reply

  16. Kara Jay says

    5 stars
    I love gnocchi, like alot. But, I don't always have the hours it takes to make it. This makes the shelf gnocchi delicious! The creamy tomato sauce is incredible I was eating it by the spoonful on its own.
    This takes next to no time to make and uses no dishes, even less if you eat it straight out of the pan. Highly recommend this recipe!

    Reply

  17. Jessica says

    5 stars
    Love this recipe!! How do you think it would freeze and reheat? Or do you have any other recipes in your collection you’d recommend making for a pregnant friend post-delivery?

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      I'm so glad you like it, Jessica!! You sound like a good friend to make recipes for your friend. 🙂 Hmm... I'm always a bit cautious with freezing cream sauces because they can separate a bit when you reheat them. I'd suggest maybe making one of my soups... I do have a ton of them haha: https://www.saltandlavender.com/category/soups/ I'd probably go with something without pasta or cream if it has to be frozen.

      Reply

  18. Meghan says

    Was the gnocchi you used frozen or dry-boxed? If frozen, do you suggest boiling it first before cooking it with the sauce?

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      It was the dry boxed kind. No, I would just add it straight to the sauce. You may need to cook it slightly longer (so you may want to lower the heat just a tad), but I'm sure it'll be fine.

      Reply

  20. Ash says

    5 stars
    Absolutely amaze balls

    Easy to make tastes delicious and fills you up so much

    I even made my own dijon mustard to give it my personal touch

    Thank you for the great recipe

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      I'm so glad you liked it, Ash! Making your own Dijon... I'm intrigued. I've never made my own mustard, but I'd love to try that.

      Reply

  22. Brittney Burna says

    Is there a way to sub milk and half and half for the heavy cream? What would you suggest. It’s all I have on hand.

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      I'd suggest the half-and-half. I think it'll be ok, but the sauce may end up a little thinner/less rich. Let me know if you try!

      Reply

  24. Laura says

    5 stars
    Made a double batch in a Dutch oven. Amazing! So creamy and flavorful... not to mention, super quick and easy. Will be making this again and again!!

    Reply

  26. Shanese says

    5 stars
    I've made this probably 10 times, I feel bad I'm only just now leaving a comment. The recipe is so easy and it's 5-star! The best gnocchi I've ever had. Every ingredient is essential, especially the mustard. I love love love it! I like to tear up a roto chicken and throw it in at the end.

    Reply

  27. Moria Basquiat says

    5 stars
    This is so good!!! I used cauliflower gnocchi so I had to add some cornstarch to thicken the sauce, but I’ve made this multiple times and it’s always so good.

    Reply

  28. Jessica E says

    5 stars
    This is the first time we’ve ever cooked gnocchi at home and the taste of this dish beats any pasta dish I’ve had at an Italian restaurant. It was SO easy and fun to make! Thank you so much for the awesome recipe for our dinner tonight!

    Reply

  29. Jennalee says

    5 stars
    I made this a couple months ago and haven't been able to stop thinking about it since! My husband and I did the "food dance" when we tasted it. Way better than any restaurant Italian dish.
    Do you think it could be made the same way with regular pasta or do you think it would take too long to cook in the sauce? Thanks!

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      "Food dance" ahhaha love it! I think that you'd probably have to partially cook the regular pasta first. Might be worth a try?

      Reply

  30. Whitney says

    5 stars
    This goes beyond our stuff we usually make for our dinners, thought I would try something new tonight.. OMG!! Soo good! Tasted like something I would get at Olive Garden.. definitely goin to make again!

    Reply

  33. Michelle says

    5 stars
    Yum, this is an amazing recipe, thank you so much. I doubled it (but left the cream the same). I made it twice- one time using 2 cans of diced tomatoes, one time using 1 can diced, 1 can tomato sauce. Both ways were good. I LOVE it cooks right in the sauce! Takes only 10 minutes to put together. Everyone should make this. I used red wine I had from another recipe and it was awesome. Very forgiving.

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Thanks! You could try chicken or veg broth (like if you have a container open already... I wouldn't open one for only 1/4 cup if you have no plans to use it up), or just leave it out.

      Reply

  39. Allie says

    5 stars
    I made this for dinner tonight and it was absolutely amazing! I didn't have any mustard so I simply omitted it and added some parmesan cheese to the mix to help the sauce thicken a bit and oh my gosh. AMAZING! I'm not a huge fan of gnocchi but this had me going back to the fridge to finish the left overs! Thank you so much for this recipe!

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Good question! I think it would be lovely with some sautéed scallops and/or shrimp (I'd just stir them right in after you cook them). You could actually use it as a side dish with pretty much any kind of meat... veal would be lovely.

      Reply

  49. Naomi says

    I ove gnocchi and def don't eat it enough Ken make enough of it. That has to definitely change starting with this!

    Reply