This sun dried tomato gnocchi is everything you want in a quick, comforting meal. It’s rich, creamy, and full of flavor, all made in just one pot! This recipe is perfect for busy weeknights or cozy weekends when you want something satisfying but don’t want to spend a ton of time in the kitchen. You'll have this meal ready in less than 30 minutes!
The beauty of this dish lies in its simplicity: a handful of ingredients come together to create something so comforting you’ll want to make it again and again. The combination of sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, herbs, and creamy parmesan really elevates this gnocchi into something special. And let’s not forget the spinach and cannellini beans for an extra boost of texture and nutrition. This recipe is also vegetarian, and with a few adaptations can be made vegan!
How to Make Sun Dried Tomato Gnocchi
Making this sun dried tomato gnocchi is super easy. Here’s a step-by-step guide to getting dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes!
- Saute the shallot, garlic, and spices.
Start by adding the salted butter in a large pot over medium heat. Once it’s melted, add the minced shallot and diced sun-dried tomatoes. Sauté them for about 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until everything is fragrant and softened. Then add the minced garlic, oregano, basil, thyme, paprika, red pepper flakes, and sea salt. Stir for about a minute until you can smell the spices. - Cook the gnocchi and beans.
Pour in the vegetable broth and the rinsed cannellini beans. Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Once it’s bubbling, add the gnocchi, making sure they’re in a single layer for even cooking. Boil the gnocchi for 3-4 minutes, or until they’re soft and pillowy. - Add the remaining ingredients.
Once the gnocchi is ready, reduce the heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream and parmesan cheese until everything is smooth and creamy. Then toss in the fresh spinach and stir until it wilts into the sauce. - Serve and enjoy!
This dish is best served hot, so serve it immediately and top with extra parmesan cheese if you’d like. It’s the perfect one-pot comfort meal!
Tips for Making the Best Sun Dried Tomato Gnocchi
- Use sun dried tomatoes NOT packaged in oil. To avoid making the dish too heavy, opt for sun-dried tomatoes that come packaged in dry form, not oil. This will keep the sauce from being too oily, letting the flavors shine.
- Fresh parmesan is key. If you can, grate your own parmesan cheese. It blends so much better into the sauce than pre-grated parmesan, which tends to be a little dry and has additional preservatives.
- Add protein. While the cannellini beans are a great source of protein, feel free to add cooked chicken, sausage, or even crispy bacon to boost the protein content and flavor profile.
- Don’t overcook the gnocchi. The gnocchi cooks quickly, so be sure to keep an eye on it. Once it’s soft and floats to the top, it’s ready to go! Overcooking it will make the gnocchi a little mushy, so check it after 3 minutes to see if it's done.
- Make it vegan. You can easily make this dish vegan by using a plant-based butter, substituting the heavy cream with coconut cream or a dairy-free alternative, and omitting the parmesan or using a vegan version.
Other Recipes You’ll Love
If you're looking for other delicious, vegetarian recipes, check out a few of these favorites:
Vegetarian Stuffed Bell Peppers
These recipes are also similar to this sun dried tomato gnocchi, but are great non-vegetarian options:
Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta
If you try out this one pot sun dried tomato gnocchi or any of my other recipes, I’d LOVE to hear about it. You can leave a comment below the recipe. If you post a picture on Instagram, be sure to tag me! Getting any feedback on my recipes is both rewarding AND helpful as I write and edit recipes in the future.
Now get cooking, and enjoy!
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon salted butter
- 1 large shallot minced
- 3 oz sun dried tomatoes (in package, not oil*), diced into finer pieces
- 3 teaspoon minced garlic
- ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon dried basil
- ¾ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 ½ cup vegetable broth
- 1 can cannelini beans (15 oz), rinsed**
- 1 lb potato gnocchi
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup grated parmesan cheese (plus extra to garnish)***
- 5 oz baby spinach
Instructions
- In a large pot, melt the salted butter on medium heat. Once melted, add the minced shallot and diced sun dried tomatoes. Saute for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.3 tablespoon salted butter, 1 large shallot, 3 oz sun dried tomatoes
- Add the minced garlic, dried oregano, dried basil, dried thyme, paprika, red pepper flakes, and fine sea salt. Stir for 1 minute.3 teaspoon minced garlic, ¾ teaspoon dried oregano, ¾ teaspoon dried basil, ¾ teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon paprika, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Add the vegetable broth and the can of cannelini beans. Turn the heat up to high and bring to a boil.2 ½ cup vegetable broth, 1 can cannelini beans
- Add the gnocchi to the boiling broth, breaking them up so they aren't stuck together. Make sure that the gnocchi is in one even layer so that it can cook evenly. Cook the gnocchi on high heat (boiling) for about 3-4 minutes, until the gnocchi is soft and pillowy.1 lb potato gnocchi
- Once the gnocchi is done cooking, turn the heat down to low and mix in the heavy cream and the parmesan cheese. Then add the baby spinach and mix in until wilted.¼ cup heavy cream, ¾ cup grated parmesan cheese, 5 oz baby spinach
- Serve immediately, and top with additional parmesan cheese, if desired.
Anonymous says
Loved this recipe!
Maddie Saxey says
Glad you enjoyed it!
Anonymous says
Absolutely delicious!
Maddie Saxey says
Thank you!
Hope Anderson says
Absolutely delicious and so quick!!
Maddie Saxey says
Thanks for trying it!