This Caprese gnocchi recipe combines baked gnocchi with classic Caprese flavors. Perfect for summer weeknights, it cooks on one pan in 30 minutes!
This Caprese gnocchi recipe is about to become your go-to summer weeknight dinner! It cooks on one pan in under 30 minutes and is bursting with fresh flavor. Inspired by a classic Caprese salad, it combines store-bought gnocchi with summer tomatoes, fresh basil, and creamy mozzarella cheese.
Just like in my sheet pan gnocchi recipe, I don’t boil the gnocchi here. Instead, I bake it in the oven alongside cherry tomatoes. The gnocchi soaks up the flavorful tomato juices while becoming lightly crisp and browned. After baking, I finish it with torn mozzarella, basil, and dollops of pesto for bold, bright summer flavor.
Why You’ll Love This Caprese Gnocchi Recipe
- It turns Caprese flavors into a full meal. Tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella are so delicious together that they deserve to be more than a side dish. This recipe is a simple way to turn these peak-summer ingredients into a full dinner.
- The combination of textures is delicious. The contrast of the crispy gnocchi, bursty tomatoes, and creamy mozzarella makes this recipe irresistible.
- It’s ready in 30 minutes, most of which is hands-off roasting time. If you’d like to make homemade pesto to serve with this recipe, you’ll have enough time to prep it while the gnocchi bakes!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s what you’ll need to make this Caprese gnocchi recipe:
- Gnocchi, of course! You’ll need store-bought gnocchi for this recipe—shelf-stable and refrigerated options both work great. I don’t recommend using homemade gnocchi here. It would need to be boiled first, and it’s too delicate for this recipe.
- Cherry tomatoes – Cherry and grape tomatoes both work well. I like to use a mix of colors and types for extra depth of flavor. It’s prettier too. 🙂
- Garlic – For savory bite.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – It helps the gnocchi crisp up in the oven.
- Balsamic vinegar – It adds a subtle tang. I use a regular thin balsamic vinegar here, though a thicker balsamic reduction would work too. If you’re using that, use half the amount, just 1 teaspoon instead of 2.
- Fresh mozzarella cheese – I leave it uncooked in this recipe. Its creamy texture contrasts perfectly with the crispy gnocchi and juicy tomatoes. For a fun twist, use torn burrata instead.
- Lemon zest – It adds a pop of brightness that takes this recipe over the top.
- Fresh basil leaves and basil pesto – For bold basil flavor! Store-bought pesto works just fine in this recipe, but if you have an abundance of fresh basil on hand, go ahead and make it from scratch. My pesto recipe is easy to make in a food processor using fresh basil, pine nuts (or any nut), garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese.
- And salt and pepper – To make all the flavors pop!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Caprese Gnocchi
This recipe is super simple to make:
1. Roast the gnocchi and tomatoes. Toss them with the olive oil, balsamic, garlic, salt, and pepper and bake at 450°F until the gnocchi is tender. Give everything a good toss halfway through so that the gnocchi cooks evenly.
2. Add the mozzarella, basil, and lemon zest. Sprinkle them over the gnocchi after it comes out of the oven.
3. Season to taste and serve with pesto. I like to dollop some onto the whole pan, then serve with more on the side so everyone can customize their own plate.
What to Serve with Caprese Gnocchi
Round out the meal with homemade focaccia or one of these summer vegetable side dishes:
More Gnocchi Recipes to Try
If you love this Caprese gnocchi recipe, try one of these delicious gnocchi dishes next:
Caprese Gnocchi
Ingredients
- 1 pound store-bought gnocchi
- 3 cups cherry tomatoes
- 3 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, torn
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest, for garnish
- Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
- Basil pesto, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, toss together the gnocchi, tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, salt, and several grinds of pepper. Spread evenly on the baking sheet. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the gnocchi is tender and the tomatoes are browned, tossing halfway.
- Remove from the oven and top with the mozzarella, lemon zest, and basil. Season to taste and serve with dollops of pesto.
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This was actually quite good! I doubled the amount and it was enough for 3 people. No leftovers. Definitely don’t omit the vinegar or the lemon zest. Both are necessary!