Cheesy Gnocchi Skillet

$6.68 recipe / $1.67 serving
by Beth - Budget Bytes
4.78 from 18 votes
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This is a busy time of year, maybe even the busiest. Between shopping, holiday parties, and visiting family, no one really wants to spend a ton of time in the kitchen. Sooo, this week I whipped up this Cheesy Gnocchi Skillet because it’s fast, easy, and total “comfort” food. I never get tired of variations on pasta, sauce, and cheese. Never.

Overhead view of a skillet full of cheesy gnocchi, sliced bread and parsley on the sides

What is Gnocchi?

Gnocchi are kind of like little pasta dumplings. They’re bite-sized, slightly chewy, and totally delicious with whatever sauce you pour over them. You can make gnocchi from scratch, but since I was looking for a quick weeknight meal, I used DeLallo gnocchi, which was on sale this week. You can find pre-made gnocchi in most major grocery stores in the pasta aisle or near other specialty Italian or Mediterranean ingredients. (And no, this is not a sponsored post.)

Can I Add Meat to the Skillet?

Sure! This recipe works great with the addition of meat. Italian sausage would probably be the easiest and most flavorful, just brown it up in the skillet before adding the garlic. You could also do chicken, again cooking it in the skillet first, then chopping it into pieces before adding it back with the sauce and greens.

Can I Use Different Vegetables?

If you’re not into frozen spinach or kale, zucchini would be really nice in this recipe. Just slice the zucchini and cook it in the skillet briefly before adding the garlic. You could also do frozen broccoli florets, adding them to the skillet at the same point that I added the frozen greens below.

What Should I Serve with Cheesy Gnocchi Skillet?

This is kind of an all-in-one dish, but if you want a little extra, you can add a side of Homemade Garlic Bread, or a simple side of mixed baby greens with a light coating of vinaigrette.

Close up of Cheesy Gnocchi Skillet with a wooden spoon scooping some out of the side

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Cheesy Gnocchi Skillet

4.78 from 18 votes
This Cheesy Gnocchi Skillet is easy comfort food at its best. In less than 30 minutes you can have a warm, savory, and cheesy meal ready to enjoy. 
A skillet filled with cheesy gnocchi and herbs.
Servings 4
Prep 5 minutes
Cook 20 minutes
Total 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. gnocchi ($2.39)
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil ($0.16)
  • 2 cloves garlic ($0.16)
  • 1/2 lb. frozen chopped greens ($1.00)
  • 1 24oz. jar pasta sauce ($1.97)
  • 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan ($0.16)
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella ($0.84)

Instructions 

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add the gnocchi. Continue to boil for about three minutes, or until the gnocchi begin to float. Once they’re all floating, drain the gnocchi in a colander.
  • Mince the two cloves of garlic and add them to a large skillet with the olive oil. Sauté the garlic over medium heat for about one minute, or just until it’s soft and fragrant. Once soft, add the drained gnocchi and continue to sauté until the gnocchi gets slightly golden brown and crispy on the outside (don’t stir too often or you’ll prevent it from browning and crisping).
  • Once the gnocchi is slightly crispy, add the pasta sauce and frozen chopped greens. Stir to combine, then allow to heat through (about 5 minutes). Sprinkle the Parmesan over the skillet, then the shredded mozzarella. Place a lid on the skillet and allow the cheese to heat and melt. Once melted, the gnocchi is ready to serve.

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Notes

I garnished with chopped parsley for the photos, but it’s not needed to flavor the dish.

Nutrition

Serving: 1ServingCalories: 341.25kcalCarbohydrates: 40.73gProtein: 12.73gFat: 15.63gSodium: 1227.93mgFiber: 5g
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Scroll down for the step by step photos!

A bowl full of Cheesy Gnocchi with a piece of wheat bread stuck in the side

A slice of bread to scoop up the extra sauce isn’t such a bad idea…

How to Make Cheesy Gnocchi Skillet – Step by Step Photos

Box of DeLallo Gnocchi

I used a one-pound box of gnocchi. The box looks pretty small and the label says three servings per box, but once it’s bulked up with all the sauce, greens, and cheese, it easily served four. Those little gnocchi are quite thick and filling.

Boiling Gnocchi in a pot

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add the gnocchi. Let them boil for about three minutes, or until they float.

Gnocchi draining in a colander

Once they all float, drain the gnocchi in a colander.

Sautéed Garlic in the skillet

While the gnocchi are boiling, mince two cloves of garlic and add them to a large skillet with 1 Tbsp olive oil. Sauté the garlic over medium heat for about one minute, or just until it’s soft and fragrant.

Sautéed Gnocchi and Garlic in the skillet

Add the drained gnocchi and continue to sauté until the outside of the gnocchi get a little crispy and golden brown. They absorb all of that lovely garlic flavor in the process. YUM. :D

Sauce and frozen greens added to the skillet

Once golden and slightly crispy, pour in one 24oz. jar of pasta sauce (I just used generic) and about 1/2 lb. frozen chopped greens. My greens were a mix of kale, mustard, and collards, but you could use any type you like.

Sauce and Greens Warmed through with gnocchi in the skillet

Stir to combine, then let them warm through (about five minutes, stir occasionally).

Parmesan added to the skillet

Sprinkle 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan over the skillet. Parmesan is pretty potent, so a little often goes a long way towards flavor.

Skillet topped with mozzarella

Finally, add one cup of shredded mozzarella on top.

Lid on skillet to melt the mozzarella

Place the lid on the skillet and let the mozzarella melt (a few minutes).

Overhead view of the finished Cheesy Gnocchi Skillet with bread and parsley on the side

And then the Cheesy Gnocchi Skillet is ready to serve! I added a little parsley on top for color, purely for the sake of the photos, but it’s not necessary. 

Overhead view of a bowl full of Cheesy Gnocchi with a slice of bread dunked in the side

I can’t say no to pasta, sauce, and cheese. #helpless

A forkful of Cheesy Gnocchi Skillet with the bowl in the background

CHEESY Gnocchi Skillet.

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  1. Do you think this would freeze well? It would be my first time cooking with gnocchi and I would be cooking for one.

    1. Hmm, while I haven’t actually tried freezing gnocchi, it’s definitely something I *would* try. My intuition says it would freeze well.

  2. Any tips for getting the gnocchi to not stick to the pan? I’m using plenty of oil so I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong? Otherwise I love all the recipes I’ve ever tried on here! It’s my go to place for planning out my weekly meals!

    1. Hmm, maybe there isn’t enough heat to really sear it and seal it off? Or perhaps the gnocchi was a little over cooked and mushy on the outer edges so it acted kind of like a paste?

  3. Easy to make and easy to follow. Thanks for a tasty weeknight meal.

    I definitely think this serves four people.