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.
This post contains some affiliate links, which means that we make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.
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.
Cheesy Gnocchi Skillet
Servings 4Ingredients
- 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.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Equipment
- Deep Stainless Steel Skillet
- Garlic Press
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!Scroll down for the step by step photos!
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
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.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add the gnocchi. Let them boil for about three minutes, or until they float.
Once they all float, drain the gnocchi in a colander.
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.
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
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.
Stir to combine, then let them warm through (about five minutes, stir occasionally).
Sprinkle 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan over the skillet. Parmesan is pretty potent, so a little often goes a long way towards flavor.
Finally, add one cup of shredded mozzarella on top.
Place the lid on the skillet and let the mozzarella melt (a few minutes).
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.
I can’t say no to pasta, sauce, and cheese. #helpless
CHEESY Gnocchi Skillet.
Its good and easy, i double on the gnocci, 1lb is not enough.
Do you think this would freeze well? It would be my first time cooking with gnocchi and I would be cooking for one.
Hmm, while I haven’t actually tried freezing gnocchi, it’s definitely something I *would* try. My intuition says it would freeze well.
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!
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?
Easy to make and easy to follow. Thanks for a tasty weeknight meal.
I definitely think this serves four people.