Crispy skillet gnocchi with ricotta in a rich, sun-dried tomato sauce is a satisfying one-pan, 30-minute dinner! Serve on its own or with some crusty bread to scoop up that delicious sauce. (nut-free with gluten-free and soy-free options. 17 grams protein and 9 grams fiber per serving)
You all loved my spinach artichoke gnocchi, so I decided to make a skillet gnocchi recipe for you. I got some mini gnocchi, because they’re smaller and more fun to eat. Crisp them up with some garlic and sun-dried tomatoes, then just scoop a bunch of my tofu ricotta on top along with some basil pasta sauce or marinara sauce. Let it simmer for a few minutes, and it becomes a fantastic dinner.
This easy skillet gnocchi is filling and very hearty. It has protein from the tofu ricotta mixture, and it’s creamy, cheesy, and amazing!
If you use an oven-safe skillet, you can also add some vegan cheese on top, such as a mixture of vegan parmesan and mozzarella, and broil it for a minute or two to melt and brown the cheese on top. It becomes even more delicious that way.
However you serve it, this skillet gnocchi is a super easy, super satisfying weeknight dinner.
Why You’ll Love Skillet Gnocchi
- one pan, garlicky gnocchi
- creamy tofu ricotta
- rich sun-dried tomato sauce
- naturally nut-free with gluten-free and soy-free options
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Make the ricotta mixture.
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You can either use a food processor or add everything to a bowl and mix really well. For the food processor method, add everything except the spinach, and process until the mixture is homogeneous, then mix in the spinach and set aside. I prefer using a food processor, because it makes the mixture more like a creamy cheese or pâté-like mixture.
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If using the bowl method, crumble the tofu very well, add all of the remaining tofu ricotta ingredients (except spinach), and press and mix until the mixture is somewhat smooth and not too chunky. Add in the spinach, mix, and set aside.
Make the skillet gnocchi.
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Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the gnocchi and cook until it starts to get golden on some edges, about 3 minutes. Stir, then keep stirring every 30 seconds, so the gnocchi can get golden on more edges, for about 5 minutes total. Then, mix in the garlic and cook for about half a minute. Mix in the sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil if using. Reduce the heat to low, and add ½ cup of the water.
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Scoop dollops of the tofu ricotta mixture over the gnocchi and spoon pasta sauce between that, all over the gnocchi. Use up all of the ricotta and however much sauce you want. Gently pour the remaining ½ cup of the water around the edges, then cover with a lid and let the mixture cook for 12 to 14 minutes. You want it to come to a boil initially, so increase the heat to medium-low, if needed. Once it starts boiling, reduce the heat to low again, and continue to simmer, covered, for about more 10 minutes.
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Open the lid, garnish with pepper flakes and vegan mozzarella, then cover again for a minute (increase heat to medium to help melt the mozzarella). Serve this delicious gnocchi with some garlic bread or as-is, or topped with fresh basil and more pepper flakes, if you like.
Optional Broiler Step
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If you’re using an ovenproof skillet, you can sprinkle more mozzarella on top of the gnocchi and put it in the oven to broil for a minute or two until the mozzarella melts and starts to get golden brown on top. Then remove the skillet from the oven and serve hot.
This skillet gnocchi recipe is nut-free as written, as long as you use a nut-free vegan mozzarella.
To make this recipe gluten-free, use gluten-free gnocchi.
It is not soy-free since it uses tofu, but you can make it soy-free by making a soy-free cashew ricotta in the food processor. You’ll need about ¾ cup of cashews and can use chickpea miso instead of white miso. Add water, as needed, to get a ricotta-like texture in the food processor.
Calories: 399kcal, Carbohydrates: 60g, Protein: 17g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Sodium: 682mg, Potassium: 777mg, Fiber: 9g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 2952IU, Vitamin C: 16mg, Calcium: 191mg, Iron: 8mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ingredients
- tofu – Use firm or extra-firm tofu for the ricotta, no need to press. For soy-free, use 3/4 cup cashews and the food processor method, and omit the tofu.
- nutritional yeast and miso – Add a cheesy flavor to the ricotta. For soy-free, use chickpea miso.
- dried herbs and spices – For the ricotta, you will need Italian seasoning, basil, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper or crushed pepper, and salt.
- lemon juice – Adds tang to the ricotta.
- olive oil – Gives the tofu ricotta that rich, cheesy texture.
- vegan mozzarella – Ups the cheesiness factor of the tofu ricotta, but you can omit it. You can also top the pan with vegan mozzarella for even more cheesiness, if you like. Choose soy-free and/or nut-free vegan mozzarella, if needed.
- frozen spinach – Adds color to the ricotta, but you can omit, if you like. If you do use frozen spinach, be sure to thaw it and squeeze out the excess water before using.
- olive oil – To sauté.
- garlic and sun-dried tomatoes – Add so much umami to the sauce!
- fresh basil – Ups the sauce flavor even more.
- gnocchi – I am using mini gnocchi, but you can use regular, prepared gnocchi, if you prefer. Choose gluten-free, if needed.
- pasta sauce – Use tomato basil sauce, garlic sauce, or marinara.
- garnishes – Garnish this with more pepper flakes, vegan mozzarella and/or parmesan, and fresh basil.
💡Tips
- If you have a food processor, I definitely recommend using it over the bowl method for making the ricotta. The texture is so much cheesier that way!
- To increase the protein, add some hemp seeds to your ricotta mixture.
How to Make Skillet Gnocchi with Tofu Ricotta
You can either use a food processor or add everything to a bowl and mix really well. For the food processor method, add everything except the spinach, and process until the mixture is homogeneous, then mix in the spinach and set aside. I prefer using a food processor, because it makes the mixture more like a creamy cheese or pâté-like mixture.
If using the bowl method, crumble the tofu very well, add all of the remaining tofu ricotta ingredients (except spinach), and press and mix until the mixture is somewhat smooth and not too chunky. Add in the spinach, mix, and set aside.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the gnocchi and cook until it starts to get golden on some edges, about 3 minutes. Stir, then keep stirring every 30 seconds, so the gnocchi can get golden on more edges, for about 5 minutes total.
Then, mix in the garlic and cook for about half a minute. Mix in the sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil if using. Reduce the heat to low, and add ½ cup of the water.
Scoop dollops of the tofu ricotta mixture over the gnocchi and spoon pasta sauce between that, all over the gnocchi. Use up all of the ricotta and however much sauce you want.
Gently pour the remaining ½ cup of the water around the edges, then cover with a lid and let the mixture cook for 12 to 14 minutes. You want it to come to a boil initially, so increase the heat to medium-low, if needed. Once it starts boiling, reduce the heat to low again, and continue to simmer, covered, for about more 10 minutes.
Open the lid, garnish with pepper flakes and vegan mozzarella, then cover again for a minute to melt the mozzarella. Serve this delicious gnocchi with some garlic bread or as-is, or topped with fresh basil and more pepper flakes, if you like.
See recipe card below for the optional broiler step, if you want this even cheesier.
What to Serve with Skillet Gnocchi
Serve this on its own or with crusty bread for dipping. You can also serve this with a green salad on the side or some roasted vegetables.
Frequently Asked Questions
This skillet gnocchi recipe is nut-free as written, as long as you use a nut-free vegan mozzarella.
To make this recipe gluten-free, use gluten-free gnocchi.
It is not soy-free since it uses tofu, but you can make it soy-free by making a soy-free cashew ricotta in the food processor. You’ll need about ¾ cup of cashews and can use chickpea miso instead of white miso. Add water, as needed, to get a ricotta-like texture in the food processor.
