Try this twist on a sheet pan dinner for a quick, healthy meal.
Gnocchi, those little pillows of potato perfection, were not part of my diet growing up. I never tasted them until I actually visited Italy as a college student, and I was immediately hooked. Back home in the States, I started making gnocchi (pronounced “nYOH-key”)—always boiling them and then topping them with either a cream sauce or a red sauce. Delicious! But definitely not the only way to enjoy gnocchi.
Here’s the thing: you can skip heating up a pot of water, waiting for it to boil, and then boiling and draining the gnocchi. A great alternative to the traditional boiling is the sheet pan dinner—that trendy one-dish meal that rose to popularity in the 2010s. Gnocchi make for a great base for the sheet pan dinner—all you need to do is toss them with a little oil, and they cook on the sheet pan and even get a little browned.
You will love this tasty sheet pan gnocchi because it is quick to put together and is versatile in that it can be a delicious meatless main, or you can serve it as a side to a meaty entrée. It’s easy in that the ingredients are all accessible, and the only chopping required is for the pepper and onion—that’s it! The final chef’s kiss, so to speak, is that sheet pan gnocchi is just plain pretty. The bright colors and varied textures make this a lovely dish to serve.
How is packaged gnocchi made?
If you’ve never made gnocchi from scratch, you may be wondering what exactly went into that package of gnocchi you picked up at your supermarket. While there are variations, gnocchi is typically made up of three ingredients: mashed potatoes, egg, and flour. That’s it! These ingredients are kneaded together into a dough and then formed into “ropes” that get cut into the tiny pillows we know as gnocchi.
How do I store leftovers?
Although best enjoyed fresh, leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 or 4 days in an airtight container. You can also flash-freeze the gnocchi for 1 hour on a baking tray before transferring them to the freezer in a Ziploc bag. They can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Serving suggestions
Personally, I love sheet pan gnocchi as a fresh, plant-based main with warm bread. It makes for a really hearty meal. However, if you want to add protein to it, you’ve got options. For a meatless protein, drain a can of cannellini beans and toss them into your sheet pan in step five when you add the spinach. For an added protein, you can serve alongside grilled chicken, Air-Fryer Chicken Tenders, or Broiled Chicken Breasts, which cook in just 10 minutes. You can also serve a starter with meat, such as Italian Sausage Soup, to ramp up the protein.
Sheet Pan Gnocchi
Ingredients
- 1 pound potato gnocchi
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 2 bell peppers chopped (any color)
- 1 small red onion chopped
- 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 cups fresh spinach leaves
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup.
- Spread the gnocchi, cherry tomatoes, chopped bell peppers, and chopped red onion on the prepared baking sheet.
- Drizzle the vegetables and gnocchi with olive oil. Sprinkle garlic powder, salt, pepper, oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes over them. Toss everything to ensure it’s well coated with oil and seasonings.
- Roast in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, tossing once halfway through, until the vegetables are tender and the gnocchi is slightly crispy.
- Take the dish out of the oven, mix in the spinach leaves, and gently toss with the hot vegetables and gnocchi to allow the spinach to wilt.
- Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley; serve immediately.
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