Cheesy Pizza Baked Gnocchi

This blog post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

I love gnocchi! If you’ve never had gnocchi before, it’s basically fluffy little potato dumplings, which you can flavour however you choose – just like you can with pasta. To make this pizza baked gnocchi, I smothered the dumplings in mozzarella cheese and added my favourite vegetarian pizza toppings, then baked it until it was all nice and gooey. Just look at that cheesy goodness!

A large spoon scooping some cheesy pizza baked gnocchi.

Of course, you can switch up the pizza toppings depending on your preference. If it works on pizza, it will work on this pizza baked gnocchi! The end result is part pizza, part pasta bake, part gnocchi… it’s an excellent combination.

I like sautéed gnocchi best, rather than when it’s only been boiled – it makes the dumplings so fluffy! – so I cooked it in a frying pan for a few minutes before assembling the casserole. Then, once it’s all hot and cheesy, just serve it up with some salad or a bit of garlic bread (to mop up the plate!), and you’ve got a simple, tasty, comforting dinner.

❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Using gnocchi and tasty pizza toppings makes a really lovely change from a regular pizza or a pasta dish.
  • You can customise the dish using your favourite pizza toppings – try some different combinations!
  • This gnocchi recipe reheats nicely, so make enough for leftovers.
  • Ooey gooey mozzarella cheese… need I say more?
Gooey pizza baked gnocchi in a dish, topped with peppers, mushrooms and olives.

🥗 Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe. You’ll also need a few cupboard staples, like oil and black pepper. See the printable recipe card below for detailed ingredient quantities.

Ingredients for pizza baked gnocchi with text overlay.
  • gnocchi. I use either fresh gnocchi, or the vacuum-packed stuff – either one is fine. You could even use homemade gnocchi or ricotta gnocchi!
  • pizza sauce – whichever one’s your favourite!
  • onion – this time I used frozen diced onion, but use fresh onion if you prefer.
  • garlic
  • mozzarella cheese – I find the ready-grated stuff melts the best, rather than fresh mozzarella.
  • fresh chives
  • your favourite pizza toppings – I used mushrooms, black olives, yellow pepper, and cherry tomatoes.

Becca’s Top Tip

You don’t have to use the pizza toppings I chose – just use whatever you like to have on pizza! My other favourite toppings include diced red onion, sweetcorn, peppers, and pineapple.

📋 Instructions

Here’s how to make this recipe – see below for the printable recipe with detailed ingredients and instructions.

Fried gnocchi cooking in a frying pan.

Step 1: Sauté some gnocchi with some diced onion. This helps the gnocchi to become light and fluffy – you can find out more in my post ‘How to fry gnocchi (and why you should want to!)

Gnocchi in tomato sauce in a frying pan.

Step 2: Add your favourite tomato pizza sauce. I used shop-bought sauce, but a homemade tomato sauce would also be great.

A baking dish with mozzarella and vegetable pizza toppings.

Step 3: Transfer the tomatoey gnocchi to a baking dish, and add mozzarella cheese and your favourite pizza toppings. I used yellow peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms and black olives.

Cheesy pizza baked gnocchi topped with vegetables.

Step 4: Bake until the cheese is nice and gooey.

Becca’s Top Tip

If you’re in a big rush, you can skip the sautéing, and just add the gnocchi straight to the baking dish with the sauce. However, if you have time, I would definitely recommend taking the extra few minutes to fry it off a little first, as it really does lighten up the gnocchi.

💭 Recipe FAQs

What are gnocchi?

Gnocchi are small dumplings used in Italian cuisine, and they are usually made from potatoes (though ricotta gnocchi is also a thing!). They can be served in a similar way to pasta, with a variety of sauces.

Can you prepare this dish in advance?

This pizza baked gnocchi can be assembled in advance, and then baked just before serving. Alternatively, it reheats nicely in the microwave, so it can be entirely cooked in advance if needed, and reheated later.

Can I use homemade gnocchi?

Sure! Homemade gnocchi is easy to make, and can be used in this recipe if you have the time. It tends to be a bit more delicate than shop-bought gnocchi, so be gentle when you mix in the sauce!

Can I reheat any leftovers?

Absolutely – just keep any leftovers in an air-tight tub in the fridge for up to 3 days, and reheat thoroughly in the microwave.

Pizza baked gnocchi in a dish topped with pizza toppings.
Pizza baked gnocchi topped with peppers, mushrooms and black olives.

Cheesy Pizza Baked Gnocchi

A simple and tasty baked gnocchi dish, topped with plenty of mozzarella and all your favourite pizza toppings!

If you’ve cooked this recipe, don’t forget to leave a star rating!

4.50 from 4 votes
Print Pin Comment
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 3 people
Calories: 510kcal
Author: Becca Heyes

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon oil
  • 500 g (~ 1 lb) gnocchi
  • 60 g (~ ½ cup) frozen diced onion (or ½ a fresh onion, diced)
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 250 g (~ 1 cup) your favourite tomato pizza or pasta sauce
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 150 g (~ 5 oz) grated mozzarella cheese
  • Your choice of pizza toppings – I used black olives, button mushrooms, yellow pepper, and cherry tomatoes
  • Fresh chives, to serve (optional)

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, and add the gnocchi and the diced onion. Cook for around 5-8 minutes, stirring regularly, until lightly browned. Add the minced garlic, and cook for a couple more minutes.
  • Next, add the tomato pizza sauce, and mix well to combine. Season to taste with black pepper.
  • Heat the oven to 190°C (Gas Mark 5 / 375°F).
  • Transfer the mixture to a baking dish (mine measured approximately 8 x 8 inches), and top with plenty of grated mozzarella cheese. Add your choice of pizza toppings – I used black olives, button mushrooms, yellow pepper, and cherry tomatoes.
  • Cover with a lid or some kitchen foil, and bake for around 20 minutes, until hot and bubbly. If you’d like to crisp up the cheese a little, remove the lid and return to the oven for a further 10 minutes or so. Serve topped with fresh chives.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Cheesy Pizza Baked Gnocchi
Amount Per Serving (1 portion)
Calories 510 Calories from Fat 151
% Daily Value*
Fat 16.8g26%
Saturated Fat 7g35%
Cholesterol 40mg13%
Sodium 473mg20%
Potassium 233mg7%
Carbohydrates 70.9g24%
Fiber 1.8g7%
Sugar 3.5g4%
Protein 19.8g40%
Calcium 277mg28%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on your exact ingredients. Please calculate your own nutritional values if you require accuracy for health reasons.

Tried this Recipe? Give it a star rating!Star ratings really help support the site – thank you!

Save This Recipe (New)

💾 Save this recipe! Enter your email and I'll send the recipe straight to your inbox, so you'll never lose it again. Plus, you'll receive 1-2 emails per week with new recipes, and a FREE e-cookbook!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




31 Comments

  1. Delicious! Saw the post on your insta and just had to go make this asap. I love gnocchi, this was the first time I fried them without boiling them first and I was very happy with the result. The combo with pizza is a winner. Thanks for the recipe! :)5 stars