• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Last Food Blog
  • All Recipes
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Appetizers
    • Dinner
    • Salads
    • Soup
    • Sides
    • Desserts
    • Cake
    • Treats
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Meal Plans
  • About
    • Work with Me
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About
  • All Recipes
  • Vegetarian Dinners
  • Lunch
  • Salads
  • Vegetarian Soups
  • Vegetarian Breakfast Recipes
  • Meal Plans
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Pan Fried Gnocchi with Spinach and Tomatoes

    Pan Fried Gnocchi with Spinach and Tomatoes

    Published: June 8, 2019, Modified: November 13, 2019, By: Michelle Alston

    • Facebook268
    • Twitter
    Jump to Recipe

    Pan-Fried Gnocchi with Spinach and Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, a delicious quick and easy weeknight dinner ready in under 30 minutes!

    Gnocchi with Spinach, Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, parmesan and pine nuts
    Jump to:
    • How to Make Pan Fried Gnocchi
    • Tips for Making the Perfect Pan Fried Gnocchi:
    • What Makes this Recipe Great:
    • Pan Fried Gnocchi with Spinach and Tomatoes

    I know what's it like when your weekdays are really busy, you're tired when you get home but you still want something really tasty and satisfying to eat. This is my life. Always lots going on and sometimes not a lot of time for making complicated dinners. This is why this recipe for pan-fried gnocchi with spinach came about. I had a packet of gnocchi sitting in my cupboard, and I had about half an hour to make dinner.

    I always have some spinach and tomatoes in the fridge so I started thinking of making a quick dinner with all of the above. Now, I know gnocchi can sometimes be a bit on the dull side, but if you pan-fry that gnocchi, in butter, well that's a whole other story!

    step by step process to making Gnocchi with Spinach.

    How to Make Pan Fried Gnocchi

    1. Start by roasting the cherry tomatoes, add the cherry tomatoes to a roasting tin, drizzle over the balsamic vinegar and olive oil, add the salt and pepper then roast them for about 15 minutes in a hot preheated oven.
    2. While the tomatoes are roasting toast the pine nuts. This should only take two minutes and they are so much better toasted.
    3. Next, cook the gnocchi. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil then add the gnocchi to it. As soon as the gnocchi rises to the top remove it with a slotted spoon. Keep a ½ cup of the water from the pot.
    4. Pan fry the gnocchi, heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large pan, mine was a 26cm/10 inch pan. Fry the gnocchi for about 5 minutes, tossing every now and again. You want the gnocchi to be a light golden brown, but try not to cook it longer than 5 minutes. After 5 minutes it will start to get tough. Once the gnocchi is done transfer it to a bowl for a minute.
    5. Add another tablespoon of butter to the pan then add the garlic and the spinach, cook for a minute until the spinach wilts then add ½ a cup of the water from the gnocchi and give it a quick stir.
    6. Finally, add the tomatoes to the spinach along with the chopped parsley, cheese and the pine nuts. Return the gnocchi to the pan and toss everything together. Serve immediately with some freshly cracked pepper and more grated cheese.
    Gnocchi with Spinach, Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, parmesan and pine nuts

    Tips for Making the Perfect Pan Fried Gnocchi:

    • Store bought potato gnocchi works perfectly well for this and makes it a really quick meal. You can, of course, make your own gnocchi but it will take longer.
    • I use salted butter for this dish, unsalted butter doesn't give you the same result so please use salted butter.
    • Try not to overcook the gnocchi, anything more than 5 minutes will make the gnocchi tough. You want it to be soft in the middle crispy on the outside, so make sure the butter is piping hot but not burning so a medium-hot heat will work best.
    • Use a large pan to fry the gnocchi, you don't want the gnocchi to be too overcrowded.
    • I add some finely grated vegetarian parmesan cheese to the spinach, just make sure the cheese you use will melt well.
    • This comes together really quickly at the end, as soon as you have added the final ingredients and added the gnocchi back into the pan serve it straight away.

    What Makes this Recipe Great:

    • Just 12 ingredients to perfect pan fried gnocchi! Most of which you probably already have in your cupboard or fridge.
    • Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, little potato dumplings! What's not to love?
    • Juicy, sweet, roasted cherry tomatoes. So good with the gnocchi and spinach!
    • All that garlic!!
    • Spinach to add a touch of healthy!
    • So tasty, mouthwateringly good!
    • Ready in 30 minutes

    Gnocchi with Spinach, Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, parmesan and pine nuts

    More Quick and Easy Weeknight Dinners:

    • Vegetable Fajitas
    • Spinach Strawberry Salad
    • Pesto Pasta Bake 
    • Artichoke & Olive Naan Pizza
    • Artichoke Spinach Flatbread Pizza
    • Chickpea Lentil Curry
    • Creamy Gnocchi with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
    Gnocchi with Spinach, Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, parmesan and pine nuts

    Pan Fried Gnocchi with Spinach and Tomatoes

    Crispy, golden, pan fried gnocchi with spinach and roasted cherry tomatoes. A very tasty lunch or dinner, ready in under 30 minutes, so perfect for busy weeknights.
    5 from 22 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dinner, Lunch
    Cuisine: Italian
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Servings: 3
    Calories: 529kcal
    Author: Michelle Alston

    Ingredients

    • 10 oz cherry tomatoes on the vine (280g/ 0.62lb)
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1.2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
    • 1 1.1 lb pack store bought gnocchi (500g)
    • 3 tablespoon butter
    • 2 cloves garlic
    • 4 cups spinach (90g/3.3oz)
    • 2 tablespoon chopped flat leaf parsley
    • ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper plus more for serving
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt plus more for serving
    • 20 g parmesan cheese (vegetarian hard Italian cheese) Plus more for serving
    • 2 tablespoon pinenuts (25g)
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C/ 392 F
      Add the cherry tomatoes to a roasting tin, drizzle over ½ a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and 1 tablespoon of olive oil, add ¼ teaspoon each of salt and black pepper then roast them for about 15 minutes.
    • While the tomatoes are roasting toast the pine nuts. Add 2 tablespoons of pine nuts to a dry hot pan and toast for about 2 or 3 minutes, tossing often. They should be golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside until you are ready to use them.
    • Next bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the gnocchi to the water and as soon as they rise to the top, about 3 minutes, remove with a slotted spoon. Reserve half a cup of the water used to cook the gnocchi
    • In a large frying pan add 2 tablespoons of butter, melt the butter over a medium to high heat then once the butter is bubbling add the gnocchi. Fry the gnocchi for a maximum of 5 minutes, tossing regularly. Once the gnocchi is golden brown remove it from the pan.
    • Add I more tablespoon of butter to the pan then once that has melted add the minced garlic (2 cloves) cook for a minute then add the spinach and ½ a cup of the reserved water. The spinach will wilt quite quickly so now add the grated cheese, the cherry tomatoes along with any juices in the roasting tin.
      Stir gently then add the parsley and the pine nuts and return the gnocchi to the frying pan. Toss everything together.
      You should have a thin sauce in the pan now.
    • Serve immediately with some cracked black pepper and a little more grated cheese if you wish.

    Notes

    • Nutritional Information is calculated by an online nutrition tool, it is based on a serving of 3 and is approximate.
    • Serving size, this amount of gnocchi is perfect for 3 people for lunch, or a light dinner. If we have this for dinner I will sometimes serve it with a side salad or garlic bread.
    • Store bought gnocchi works perfectly well for this and makes it a really quick meal. You can, of course, make your own gnocchi but it will take longer.
    • I use salted butter for this dish, unsalted butter doesn't give you the same result so please use salted butter.
    • Try not to overcook the gnocchi, anything more than 5 minutes will make the gnocchi tough. You want it to be soft in the middle crispy on the outside, so make sure the butter is piping hot but not burning so a medium-hot heat will work best.
    • Use a large pan to fry the gnocchi, you don't want the gnocchi to be too overcrowded.
    • I add some finely grated vegetarian parmesan cheese to the spinach, just make sure the cheese you use will melt well. It's totally fine to omit the cheese at the cooking stage if you can't find a good vegetarian parmesan, I have made this with and without the cheese and both are totally acceptable.
    • Freezing and storing, I don't recommend freezing this dish. You really need to consume this dish as soon as you make it, the gnocchi gets tough as it cools and it is not suitable to reheat it for the same reason.
    • Make it Vegan, you can easily make this vegan by omitting the cheese, and just make sure you buy or make vegan gnocchi. 
    • Make it Gluten-Free, just make sure the gnocchi you buy is gluten-free and you're good.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 529kcal | Carbohydrates: 74.9g | Protein: 13.7g | Fat: 21.4g | Saturated Fat: 9.8g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 767mg | Potassium: 483mg | Fiber: 4.1g | Sugar: 3g | Calcium: 110mg | Iron: 1.8mg
    Did you Make this Recipe? Save it Today!Mention me on Instagram at @thelastfoodblog or tag #thelastfoodblog!
    « Vegetable Fajitas
    Pasta with Mushrooms and Spinach »
    • Facebook268
    • Twitter
    2 Free Recipe Ebooks

    Join my free email list to receive my 'Little Book of Curries' and 'Quick & Easy Dinners' ebooks. You'll also never miss a recipe!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Leslie

      January 15, 2021 at 10:12 am

      Even though I did not add the Pine Nuts (too expensive), this dish was bursting with flavor!! Thanks for the recipe! This one's a keeper!

      Reply
      • Michelle Alston

        January 15, 2021 at 10:39 am

        Hi Leslie, you're so welcome I'm really glad you enjoyed it.

        Reply
    2. Leslie

      January 10, 2021 at 4:09 pm

      Great! Thank you! Will let you know how it turns out!

      Reply
    3. Leslie

      January 10, 2021 at 11:33 am

      I would like to make this, but I noticed that you have the oven is pre-heated @ 392...my oven doesn't get to that, but will 395 degrees work? Also, I noticed in your pictures that the tomatoes have vines on them! I'm sure you would peel the tomatoes off of them, cause you can't eat the sticks!!

      Reply
      • Michelle Alston

        January 10, 2021 at 1:18 pm

        Hi Leslie, I would preheat your oven to 390F. Yes, I would definitely not eat the vines the tomatoes are attached too. The tomatoes are roasted on the vine but are easy to peel off when you serve them. In fact, some of them will just fall off the vine when you come to add them to the gnocchi. I hope this helps.

        Reply
    4. Trish

      October 06, 2020 at 2:22 pm

      5 stars
      So easy and absolutely delicious

      Reply
      • Michelle Alston

        October 07, 2020 at 10:51 am

        Thanks Trish, I'm so glad you liked it.

        Reply
    5. Chaz Flint

      September 16, 2020 at 12:24 pm

      Loved it! amazing work. Also added chroizo, was a nice touch

      Reply
      • Michelle Alston

        September 21, 2020 at 3:05 pm

        Thanks Chaz, I'm glad you liked it.

        Reply
    6. Nicola

      July 08, 2019 at 7:44 pm

      5 stars
      Made this today. Simply delicious!

      Reply
      • Michelle Alston

        July 10, 2019 at 12:28 pm

        Hi Nicola, I'm so glad you enjoyed it 🙂

        Reply
    7. mimi rippee

      June 27, 2019 at 1:15 pm

      I've had the store-bought gnocchi, and was surprised at how good they were. Maybe not like the real thing, but still enjoyable, and perfect for pan frying or baking. Love this recipe. Perfect and simple.

      Reply
      • Michelle Alston

        June 28, 2019 at 2:26 pm

        Thanks Mimi, you're so right store-bought is perfect for panfrying. I also think it's handy to have a pack in the cupboard in case you need a super quick dinner 😉

        Reply
    « Older Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Michelle alston profile

    Hi, I'm Michelle. I'm here to help you make deliciously good healthy food for you and your family. There will be no crazy long lists of ingredients, no hard-to-find ingredients, just simple, good food that everyone will enjoy

    More about me →

    Trending Recipes

    • Easy Vegetable Orzo Soup with Spinach
    • Creamy Cauliflower and Chickpea Curry
    • Butternut Squash and Chickpea Curry
    • Irish Vegetable Soup
    • Easy Quorn Bolognese
    • Easy Vegetable Pasta Bake

    Vegan Recipes

    • Air Fryer Baby Potatoes
    • Air Fryer Butternut Squash
    • Air Fryer Potato Wedges
    • Peanut Butter Stir Fry With Crunchy Veggies
    • Lentil and Potato Curry (Vegan)
    • Spicy Jackfruit Fajitas

    More Vegan Recipes

    Follow @thelastfoodblog

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

    Subscribe for updates & FREE eBooks

    Join my free email list to receive my 'Little Book of Curries' and 'Quick & Easy Dinners' ebooks. You'll also never miss a recipe!

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    As Featured In

    Logos of places this blog has been featured

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • About TLFB

    Get in touch

    • Contact
    • Work with me

    Copyright© 2022 · The Last Food Blog · Made with  by Michelle Alston

    • 268
    1739 shares