Tomato & Spinach Gnocchi Bake

Vegetarian recipe with the Italian favourite of gnocchi in a herby tomato sauce with spinach, topped with melted cheese

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword Cheese, Savoury

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 40

Total Time 55

Servings +

Calories 509kcal

Author thebakingexplorer

Pre-heat your oven to 200C Fan/425F/Gas Mark 7
Heat up the oil in a large saucepan on a low heat, chop up the onion, pepper and garlic and add them to the saucepan. Cook for around 5 minutes until soft
Then add the spinach and cook until it all wilts down
Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, mixed herbs and salt. Bring to a gentle simmer
While the sauce is simmering, bring some water to the boil in another saucepan and add the gnocchi, check the pack for instructions, but most gnocchi takes 2-3 minutes to cook and it's done when it rises to the surface of the water
Drain the gnocchi and mix it into the sauce, then pour the whole lot into a large baking dish
Tear the mozzarella up and arrange over the top, then add the grated cheddar all over
Cook in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is golden all over and the sauce is bubbling
Serve immediately, or allow to cool fully and store in the fridge for 2-3 days. It can be reheated either in the microwave, or in the oven

I used chopped tomatoes for this recipe. Fresh chopped tomatoes would also work great, and you could also use passata.

I used a dried herb mix containing thyme, marjoram, parsley, oregano, sage, basil. You can use any combination of Italian herbs you prefer in this dish, fresh herbs like basil and oregano would be amazing if you have them.

I like strong flavoured cheese so I always use mature cheddar for this recipe, but you can use mild cheddar if you prefer, or any cheese that will melt well.

You can use other vegetables in this recipe, for example mushrooms, carrot or kale.

Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50).

For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.