Creamy Tomato Gnocchi

This delicious and easy Creamy Tomato Gnocchi recipe features chewy bites of light, pillowy gnocchi coated in a homemade creamy tomato sauce with fresh basil and heavy cream.

Creamy Tomato Gnocchi is an irresistible Italian dish that takes under 25 minutes to prepare, using simple ingredients yet yielding big bold flavors.

Love a good pasta dish? Also check out some of my other favorites on the blog: Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta, Classic Lasagna with Béchamel Sauce, Lemon Garlic Parmesan Pasta and Creamy Tomato Pasta with Italian Sausage.

Gnocchi in Creamy Tomato Basil Sauce

This flavorful and satisfying tomato basil cream sauce gnocchi recipe combines chewy bites of potato gnocchi with my favorite creamy tomato sauce that is similar to sauces we used in Spicy Rigatoni. It’s very much like this creamy pesto gnocchi recipe but with a creamy tomato basil sauce.

This lovely creamy tomato gnocchi uses store bought gnocchi and a very quick from-scratch meatless sauce that required only a few simple ingredients – so do not let it intimidate you!

You can of course make your own gnocchi from scratch if you are up for the challenge!

The simplicity of this creamy tomato gnocchi dish reminds me of all the simple yet flavor-bursting, mind-blowing pasta I had the pleasure of enjoying in Italy. PLEASE TAKE ME BACK.

I keep asking myself…how could something so simple be so delicious? But yet it is…simply by using the best and freshest ingredients.

Here’s everything I love about this creamy tomato gnocchi recipe:

• straightforward process: no hard-to-find ingredients and no crazy cooking techniques. Anyone can make this! 
• minimal ingredients: only calls for 9 ingredients! But we use really good ingredients that are full of big bold flavors, and each one plays an important role in making this creamy red sauce gnocchi amazing.
• ready under 25 minutes: quick and easy! It’s a from-scratch sauce but yes, everything is done under 25 minutes! Making meatless pasta sauces from scratch is actually really quick!
• cozy and hearty flavors: think soft bites of gnocchi smothered in a thick and creamy tomato sauce infused with fresh Italian basil. It is flavorful, satisfying and the perfect meal.

Ingredients

To make this creamy tomato gnocchi recipe, you will need:

• gnocchi: This is a type of Italian potato dumplings. You can find them in most grocery stores. They typically come either refrigerated or in dry package form. We are using store-bought for a quick and easy solution, but if you want to be fancy, homemade gnocchi is pretty amazing.
• fresh basil leaves: fresh basil is always the best. However, you can use dried basil in a pinch.
• fresh parmesan: used primarily as garnish, but it brings amazing flavors to the sauce. Use more or less according to your liking.
• canned peeled tomatoes: Good tomatoes make all the difference. I highly recommend getting canned San Marzano tomatoes for the best flavor.
• garlic cloves: we are using fresh garlic because it delivers the best flavor to the sauce. Avoid substituting with garlic powder.
• heavy cream: this will take the edge of the acidity and the sauce thick, creamy and flavorful. If you want your creamy tomato gnocchi less creamy or a bit healthier, you can substitute with half and half.
• granulated sugar: just a little bit to combat the acidity from the tomatoes. You’ll want to have some in this sauce.
• salt and pepper: to open up the flavors in the sauce

Let’s make tomato cream gnocchi!

So without further delay, LET’S MAKE THIS THING!

Cook Gnocchi: Gnocchi often comes in dry package form or refrigerated, either way, you’ll have to bring it to a boil in a pot of boiling water to soften it. Do that and set it side.

Cook Sauce: Sauté garlic in olive oil in a deep skillet or pot, because we will eventually bring the pot of gnocchi into the creamy tomato sauce.

Sauté the garlic until fragrant – avoid burning the garlic because that will give our sauce a bitter taste.

Add canned San Marzano tomatoes (with juices) and fresh basil to the skillet. Break up the tomatoes and bring to a boil. Once the sauce boils, bring to medium low heat and let it simmer for a few minutes to thicken the sauce.

Add heavy cream, salt, pepper, and a touch of sugar to balance off the tangy from the tomatoes, stir to combine, then let creamy tomato sauce thicken for another 5 minutes.

Discard the basil leaves, and season with more salt to taste. At the end of this, the sauce should be creamy, thick and flavorful.

Toss Gnocchi in Creamy Tomato Sauce: Once sauce is done, add gnocchi into the pot of sauce and stir to combine everything.

Transfer creamy tomato gnocchi to a serving plate or bowl (or not if you are lazy like me!), and top with shredded Parmesan cheese.

Serve it hot and warm, then sit back, relax and enjoy your creamy tomato gnocchi.

Gnocchi brings soft comforting textures, but the flavor in this dish lies in the rich Italian-inspired creamy tomato sauce that coats the gnocchi.

This gnocchi with creamy tomato sauce is cozy, hearty and so satisfying. This recipe is truly the perfect meal during cold winter months.

Ah…comfort food at its finest!

What are you waiting for? Grab a fork and dig into a bowl (or two) of this creamy and delicious Creamy Tomato Basil Gnocchi….because my friend, YOU MUST.

Tips and Tricks

Here are a few things to take note when making creamy tomato gnocchi:

1. High quality tomatoes: Use San Marzano tomatoes for the best sauce flavor.
2. Avoid burning garlic: Take care not to burn the garlic while sautéing as it can turn the sauce bitter.
3. Cook down herbs: For maximum flavor, add fresh or dried herbs early so they have time to cook down and release their full flavor.
4. Adjust sugar and salt levels: If the sauce tastes too tangy, adjust the sugar levels to balance out the acidity from the tomatoes. Similar, use salt to open up the flavors if sauce tastes blend.
5. Use fresh herbs: While dried herbs work in a pinch, using fresh herbs will give your sauce a brighter, fresher flavor.
6. Simmer for an hour: If you have extra time, simmer sauce for an hour to get a thicker and richer sauce. The longer the sauce simmers, the more flavorful it is!

What to serve with Creamy Tomato Basil Gnocchi

We eat this Gnocchi with Tomato Sauce dish by itself a lot of the times, but we also love these variations:

• Add some yummy protein to it, or serve with it. Protein such as Lemon Balsamic Grilled (or Pan-Fried) Chicken, Lemon Butter Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops, Pork Milanese, or Breaded Chicken Cutlet work great.
• serve with a crusty bread or some Cheesy Garlic Rolls on the side!
• with appetizers such as Bruschetta and Caprese Salad

Frequently Asked Questions

DID YOU ENJOY THIS RECIPE? Please comment below and give us a 5-star rating! This will help others find this recipe on Google and Pinterest. We very much appreciate your help! 🤍

Other delicious Pasta Dishes

• Creamy Tomato Pasta with Italian Sausage
• Penne Alla Vodka with Chicken
• Lemon Garlic Parmesan Pasta
• The Best Spaghetti and Meat Sauce
• Roasted Tomato Pasta
• Trenette al Pesto (by Home Cooked Harvest)

This recipe was first published on July 2018 and was updated on February 2025 with new photographs and new & improved instructions.