Gnocchi Alla Sorrentina
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This gnocchi alla sorrentina recipe is inspired by the famous Italian cheesy bake. It’s made with just 8 ingredients, which combine to form the most comforting & delicious recipe.
Table of Contents
About this recipe
The Gnocchi dish originates from Sorrento, which is a coastal town in Southern Italy. The Sorrentina variations include pasta alla Sorrentina, chicken alla Sorrentina and many more. I decided to develop this variation with gnocchi, as it’s the most popular and also I love this way of cooking gnocchi with some element of baking.
Being a gnocchi bake, the rich and saucy tomato gnocchi is taken to the next level with the melted, crispy mozzarella topping which is my favourite component of this recipe.
This recipe is perfect for a dinner party, to serve to housemates or family.
Other gnocchi recipes to give you inspiration …
- Crispy Roasted Gnocchi with Chorizo and Vegetables
- Rocket Pesto Gnocchi with Charred Courgette
- Walnut Romesco Gnocchi
- Tomato Mascarpone Gnocchi with Roasted Veg
- One Pot Creamy Tuscan Gnocchi
Ingredients
Cherry Tomatoes and Garlic
I love the addition of cherry tomatoes here for a burst of sweetness, added nutrients & texture and garlic for flavour.
Plum Tomatoes (Canned)
I find plum tomatoes more flavoursome than chopped tomatoes. Passata I also find to be overpowering with simple flavours, so that’s why I’ve gone for the plum tomato blend.
Gnocchi (Pre Packaged)
We have slightly cheated here by using ready-made packed gnocchi. It’s so cheap and cooks so quickly, with the effort and flavours we’re creating elsewhere, you won’t be noticing that the gnocchi isn’t homemade/made fresh.
If you want to try and make the gnocchi from scratch, try my sweet potato gnocchi recipe.
Mozzarella
I’ve opted for low-fat mozzarella here to reduce the calories slightly, but you can, of course, use full fat. To prevent any sogginess from the mozzarella, tear the mozzarella and remove the excess moisture by patting with a paper towel. You could also buy low-moisture mozzarella, but that’s usually more expensive.
See the recipe card for full information on all ingredients and quantities.
How to make this recipe
* Make sure you remove any excess moisture from the mozzarella, by patting with a paper towel and squeezing the excess moisture out. This will prevent sogginess as the mozzarella retains a lot of water.
- In an oven proof deep frying pan add the oil, along with the halved cherry tomatoes. Season with salt and fry on a medium/low heat for 5 minutes (Image 1).
- Then add the minced garlic, red pepper flakes and sliced basil stems. Continue to fry for a couple of minutes on a low heat and add a drizzle of red wine vinegar (Image 2).
3. After blending the plum tomatoes until smooth, transfer them into the frying pan along with the gnocchi and stock. Cook on low simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally (Image 3).
4. After 10 minutes, the sauce should have reduced and the gnocchi should be mostly cooked. Top with the torn mozzarella and pop under the grill for 5-10 minutes. The cheese will melt and start to turn golden brown. Serve with fresh basil and a portion of broccoli/cauliflower mix. Season with salt & pepper (Image 4).
Serve with fresh basil and a portion of broccoli/cauliflower mix. Season with salt & pepper
What to pair with this recipe
As the recipe itself hasn’t got any veggies in it, I’ve paired the gnocchi bake with broccoli & cauliflower for some added fibre and nutrients. A green side salad would also work really well, with a lemony dressing to add some brightness.
If you want a slightly less healthy/weekend treat, you can pair the recipe with some garlic bread.
Here are some other side dishes to try … Aubergine Fries, Parmesan Tenderstem Broccoli with Garlic Butter and Vegetable Baked Fries
Tips and Tricks
- Don’t overcook the gnocchi! Cook in a large pot of salted boiling water and cook the gnocchi in batches. The gnocchi pieces are ready when they float to the surface, usually within around 2-3 minutes. Remove them with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate.
- Ensure you remove any excess liquid/moisture by squeezing and patting dry the mozzarella with a paper towel to prevent any sogginess.
- Use an oven proof pan, as you want to grill or bake the gnocchi alla Sorrentina to get that golden browned mozzarella topping! You can grill for around 5 – 10 minutes or bake in the oven for 15 – 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
- Let it rest once baked, as this allows the flavours to blend together and the dish to cool slightly for easier handling.
Some sweet recipes, to have after the gnocchi …. Chocolate Chip Microwave Cookies, Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats and Chocolate Brownies
FAQs
Gnocchi is a type of Italian dumpling, usually made with potato & flour or semolina.
It is not a type of pasta, although many sauces which are served with pasta are often used interchangeably with gnocchi.
You prepare the sauce & gnocchi (steps 1- 3) ahead of time & then add to your oven dish to bake with the mozzarella when it’s time to eat.
Similarly to the last question, it would be best to freeze the recipe after step 3/ before baking the gnocchi with the cheese. If you don’t mind not having the crispy mozzarella layer then you could definitely bake and add to freezable containers.
You can either add a serving into a bowl and heat in the microwave for 2 minutes or you could add a portion to an oven proof dish, scatter with mozzarella (if you didn’t bake it beforehand) and heat under the grill for 10 minutes, or until the cheese starts to bubble & turn golden brown.
Explore More Recipes
If you tried this Gnocchi Alla Sorrentina recipe, it would be mean so much to me if you could leave a review & a star rating to let me know how you found it! I love hearing about your experiences – it motivates me to keep creating more and more recipes for you guys 💛 Let’s get cooking! – Mimi x
Gnocchi Alla Sorrentina
Ingredients
- 500 g cherry tomatoes, halved (£0.96)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (£0.69/3)=(£0.23)
- 2 x 400g tin plum tomatoes (£0.28x2)=(£0.56)
- 1 bunch of fresh basil, stems finely sliced (£0.50)
- 1 kg packed gnocchi (£0.65x2)=(£1.30)
- 250 g (2 balls) low fat mozzarella, roughly torn (£0.60x2)=(£1.20)
Side:
- 1 broccoli, cut into florets & boiled in salted water (£0.50)
- 1 cauliflower, cut into florets & boiled in salted water (£0.82)
Cupboard Essentials
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 300 ml chicken stock/vegetable stock
- Salt & Pepper
- Pepper
Method
Tip:To prevent any sogginess from the mozzarella, tear the mozzarella and remove the excess moisture by patting with a paper towel before step 4.
- Start by adding the extra-virgin olive oil to an oven-proof, deep frying pan along with the halved cherry tomatoes. Season with salt and fry on a medium/low heat for 5 minutes.
- Next, add the minced garlic, red pepper flakes and sliced basil stems into the pan. Continue to fry for a couple of minutes on a low heat with a drizzle of red wine vinegar.
- Meanwhile, blend the plum tomatoes until smooth. Transfer into the frying pan along with the gnocchi & stock. Increase the heat to a low simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- After this time, the sauce should have reduced/thickened and the gnocchi should be mostly cooked. Top with the torn mozzarella and pop under the grill for 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted & starts to turn golden brown.
- Serve with fresh basil & a portion of broccoli/ cauliflower mix. Season with salt & pepper if necessary.
Notes
- Don’t overcook the gnocchi! Cook gnocchi in salted boiling water in batches until they float to the surface (2-3 minutes).
- Remove excess moisture from mozzarella by squeezing and patting dry with a paper towel to prevent sogginess.
- Use an ovenproof pan, in order to grill or bake in the oven until mozzarella is golden brown and melted (5-10 minutes on the grill or 15-20 minutes in the oven). Let it rest before serving.
Nutrition
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