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Home » Recipes » Pasta

May 17, 2021

Easy Marinara Gnocchi – ready in 10 minutes!

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This easy gnocchi with marinara sauce is a quick and incredibly delicious comfort food meal. Ready in 10 minutes from start to finish!

Easy Marinara Gnocchi recipe

Super simple gnocchi recipe

Some weeknights (or every weeknight?) you just need to get dinner on the table fast. This gnocchi with homemade marinara offers maximum flavors with the minimum of fuss. No chopping and sautéing onions and garlic, no blending ingredients. It’s probably the easiest homemade marinara sauce ever.

Shelf-stable vacuum-packed Gnocchi and crushed tomato cans are a go-to staple to keep in the pantry. They make meal planning a breeze.

Quick Marinara Gnocchi close-up
Gnocchi with easy homemade marinara make a perfect weeknight dinner.

Italian entrée at home

It's easy to turn store-bought gnocchi into a restaurant-worthy meal! There's nothing quite like soft, pillowy gnocchi drenched in a tasty marinara sauce. The tomato-based sauce is creamy, and the fresh basil takes the flavor to the next level. Total comfort food. It’s so easy to make an Italian restaurant entrée at home.

What kind of gnocchi to use in this recipe?

I use shelf-stable (dry) potato gnocchi that come in vacuum-sealed bags. You can find them in the dried-pasta aisle in most grocery stores.

You can also use refrigerated gnocchi from the produce aisle or frozen ones. Just make sure it’s enough for 2 servings.

Of course, if you have time to make potato gnocchi from scratch, please go ahead. They are delicious. But if it’s a weeknight, you are tired, and you want some gnocchi without devoting a lot of time to making gnocchi yourself, the store-bought stuff is really more than ok.

Marinara Gnocchi easy recipe
Look at that creamy sauce. Drool.

More quick pasta recipes

Spaghetti with roasted tomatoes
Burst Tomato Pasta
pasta alla norma with parmesan
Pasta alla Norma (shortcut version)
Recipe blue cheese lemon pasta
Bluecheese Lemon Pasta

If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a comment or/and give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear how the recipe turns out in your kitchen.

Easy Marinara Gnocchi recipe
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4.77 from 30 reviews

Click stars to rate now!

Easy Marinara Gnocchi – ready in 10 minutes!

Pillowy gnocchi topped withthe easiest homemade marinara sauce. Ready in 10 minutes from start to finish. These creamy tomato gnocchi are simple, yet packed with fresh flavors.
Author: carbgirl.com
Prep Time3 minutes mins
Cook Time7 minutes mins
Total Time10 minutes mins
Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 can (14 oz / 400 g) crushed tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 bag (17.5 oz / 500 g) potato gnocchi (see notes)
  • ¼ cup (20 g) freshly grated parmesan (see notes for vegan)
  • ¼ teaspoon fine salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Leaves from 3 large basil sprigs, plus more for garnish
  • Parmesan shaves for garnish

Instructions

  • Add crushed tomatoes and olive oil to a large saucepan or skillet over medium heat and bring to a simmer.
  • Add parmesan, salt, and black pepper to the slowly simmering tomato sauce. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Meanwhile, bring a pot of generously salted water to a boil (an electric water kettle comes in handy). Add potato gnocchi and cook until they are floating, about 3 minutes (see package instructions).
  • While gnocchi are cooking, add fresh basil, large leaves torn, to the sauce. Cook a few more minutes if you want to further reduce the sauce. Taste and season with salt as needed.
  • Drain gnocchi, and add them to the marinara. Stir until combined.
  • Top with fresh basil leaves and parmesan shaves, and enjoy.

Notes

Gnocchi: I use shelf-stable gnocchi that come in vacuum-sealed bags in the dried-pasta aisle.
Parmesan cheese: I use freshly grated parmesan cheese from a block for the sauce (loosely packed when measured in cups). If using pre-grated parmesan, only use 2-3 tablespoons if it’s the fine powdery kind. When buying a block, you can easily make shaves for garnish, using a knife, vegetable peeler or the slicing portion of a box grater.
Vegan: Use vegan parmesan for the sauce and for serving, or omit entirely. The sauce is pretty basic without (vegan) parmesan but still tastes great. Be sure to use fresh basil for serving!

Reader Interactions

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Joanna says

    May 18, 2021 at 2:12 pm

    5 stars
    Hey there,
    I tried the recipe today for lunch. We loved it. Even my moody teenage daughter lol. THE BEST MARINARA GNOCCHI EVER. Thanks so much. It's so quick and easy. Btw, I'll try the marinara sauce for pizza the next time I'm making one.
    -Joanna

    Reply
    • Carbgirl says

      May 19, 2021 at 2:11 pm

      Haha, what a compliment! The sauce is great for pizza too 🙂

      Reply
  2. Starlight says

    May 28, 2021 at 3:37 pm

    5 stars
    Wonderful easy gnocchi recipe. Hubby and I loved it ❤️ Definitely make this again.

    Reply
    • Carbgirl says

      May 28, 2021 at 11:04 am

      So happy that the two of you enjoyed the marinara gnocchi. Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try!

      Reply
  3. Sue L. says

    June 10, 2021 at 2:05 pm

    I added a chile for some heat and arrabiata-style. Turned out tasty.

    Reply
    • Carbgirl says

      June 11, 2021 at 4:09 pm

      Happy to hear that, Sue! A chile is a nice addition!!

      Reply
  4. Gabriel says

    June 26, 2021 at 1:15 pm

    5 stars
    Fantastic recipe, many thanks!

    Reply
    • Carbgirl says

      June 27, 2021 at 2:13 pm

      Thank you Gabriel. Happy that you like it!

      Reply
  5. carlita says

    August 20, 2021 at 8:46 am

    4 stars
    Super quick weeknight dish. I doubled the recipe and used a can of diced tomatoes and a can of tomato sauce. Worked well.

    Reply
    • Carbgirl says

      August 20, 2021 at 4:14 pm

      A double batch is never wrong 🙂 Happy to hear that it turned out well.

      Reply
  6. BB says

    December 30, 2021 at 11:21 am

    5 stars
    Love the easy marinara sauce! Made it with penne - not gnocchi. Heavily topped it with freshly grated parmesan and served it with a green side salad. Everyone loved it.

    Reply
    • Carbgirl says

      December 31, 2021 at 4:17 pm

      I love the sauce with penne and spaghetti too! So happy to hear that everyone enjoyed it!

      Reply
  7. Anne says

    March 01, 2022 at 8:22 am

    5 stars
    Super quick and easy. Bet it also tastes great with fire roasted tomatoes. Anne

    Reply
    • Carbgirl says

      March 04, 2022 at 5:18 pm

      Thank you, Anne! I have never tried it with fire roasted tomatoes but I bet it's delicious!

      Reply
  8. Brigitte says

    April 24, 2022 at 10:03 pm

    5 stars
    This is a very comforting meal. Exactly what I need right now. Merci!

    Reply
    • Carbgirl says

      April 25, 2022 at 10:21 am

      Comforting indeed, like a big hug. Thanks for the comment, Brigitte!

      Reply
  9. Buddy_Lover says

    June 24, 2022 at 2:35 pm

    5 stars
    New weekday favorite. I usually omit the Parmesan for a vegan version and also made potato gnocchi from scratch one time. Many thx!

    Reply
    • Carbgirl says

      June 26, 2022 at 10:29 am

      The homemade potato gnocchi version is top-notch!

      Reply
  10. Sophia says

    July 26, 2022 at 4:27 am

    My niece is vegetarian and stopped by for dinner the other night on short notice. So I searched for a quick recipe and rushed to the supermarket to buy gnocchi - everything else I had on hand. She was pleasantly surprised that I cooked such a lovely dinner (she phrased it politely). Thanks for the quick pasta idea. Will make it again, even though my fam is big on meat.

    Reply
  11. Sophia says

    July 26, 2022 at 4:28 am

    5 stars
    Oh, forgot the rating. Would give 6 stars if I could.

    Reply
    • Carbgirl says

      July 27, 2022 at 6:26 pm

      Hi Sophia, Thanks so much for the rating 🙂 and so happy to hear that your niece enjoyed it.

      Reply
  12. Erika Pe. says

    August 08, 2022 at 5:58 am

    5 stars
    Made this dish in Italy in our simple vacation home since it is easy to make and the facilities here are limited. Worked like a charm and my family liked it. Of course, I made this dish with canned tomatoes from Italy 🙂

    Reply
    • Carbgirl says

      August 09, 2022 at 5:28 pm

      This dish is perfect for AirBnBs and vacation homes. Italian canned tomatoes are my favorite 😀

      Reply
  13. Martine says

    August 24, 2022 at 8:32 pm

    5 stars
    Merci beaucoup ! Très délicieux. Family loves it.

    Reply
    • Carbgirl says

      August 26, 2022 at 5:30 pm

      De rien (my school-French is still good enough to say that haha). Happy to hear that the family loves it.

      Reply
  14. ANDRO says

    October 11, 2022 at 9:21 pm

    5 stars
    Thanks, 5 ⭐! I make marinara gnocchi all the time.

    Reply
    • Carbgirl says

      October 13, 2022 at 2:31 pm

      Same here! Thanks so much for the comment and rating!

      Reply
  15. oliver says

    December 10, 2022 at 9:54 am

    5 stars
    made the simple tomato sauce with homemade potato gnocchi, which was delicious. next time I'll use store-bought ones as u suggest, since making gnocchi is quite time-consuming...

    Reply
    • Carbgirl says

      December 11, 2022 at 9:34 am

      Hi Oliver,
      Yes making gnocchi from scratch can be a bit time-consuming BUT they are super delicious. So happy that you made the recipe!

      Reply
  16. Lalalala says

    June 07, 2023 at 9:04 am

    4 stars
    Simple but tasty marinara sauce, nice for weekdays. We all enjoyed it.

    Reply
    • Carbgirl says

      June 07, 2023 at 11:55 am

      Hi,
      So happy that you all like the marinara gnocchi 🙂

      Reply
  17. Jen says

    July 17, 2023 at 4:42 pm

    I made it with a can of Italian Mutti tomatoes, crushed and with basil. Added an extra clove of garlic and some fresh thyme. My friend and I both enjoyed it very much. After that, we had chocolate mousse for dessert, which was also superb.

    Reply
    • Carbgirl says

      July 18, 2023 at 6:50 am

      Sounds divine! Extra garlic is always a good idea - as well as chocolate mousse! Thanks so much for the comment, Jen!

      Reply
  18. Sha says

    August 09, 2023 at 5:21 pm

    I made this with diced tomatoes - didn’t have crushed ones. I simply mashed them a little with the potato ricer. It tastes great.

    Reply
    • Carbgirl says

      August 10, 2023 at 4:08 pm

      So happy to hear that, Sha! Great to hear that diced tomatoes are also a good option. Improvisation is everything in the kitchen.

      Reply
  19. …Sebi… says

    June 19, 2024 at 4:11 pm

    I took Jen‘s idea above and added extra garlic. But not only 1 clove but 10 or so. I love garlic. It came out delicious. So simple yet so good.

    Reply
    • Carbgirl says

      June 21, 2024 at 7:20 am

      Oh, so happy to hear, Sebi, that this recipe can be adjusted for true garlic lovers 🙂 Thanks so much for leaving a review!

      Reply

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