This easy creamy tomato gnocchi is the best comfort food recipe that’s ready in just 25 minutes.

Creamy tomato gnocchi

From the recipe collection of Tara Ippolito

If you’re in the mood for some delicious comfort food then this creamy tomato gnocchi recipe is for you.

It’s absolutely delicious and ready in under 25 minutes.

I love pasta recipes like this that are so easy to make and fill you up for hours. They’re a wonderful choice for a cold fall or winter weeknight dinner.

This creamy tomato sauce goes perfectly with the fluffy gnocchi, too.

My whole family loves this recipe. Even my two little picky eater boys.

It’s a regular on our dinner options menu once the weather turns cooler here in New Jersey.

I know if you give this recipe a try that you’ll love it just as much as we do.

Fast. Simple. Delicious.

Did you know that I have a cookbook called Fast Simple Delicious? 

It’s 60 no fuss no fail comfort food recipes perfect for busy weekday dinners.

Click HERE to order your copy or click the 3 lines in the top right corner and click “Book”. Thank you for the support.

What sides can I serve this creamy tomato gnocchi with?

Sometimes a nice big bowl of comfort food is all you need.

So this could easily be served alone with maybe a little homemade garlic bread.

But if you would like to serve this gnocchi with something classic Italian meatballs or chicken cutlets would both be great choices.

Can I make this creamy tomato gnocchi spicy?

Yes, you can absolutely make this dish spicy if you’d like to.

When the onions in the recipe are added to the hot oil, add some hot pepper flakes in, too.

How much depends on you but I’d start with a teaspoon. You can always add more from there.

The hot pepper flakes will infuse into the oil and will be mixed evenly into the sauce making the entire dish spicy.

Is there a substitute for the pancetta?

Yes, there is a substitute for the pancetta if you can’t find it or don’t want to use it for whatever reason.

Pancetta is pretty much Italian bacon. So, American bacon would be the best substitute.

Both products come from the belly of the pig so they are very similar.

Feel feee to use the bacon here if you’d like.

You always have the option to omit it completely also. Just follow the recipe as is and disregard the instructions with the pancetta.

Do I have to use gnocchi?

Even though gnocchi is right there in the title of this recipe you don’t necessarily need to use it.

This creamy tomato sauce would go great with any kind of pasta you’d like.

So the choice is yours to make.

Creamy tomato gnocchi ingredients

• Gnocchi (and a little of its pasta water)
• Diced pancetta
• Olive oil
• Diced onion
• Minced garlic
• Tomato paste
• Crushed tomatoes
• Cream
• Parmesan cheese
• Butter
• Salt and pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic powder

Instructions

First, start boiling the water for the gnocchi and cook it according to the directions on the package.

Meanwhile, in a large lipped pan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat and add the pancetta. Sauté the pancetta until it starts to get slightly crispy and browned.

Now add the onions and sauté them along with the pancetta until the onions turn translucent and the pancetta is nice and crispy.

Then add the garlic and season with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning and cook for an additional minute.

After that, add the tomato paste and cook it over medium high heat for a couple of minutes while stirring frequently.

Now stir in the crushed tomatoes, cream and Parmesan cheese.

Then turn the heat down to medium low and reseason the sauce with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and garlic powder.

Next let the sauce simmer for about 10 minutes stirring occasionally.

Finally add a little butter and a ladle of the gnocchi water to the sauce and stir it all together until the butter melts.

Then add the cooked gnocchi into the tomato sauce and toss everything together.

Serve warm and with some additional parmesan cheese if you’d like. Enjoy!