Gnocchi with Cherry Tomatoes and Stracciatella, Creamy Without Cream
Potato gnocchi with pan-sautéed cherry tomatoes and cold stracciatella spooned on at the end: a creamy, vegetarian pasta course ready in under 25 minutes.
Looking for a creamy pasta dish you can pull together in under half an hour, without turning the oven on and without a sink full of pots?
Then this gnocchi recipe with cherry tomatoes and stracciatella is exactly what you need. I will show you how to get a satisfying, well-balanced plate with just a handful of ingredients: potato gnocchi, quickly sautéed cherry tomatoes and a generous spoonful of cold stracciatella added at the last moment.
The real trick here is the contrast between the hot, just-drained gnocchi and the cool creaminess of the stracciatella. You do not cook the stracciatella — you simply spoon it on top — and that is all it takes. It melts slightly from the heat, wraps around every dumpling and gives you a sauce that feels rich without being heavy or cloying.
This recipe has at least three genuine advantages: it is vegetarian, it is on the table in roughly 22 minutes, and it does not ask much of you in terms of technique. One frying pan and one pot is all the kit you need.
A small tip on the tomatoes: choose ripe, sweet cherry tomatoes and do not rush the pan. Those six minutes of cooking are what concentrate the juices and build the flavour base. If you have a handful of fresh basil, add it off the heat — the difference in aroma is remarkable.
One note on storing: these gnocchi are best eaten straight away. Stracciatella does not reheat well and tends to separate, so this is a dish to make and serve immediately.
All set? Let’s get started with the gnocchi with cherry tomatoes and stracciatella.
To make this recipe
A small selection of handy tools to keep within reach. Some links may be affiliate links.
Large non-stick pan
Useful for cooking and sautéing ingredients evenly without overcrowding the surface.
Steps
- Halve the cherry tomatoes. Warm the olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat, add the unpeeled garlic clove and let it turn golden for 1–2 minutes, then add the cherry tomatoes and sauté for 6 minutes, until the juices reduce slightly and the tomatoes soften.
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil and cook the gnocchi: as soon as they float to the surface they are done — usually 2–3 minutes. Lift them out immediately with a slotted spoon or drain them quickly.
- Transfer the gnocchi straight into the pan with the cherry tomatoes over very low heat or off the heat and toss gently for about 1 minute, so they absorb all the flavour.
- Spoon into bowls and add the stracciatella only at the very end, straight from the fridge, then finish with a few fresh basil leaves torn by hand.
Helpful tips
Choose ripe, sweet cherry tomatoes: the sweeter they are, the more balanced the sauce will be without any need to add sugar.
Never cook the stracciatella: add it cold, straight from the fridge, once the gnocchi are already plated. The residual heat from the gnocchi melts it just enough.
For a more intense flavour, press a few cherry tomatoes lightly with a spoon as they cook to release extra juice.
These gnocchi are best served immediately: stracciatella does not reheat well and tends to separate, so avoid keeping leftovers.
Average nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 510 kcal
- Carbohydrates
- 63.0 g
- Sugars
- 6.0 g
- Protein
- 16.0 g
- Fat
- 20.0 g
- Saturated fat
- 8.0 g
- Fiber
- 4.0 g
- Sodium
- 540 mg
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