Summer Gnocchi with Burst Cherry Tomato Sauce
I made this summer gnocchi with burst cherry tomato sauce because I wanted a nice vegetarian dinner that would be easy to throw together. I had some delicious yellow cherry tomatoes and some larger vine-ripened cherry tomatoes to use up so I found some mozzarella balls, garlic, fresh basil, and gnocchi to complete the dish. I simmered the cherry tomatoes and garlic slices in some olive oil and butter until most of them were burst. I tossed some cooked gnocchi in the sauce with some fresh basil and some mozzarella balls before serving with lots of freshly cracked black pepper on top and freshly grated parmesan on the side. My entire family thought this summer gnocchi with burst cherry tomato sauce was delicious and it disappeared in minutes.
How to Make Summer Gnocchi with Burst Cherry Tomato Sauce
Heat the butter and olive oil in a large well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the cherry tomatoes, sliced garlic, and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally until most of the tomatoes have burst, about 10-12 minutes, or less, depending on the size of the tomatoes. Taste the sauce and season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.
Side Note: I removed some of the tomato skin from a few of the larger tomatoes after they burst, but that’s optional.
While the gnocchi is cooking cook the gnocchi in salted boiling water, per package instructions. Drain the gnocchi, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water.
Add the drained gnocchi, fresh basil and mozzarella balls to the sauce then toss to coat evenly. Add some reserved cooking water, if needed. Top with some freshly cracked black pepper, to taste.
Serve immediately with freshly grated parmesan on the side. Enjoy.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 pints mixed cherry tomatoes
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
- 2 cloves of garlic, sliced thinly
- Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
- 1 lb gnocchi, cooked per package instructions *Reserve some of the cooking water
- 3 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
- Handful of small mozzarella balls, halved
- Parmesan, freshly grated for serving
Instructions
- Heat the butter and olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat.
- Add the cherry tomatoes, sliced garlic, and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the tomatoes have burst, about 10-12 minutes, or less, depending on the size of the tomatoes. Taste the sauce and season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Side Note: I removed some of the tomato skin from a few of the larger tomatoes after they burst, but that's optional.
- While the gnocchi is cooking cook the gnocchi in salted boiling water, per package instructions. Drain the gnocchi, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water.
- Add the drained gnocchi, fresh basil and mozzarella balls to the sauce then toss to coat evenly. Add some reserved cooking water, if needed. Top with some freshly cracked black pepper, to taste.
- Serve immediately with freshly grated parmesan on the side. Enjoy.
So very flavourful and delicious!
Now this is my kind of dinner!
Sounds delicious if only I could find Gnocci!! Keep well Diane
You can also try it with another pasta. I bet it will be delicious!
Delicious combination
Wow. So delicious. This will be a regular meal for us.
Lauren,
I’m so glad you liked it. Thanks for letting me know.
-Pam
Sadly this recipe went wrong with the ‘taste the sauce part. What sauce? There is nothing in the ingredients list to make a sauce with! What you have at this point is a pan of fried tomatoes and garlic.
Darren,
When you cook the cherry tomatoes they eventually burst which creates a delicious sauce. I’m sure you can see how saucy the final dish turns out by the photos above.
-Pam
Pam,
I made this dish several days ago with the Butter Lettuce Salad with the avocado and pine nuts/lemon vinaigrette dressing. Wow! Delicious! Fresh and so tasty. Checked my must have tart and intense flavor box. My cherry tomatoes were not particularly juicy for some reason so I added a chopped tomato half way through to make sure there was enough liquid. Turned out perfectly.
Thank you for a splendid menu!
Anne,
I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe and I’m sure it paired nicely with the butter lettuce salad. Thank you for always taking the time to comment on my recipes. ♥
-Pam
I LOVE this! Simple yet so yummy and satisfying!
this is just lovely, and it’s so handy to be able to buy gnocchi these days. Personally I have a problem with tomato skins, even on cherry tomatoes, so it wouldn’t be as pretty but I’d opt for some good diced canned tomatoes.
Very nice. Simple, adaptable and summery. Loved it – added small pieces of zucchini. I think you could add whatever was coming into your garden. Didnt have the fresh mozz balls, but had burratta. Worked fine. Thank you! This will go on repeat!
Monique,
I’m so happy you enjoyed this sauce. Adding zucchini and burrata sounds delicious! Thanks for taking the time to let me know.
-Pam
Holy heck this was delicious! Thank you for this recipe. I was looking for a recipe to use up some of our yellow tomatoes and this did not disappoint.
Karyn,
I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks for taking the time to let me know.
-Pam