This cheesy Vegan Gnocchi Bake with tomato and vegan mozzarella is a quick and easy casserole recipe that’s saucy, satisfying, oven-baked to perfection, and just insanely delicious! Easily prepared and done in just 30 minutes, it’s the perfect weeknight dinner that is dairy-free, and can be made gluten-free too.
This amazing recipe is featured in my cookbook “Vegan and Easy”. I wanted to share it here on my blog as well because you can easily turn it into one of your go-to recipes on lazy weekends or busy weekdays. So, if you happen to have some gnocchi on hand or are looking for a way to use some leftovers, you can make this warm, filling, and comforting oven-baked dish in no time!
Oven-baked Vegan Gnocchi with Tomato and Vegan Mozzarella
Light and pillowy gnocchi drenched in an abundantly spiced, flavorful, creamy tomato sauce topped with vegan mozzarella cheese! I just love how comforting and heavenly this dish turned out to be. The tomato sauce has layers of texture from the creamy strained tomatoes to the chunky cherry tomatoes. It also gives the dish varying flavors, from sweet to tangy and slightly tart. This one-pot dish is oven-baked until the sauce bubbles and the vegan cheese melts making it extra delicious!
If you are short on time, you can use ready-made vegan gnocchi. If you can’t find any, you can make it from scratch using my fool-proof Homemade Vegan Gnocchi Recipe with just 4 plant-based ingredients. You will never go wrong!
If you are in a real hurry or do not have time to bake, the Gnocchi in Tomato Sauce taste really good right out of the pot too. Just sprinkle some Vegan Parmesan and top and garnish with fresh basil or toasted pine nuts.
How to make this Baked Gnocchi Casserole
As always, I recommend checking out the recipe video and this step-by-step instruction first. Then you’ll find the full recipe with exact measurements in the recipe card below!
Step 1: Get your ingredients ready
For this recipe, you can use homemade gnocchi or store-bought ones to keep things easier. Start by chopping the onions and garlic, and halve the cherry tomatoes and vegan mozzarella balls. Also, measure the canned tomatoes and other ingredients needed. Then preheat the oven to 356°F (180°C).
Step 2: Make the tomato sauce.
Now heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and sauté the onions for 2-3 minutes until translucent. Then add the garlic and sauté for another minute. Next, add the tomato paste and the strained and/or chopped tomatoes. Season with oregano, salt, pepper and optionally a little sugar to taste.
Step 3: Add gnocchi and simmer.
Stir in the gnocchi (no need to cook them first) and simmer for about 3-5 minutes until the gnocchi are cooked (add a little water if needed). Then add the gnocchi in tomato sauce into a baking dish or leave it in the pan if you are using an ovenproof cast iron skillet. Place the cherry tomatoes and vegan mini mozzarella balls on top and bake your gnocchi in tomato sauce in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes.
Step 4: Garnish and serve.
Finally, garnish your gnocchi casserole with vegan parmesan and basil and serve immediately. Enjoy your meal!
Add your Favorite Vegetables
You can kick it up a notch flavor and nutrition-wise by adding some of your favorite veggies like zucchini, peppers, carrots, mushrooms or olives. If you want more protein, cooked lentils, chickpeas, beans, tofu or another vegan meat substitute are great choices. Here are plenty of ways to extend your baked gnocchi dish further.
Homemade Vegan Gnocchi
Though a lot of people mistake gnocchi as a type of pasta, they are actually fluffy little potato dumplings. Traditionally made with mashed potatoes, flour, eggs, and sometimes other dairy products. Of course, my version is egg-less and dairy-free but is still as delicious as the Italian original. Gnocchi go well with all types of sauces and are as versatile as pasta! They can be not only boiled and fried, but also baked in a casserole.
Can I make it gluten-free?
As long as you make use of gluten-free gnocchi, you should be able to enjoy this oven-baked casserole dish without worries. It can be a bit difficult finding one in the market, though. If so, make it from scratch according to my Homemade Gnocchi Recipe and use a gluten-free flour blend instead of all-purpose flour.
Make ahead and Meal Prep Options
Gnocchi is a great make-ahead dish and is freezer-friendly too. I always keep a batch of them in my freezer for when the craving hits! You can then just add them frozen to the sauce, no need to thaw at all. Cook and bake according to directions.
You can also make the tomato sauce in advance. Simply pour it into a sealed jar and store it in the refrigerator until ready to use.
This Vegan Gnocchi Bake is:
- Dairy-free
- Eggless
- Oven-baked to perfection
- Saucy and cheesy
- Flavorful
- Savory and satisfying
- Customizable
- So delicious!
- Great as an appetizer or side dish
- Also filling enough as a quick lunch or dinner meal!
More easy vegan gnocchi recipes to try
- Vegan Sweet Potato Gnocchi
- Stuffed Gnocchi with Spinach Pesto
- Crispy Gnocchi with Garlic Mushrooms
- Gnocchi with Wild Garlic Pesto
- Homemade Vegan Gnocchi
- Gnocchi Vegetable Stir-fry
- Vegan Pumpkin Gnocchi
- Gnocchi with Tomato Sauce
If you try this gnocchi bake with tomatoes and vegan mozzarella, please leave a comment and a star rating on how you liked this simple recipe! And if you take a photo of your delicious meal, please tag me on Instagram @biancazapatka and use the hashtag #biancazapatka because I love seeing your remakes! Enjoy! 🙂
Baked Gnocchi in Tomato Sauce with Vegan Mozzarella
Author:Ingredients
Gnocchi
- 1 recipe homemade gnocchi or 500 g store-bought gnocchi
Tomato sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 14 oz strained or chopped tomatoes or a mixture of both
- 2 tsp dried oregano optional
- salt and pepper to taste
- a pinch of sugar optional
- 150 g cherry tomatoes halved
- 9-10 vegan mozzarella balls or sub grated vegan cheese
For garnish (optional)
- vegan Parmesan
- fresh basil
Instructions
*Note: Check out the recipe video + step-by-step photos in the blog post above!
- Make homemade gnocchi according to this recipe (or use store-bought ones).
- Preheat the oven to 356°F (180°C).
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and sauté the onions for 2-3 minutes until translucent. Then add the garlic and sauté for another minute.
- Now add the tomato paste and the strained and/or chopped tomatoes. Season with oregano, salt, pepper and optionally a little sugar to taste.
- Stir in the gnocchi (no need to cook them first) and simmer for about 3-5 minutes until the gnocchi are cooked (add a little water if needed).
- Pour the gnocchi in tomato sauce into a baking dish (or leave it in the pan if it's an ovenproof cast iron skillet). Cut the cherry tomatoes and vegan mini mozzarella balls in halves and place on top. Place the casserole dish or skillet in the preheated oven and bake for about 10 minutes, until the vegan mozzarella has melted.
- Garnish the gnocchi casserole with vegan parmesan and basil and serve immediately.
- Enjoy your meal!
Notes
- No oven: The gnocchi in tomato sauce taste also delicious right out of the pot so you don't necessarily have to bake it in the oven.
- More veggies: You can also sauté other vegetables like zucchini, peppers, carrots, etc. and then add them to the casserole.
- Meal Prep: You can make the gnocchi ahead of time and freeze it. Then simply add them frozen to the sauce and cook and bake according to directions. Also, the tomato sauce can be made in advance. Simply pour it into a sealed jar and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- More information and helpful tips are at the top of the blog post.
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