Sheet Pan Baked Gnocchi

This French Onion Baked Gnocchi is made on just one sheet pan with 9 simple ingredients and only requires 10 minutes of hands on preparation!! This super cheesy tray bake has all the classic flavors of french onion soup you love turned into a fork and knife, easy weeknight meal! 

Serve this sheet pan gnocchi with a simple salad, sauteed mushrooms and crusty bread for hectic weeknight dinners, or serve it as a hearty side dish with steaks, roasted chicken or fish! Continue to read on for helpful recipe tips in the post!

Updated: This post was originally published in February 2019. I’ve made updates to include more detailed information about this easy gnocchi recipe.

Hey there, friends! I don’t know about you, but I absolutely love comfort food, especially during the winter season. Rich, decadent and reliable for a feel-good pick-me-up, what’s not to love about cozy, comfort food, right?

However, sometimes I want a lightened-up version of my favorite cozy classics! But, don’t get me wrong, I still want the warm, hearty meal with copious amounts of cheese, just minus all the food coma bloat.

Sheet Pan Baked Gnocchi

This super cheesy sheet pan gnocchi meal has all the classic flavors of french onion soup, just lightened-up and turned into a knife and fork, easy weeknight meal!

Fluffy gnocchi on a bed of tender, savory and candy-sweet caramelized onions studded with fragrant garlic; smothered with salty parmesan and gooey mozzarella. Baked until golden brown, gooey and delicious; then finished with a generous drizzle of silky, tart balsamic vinegar and a scattering of fresh, earthy thyme.

This baked gnocchi is a hearty and satisfying, lightened-up way to enjoy comfort food! Basically, this is proof that healthier comfort food does exist!

And, if that wasn’t enough to rock your world, this French Onion Baked Gnocchi is crazy easy to make! All you do is throw ingredients on a sheet pan and bake them in layers – starting with the onions and ending with cheese. Embarrassingly easy, right?!

Oh, and if you are looking to add a little protein to this meal, simply add some chicken or sausage to a sheet pan and bake it right along side the gnocchi in the oven. I mean, is this versatile, or what?!

What are gnocchi?

Gnocchi, pronounced nyaw-kee (Italian) or noh-kee (American), is a type of Italian pasta that resembles (German) dumplings. They are made of cooked mashed potatoes, flour and eggs; however, some recipes may include cheese or other flavoring ingredients, such as herbs and vegetables.

Gnocchi can be boiled, fried, sauteed or baked.

What do they taste like?

When prepared and cooked properly, gnocchi are very delicate and tender with a silky, soft, pillowy texture that melts in your mouth.

What is baked gnocchi?

Baked gnocchi is made up of cooked gnocchi baked in the oven until the outside is golden and crispy and the interior is fluffy and creamy.

Baked gnocchi can be made by either tossing gnocchi with olive oil and seasoning before baking without a sauce on a baking sheet, or it can be made by baking the gnocchi in a sauce, much like a casserole.

What ingredients do I need for baked gnocchi?

• Gnocchi: Shelf-stable or refrigerated gnocchi will be the best option.
• Onions: Yellow onions work best and turn deliciously sweet when roasted. However, sweet (Vidalia) onions work as well!
• Garlic: Four cloves of fresh garlic provide the perfect amount of aromatic flavor!
• Thyme: Fresh sprigs of thyme add a gentle, earthy flavor. If you don’t have fresh thyme, you can substitute dried thyme or herbs de Provence instead.
• Brown Sugar: Light brown sugar provides a depth of sweet flavor to the onions.
• Sauces: Worcestershire and balsamic vinegar and a hint of rich flavor.
• Cheeses: Both parmesan and mozzarella cheese are needed for this recipe. Make sure you freshly grate the parmesan and freshly shred the mozzarella. The pre-shredded cheeses found in the grocery store lack flavor and contain additives and preservatives which prevent the cheese from properly melting.

Where to buy gnocchi?

This easy gnocchi recipe uses shelf-stable potato gnocchi. Prepared gnocchi can be found in the dry pasta aisle of most major grocery stores. If you can’t find shelf-stable gnocchi, the packaged refrigerated gnocchi work as well!

What to serve with baked gnocchi?

You can serve baked gnocchi dumplings as a lighter main dish, or as a hearty side. Any side dish tastes delicious with this gnocchi recipe! However, the right side dish will depend upon personal preference and what you love! Try contrasting the gnocchi’s delicate texture with a crusty bread, or try mirroring the Italian flavors with garlicky roasted mushrooms!

Side dishes to serve with gnocchi:

• Bread: Garlic bread, crusty artisan bread, breadsticks
• Salad: Caesar salad, Caprese salad, massaged kale salad, spinach salad or garden salad
• Roasted vegetables: Asparagus, green beans, acorn squash, spaghetti squash, broccoli or cauliflower
• Creamed vegetables: Spinach or corn
• Mushrooms: Sautéed or roasted
• Peppers: Roasted red peppers or sauteed peppers
• Stuffed vegetables: Mushrooms, tomatoes or sweet peppers

How do you store leftover gnocchi?

Store cooked gnocchi in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Properly stored, gnocchi will last for 3 to 5 days.

How to reheat baked gnocchi?

Ready to eat those leftovers?  Cooked gnocchi is incredibly easy to reheat!

• Microwave: Place leftover gnocchi in a microwave-safe container. Add more cheese and drizzle with balsamic vinegar if desired. Reheat at 50% power for 1 minute. Stir gnocchi and continue to reheat at 50% power until warm throughout.

How to make baked gnocchi?

This gnocchi is insanely easy to prepare! This recipe only requires 8 ingredients (plus kitchen staples, such as oil and salt), plus it’s made entirely on one baking sheet!

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Prepare onions:  Place onions, garlic and thyme on a large, rimmed sheet pan. Sprinkle with brown sugar, drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss until evenly coated.
3. Caramelize the onions:  Cover the pan with foil. Roast in the oven, tossing 3-4 times throughout roasting, for 55 minutes – 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until the onions are golden in color. Remove the pan from the oven. Drizzle onions with Worcestershire sauce and toss to combine.
4. Increase oven to 450 degrees F. Toss gnocchi: In a medium bowl toss the gnocchi with remaining tablespoon of oil and grated parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine.
5. Add gnocchi to pan:  Sprinkle the gnocchi evenly over the onions. Return the pan to the oven and bake for 12-13 minutes, or until the gnocchi are almost tender.
6. Add cheese:  Remove from oven and top with the mozzarella cheese. Switch oven to broil, return pan to oven and cook until the cheese is melted and gnocchi are golden, about 4 minutes.
7. Serve:  Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and fresh thyme. Served and enjoy!

These fluffy gnocchi with sweet caramelized onions and gooey cheese will be your new obsession! It’s an easy weeknight meal that the entire family is sure to love

Until next week friends, cheers – to lightened-up classics with a twist!

XOXO

Cheyanne

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Looking for more easy recipes?

If you love these baked gnocchi, try one of these delicious sheet pan recipes next:

Baked Honey Balsamic Chicken

Sheet Pan Thai Peanut Chicken

Baked Curried Chicken & Spaghetti Squash

The best Sheet Pan Baked Gnocchi recipe👇

Print Recipe

5 from 5 votes

Baked Gnocchi (Sheet Pan)

This French Onion Baked Gnocchi is made on one sheet pan!  This super cheesy tray bake has all the classic flavors of french onion soup you love turned into a fork and knife, easy weeknight meal!

Recipe can be scaled up or down by using the slider if you hover your mouse over the number of Servings.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time1 hr 5 mins

Total Time1 hr 15 mins

Course: entree

Cuisine: American, French

Keyword: baked, caramelized, gnocchi, one pan, onion, sheet pan

Servings: 4

Calories: 287kcal

Author: Cheyanne Holzworth

Equipment

• Large Rimmed Baking Sheet
• Mixing Bowl

Ingredients

• 4 large Yellow Onions – thinly sliced (SEE NOTES)
• 4 cloves Garlic – smashed & peeled
• 4 fresh Thyme Sprigs
• 1-2 TBS Light Brown Sugar (SEE NOTES)
• 6 TBS Olive Oil - DIVIDED
• Kosher Salt & Ground Black Pepper
• 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 (16 ounce) package Gnocchi
• ¼ Cup Parmesan – freshly grated, plus more for serving
• 1 ¼ Cup – freshly shredded Mozzarella Cheese

For Serving: Balsamic Vinegar, Toasted Artisan Bread, Fresh Thyme

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Toss onions:  Place onions, garlic and thyme on a large, rimmed sheet pan. Sprinkle with brown sugar, drizzle with 5 tablespoons of oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Toss everything together until evenly coated.
  
• Caramelize onions:  Cover the pan with foil and roast in the oven for 55 minutes – 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until softened and golden in color, removing onions from the oven and tossing the onions 3-4 times throughout roasting (SEE NOTES). Remove the pan from the oven and discard thyme sprigs*. Drizzle onions with Worcestershire sauce and toss to combine.
• Increase oven to 450 degrees F. Toss gnocchi:  In a medium bowl toss the gnocchi with remaining tablespoon of oil and grated parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine.
  
• Add gnocchi to pan:  Sprinkle the gnocchi evenly over the onions. Return the sheet pan to the oven and bake for 12-13 minutes, or until the gnocchi are almost tender.
  
• Add cheese:  Remove from oven and top with the mozzarella cheese. Switch oven to broil, return pan to oven and cook until the cheese is melted and gnocchi are golden, about 4 minutes.
• Serve:  Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and fresh thyme. Served with toasted, crusty bread and enjoy!
  

Notes

1. While yellow onions are my preferred onion to use, you can use whatever variety of onion you prefer – red, sweet or white works as well!
2. 4 onions will seem like a lot on the baking sheet, but do not be alarmed. Onions will cook down by a ton (they will shrink to about a 6th of the amount).
3. The brown sugar is optional. I used 1 ½ tablespoons because I like the extra depth of sweetness it gives the caramelized onions.
4. I tossed my onions 4 times during baking. Please note, the more you toss the onions, the less likely the edges are to burn and the more evenly they will caramelize.
5. If you don’t like roasted garlic, feel free to discard the cloves when you discard the thyme sprigs or you can keep them whole. I removed the cloves, thinly sliced them and then tossed them back in the onions before serving.

Nutritional information is an approximation based upon 4 servings.  Exact nutritional data will depend upon the brands and precise measurements used.

Nutrition

Calories: 287kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 123mg | Potassium: 243mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 50IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 114mg | Iron: 0.6mg

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