Italian

Italian Kid-friendly

Gnocchi alla Sorrentina

Name: Gnocchi alla Sorrentina
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 1/2 lbs fresh potato gnocchi; 2 cups tomato passata (strained tomatoes); 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 2 cloves garlic, crushed; 8 oz fresh mozzarella, torn into pieces; 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano; 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves

Pillowy potato gnocchi baked in a bubbling tomato sauce with melted mozzarella and fresh basil.

35 minutes

Serves 4

Dinner

12 min prep

19 min cook

Contains common allergens

Dairy Wheat

In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.

Instructions

5 steps

1
Preheat the oven to 425°F and warm the olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium heat, adding the crushed garlic and cooking for 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
2
Pour in the tomato passata, season with a pinch of salt, and simmer gently for 12 to 15 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and tastes sweet, then discard the garlic cloves and tear in half the basil.
3
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the gnocchi for 2 to 3 minutes, removing them with a slotted spoon as soon as they float to the surface.
4
Fold the cooked gnocchi into the tomato sauce until evenly coated, then dot the surface with the torn mozzarella and shower with the grated Parmigiano.
5
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling with golden spots, then finish with the remaining fresh basil and serve hot.

Listahan Family Score™

74/100

Good fit for most families

Allergen-friendly 80

Kid-friendly 85

Weeknight-easy 64

Budget-friendly 86

Great leftovers 71

Pantry-friendly 44

Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.

Nutrition

per serving

380

Calories

17 g

Protein

34 g

Carbs

20 g

Fat

Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.

Listahan cooking guide

Chef notes & practical guide

Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.

Cultural context

Gnocchi alla Sorrentina comes from Sorrento in Campania, where tomato, basil, and milky local cheeses are everyday building blocks rather than special-occasion flourishes. The dish is usually finished in the oven so the gnocchi, sauce, and cheese settle into one bubbling pan instead of staying like separate pasta and topping.

Listahan note

This version keeps the sauce clean and tomato-forward, then uses fresh mozzarella and Parmigiano-Reggiano for the soft, stretchy baked finish. It prioritizes timing: cook the gnocchi only until they float, then let the oven do the final work.

Technique cues

Simmer the passata until it tastes sweet and rounded before the gnocchi go in. A watery sauce will thin out further once the cheese melts.
Remove the gnocchi as soon as they float. They will keep cooking in the hot sauce and oven, so boiling them longer can make them heavy.
Tear the mozzarella instead of slicing it into thick rounds. Smaller uneven pieces melt into pockets and leave some tomato sauce visible between them.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: Start the sauce first, then boil the gnocchi while the passata thickens so both are ready at the same time.
Make-ahead: Make the tomato sauce earlier in the day, then boil the gnocchi and assemble just before baking.
Leftover move: Spoon leftovers into a small skillet, add a splash of passata, and reheat until the edges crisp slightly.
Cleanup rhythm: Use an oven-safe skillet for sauce, baking, and serving; soak the gnocchi pot while the cheese bubbles.

Ingredient brief

Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.

Fresh potato gnocchi

Main starch

Purpose: Fresh gnocchi give the dish its soft, dumpling-like texture and absorb the tomato sauce quickly.

Handling: Boil in salted water and lift them out as soon as they float rather than draining roughly in a colander.

Adaptation: Shelf-stable gnocchi can work, but they may need the full cooking time on the package and a little extra sauce to soften.

Tomato passata (strained tomatoes)

Sauce base

Purpose: Passata gives a smooth, bright tomato sauce without seeds or chunky pieces competing with the gnocchi.

Handling: Simmer it gently until slightly thicker and sweeter before folding in the gnocchi.

Adaptation: Crushed tomatoes make a more rustic sauce; blend them briefly if you want a smoother finish.

Extra-virgin olive oil

Aromatic fat

Purpose: It carries the garlic flavor into the tomato sauce and gives the passata a rounder mouthfeel.

Handling: Warm it over medium heat, then add the garlic only briefly so the oil perfumes without bitterness.

Adaptation: A mild olive oil works if you want less peppery flavor in the finished sauce.

Garlic, crushed

Sauce aromatic

Purpose: Crushed cloves season the sauce gently without leaving small sharp bits throughout the bake.

Handling: Cook just until fragrant and discard after simmering so the tomato stays clean and balanced.

Adaptation: Thinly sliced garlic gives a stronger presence if you prefer it left in the sauce.

Fresh mozzarella

Melting cheese

Purpose: Fresh mozzarella melts into soft, milky pockets that are central to the Sorrentina style.

Handling: Tear it and pat off excess moisture if it seems very wet, especially before baking in a shallow skillet.

Adaptation: Low-moisture mozzarella browns more readily and stretches more firmly, but the dish will taste less delicate.

Fresh basil leaves

Finishing herb

Purpose: Basil brings the tomato and mozzarella together with a fresh green aroma.

Handling: Add some to the sauce near the end and save the rest for the hot dish after baking.

Adaptation: A small spoonful of basil pesto can bring basil flavor, but it will make the sauce richer and less clean.

Technique notes

Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer, not a hard boil. Passata can splatter and reduce unevenly if the heat is too high.
Fold the gnocchi into the sauce with a wide spoon or spatula. Stirring aggressively can break the dumplings before baking.
Bake until the mozzarella has melted with a few golden spots, then stop. Overbaking can make the gnocchi dense and the sauce dry.

Ingredient swaps

No-bake finish: Melt the mozzarella under a broiler for a few minutes after folding the gnocchi into the sauce, watching closely so the cheese spots but the sauce does not scorch.
Shelf-stable gnocchi path: Use packaged gnocchi and cook according to the package timing, then loosen the sauce with a splash of gnocchi water before baking.
Cheese texture direction: Use low-moisture mozzarella for a stretchier, more browned top or fresh mozzarella for a softer, milkier finish.
Tomato backup: Use blended crushed tomatoes in place of passata and simmer a few minutes longer to smooth out the raw tomato edge.

Serve alongside

Arugula and fennel salad
Broccoli rabe with garlic and lemon
Roasted zucchini with mint
White bean and parsley salad
Falanghina
Sparkling water with lemon
Chinotto

Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; the gnocchi will firm up as they chill.
Reheat in a covered skillet or baking dish with a spoonful of water or passata until the sauce loosens.
Freeze in a tightly sealed container for up to 1 month, then thaw overnight and reheat gently so the gnocchi do not fall apart.

Equipment

Oven-safe skillet
Large pot for boiling gnocchi
Slotted spoon
Box grater or rasp grater

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