Sun Dried Tomato Gnocchi with White Beans Recipe

Sun dried tomato gnocchi with white beans makes a creamy skillet dinner with soft potato dumplings, tender spinach and a rich tomato flavor. The gnocchi cooks directly in the sauce, releasing enough starch to give it body. Cannellini beans add a creamy texture of their own, making each bowl substantial without adding meat.

This easy gnocchi and white bean recipe is useful on a chilly evening when you want comfort food without a long ingredient list. Oil packed sun dried tomatoes bring concentrated flavor, while a little cream and Parmesan soften their tang. Keep the sauce loose when serving because gnocchi thickens it as it sits.

Recipe at a Glance

Why You Will Love Sun Dried Tomato Gnocchi with White Beans

• One skillet handles the aromatics, sauce and gnocchi.
• Canned white beans need only draining and rinsing.
• Spinach wilts into the sauce just before the meal is ready.

Ingredients for Sun Dried Tomato Gnocchi with White Beans

• For the skillet: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 small yellow onion, finely diced; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 1/3 cup (50 g) drained oil packed sun dried tomatoes, chopped; and 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning.
• For the sauce and gnocchi: 1 1/2 cups low sodium vegetable broth; 1/2 cup heavy cream; 1 pound (450 g) shelf stable potato gnocchi; 1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed; 3 ounces (85 g) baby spinach; 1/4 cup (20 g) finely grated Parmesan; and 1/4 teaspoon each fine salt and black pepper.

How to Make Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Gnocchi

1. Warm oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic, chopped sun dried tomatoes and Italian seasoning for 1 minute.
2. Pour in broth and cream, scraping the bottom of the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer, then add the uncooked gnocchi. Stir to separate the pieces and keep most of them in the liquid.
3. Simmer uncovered for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until the gnocchi is tender. Follow any longer cooking time on your package. If the sauce tightens too quickly, add water 2 tablespoons at a time.
4. Fold in drained beans and spinach. Simmer for 3 minutes, stirring gently, until the beans are hot and the spinach has wilted. Avoid vigorous stirring that could break the beans.
5. Lower the heat and stir in Parmesan, salt and pepper. Taste before adding more salt. Spoon into four bowls immediately, adding a splash of water if needed for a flowing sauce.

Tips for Creamy Gnocchi Without a Sticky Sauce

• Use shelf stable potato gnocchi for the written timing. Frozen or homemade gnocchi can release different amounts of starch.
• Drain the tomatoes well and grate the cheese finely. Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer so the cream stays smooth and the pan does not dry out.

Easy Variations to Try

• Swap baby spinach for finely chopped kale, adding it with the broth so it has more time to soften.
• Replace cannellini beans with great northern beans, using the same drained quantity.

How to Store Sun Dried Tomato Gnocchi with White Beans

Refrigerate portions in shallow covered containers within 2 hours and use within 3 days. Reheat gently with a splash of broth or water, stirring until the center reaches 165 F. Freezing is not recommended for the best texture because the cream can separate and the gnocchi can soften.

Sun Dried Tomato Gnocchi with White Beans FAQs

Do I boil the gnocchi first?

No. Add it uncooked so its starch helps thicken the sauce. Separate any pieces stuck together before adding them.

Can I use dry packed sun dried tomatoes?

Soften them in hot water, drain and chop before measuring. Their flavor is stronger, so taste the sauce before adjusting seasoning.

Is this recipe vegetarian?

Use vegetable broth and Parmesan made with vegetarian rennet or a suitable vegetarian hard cheese. Check the gnocchi label too.

Estimated calories: 440 kcal per serving. Estimates use typical ingredient values, include all listed ingredients and exclude optional variations. Brands and portion sizes will change the result.

Sun Dried Tomato Gnocchi with White Beans

Shelf stable potato gnocchi simmered with cannellini beans and spinach in a creamy sun dried tomato sauce.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Course: Snack

Cuisine: American

Calories: 440

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• Aromatics
• olive oil
• yellow onion
• garlic
• oil packed sun dried tomatoes
• dried Italian seasoning
• Sauce and gnocchi
• low sodium vegetable broth
• heavy cream
• shelf stable potato gnocchi
• cannellini beans
• baby spinach
• Parmesan
• fine salt
• black pepper

Equipment

• Large deep skillet
• Wooden spoon
• Fine grater
• Measuring jug

Method

 

1. Step 1: Warm oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic, chopped sun dried tomatoes and Italian seasoning for 1 minute.
2. Step 2: Pour in broth and cream, scraping the bottom of the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer, then add the uncooked gnocchi. Stir to separate the pieces and keep most of them in the liquid.
3. Step 3: Simmer uncovered for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until the gnocchi is tender. Follow any longer cooking time on your package. If the sauce tightens too quickly, add water 2 tablespoons at a time.
4. Step 4: Fold in drained beans and spinach. Simmer for 3 minutes, stirring gently, until the beans are hot and the spinach has wilted. Avoid vigorous stirring that could break the beans.
5. Step 5: Lower the heat and stir in Parmesan, salt and pepper. Taste before adding more salt. Spoon into four bowls immediately, adding a splash of water if needed for a flowing sauce.

Notes

Use shelf stable potato gnocchi for the written timing. Frozen or homemade gnocchi can release different amounts of starch. Drain the tomatoes well and grate the cheese finely. Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer so the cream stays smooth and the pan does not dry out. Refrigerate portions in shallow covered containers within 2 hours and use within 3 days. Reheat gently with a splash of broth or water, stirring until the center reaches 165 F. Freezing is not recommended for the best texture because the cream can separate and the gnocchi can soften.