There is something SO comforting about a bowl of gnocchi covered in a creamy tomato sauce! If you agree, then this Vegan Gnocchi Tomato Cream Sauce is the perfect recipe for you. This gnocchi sauce recipe is so creamy, easy, and only requires seven ingredients & 20 minutes for the perfect weeknight dinner recipe.
Between my Vegan Pizza Buns and this vegan tomato gnocchi, we are really giving tomato dishes their time to shine!
Making this creamy vegan tomato sauce is so easy too. With only 4 simple steps and 7 ingredients, this recipe can be made in 20 minutes or less!
Ingredients:
How to make gnocchi tomato sauce
Step 1: Cook the Vegan Gnocchi & Add it to a Skillet
For this recipe, you can use store-bought gnocchi or follow my easy recipe for easy homemade vegan gnocchi If you choose to buy store-bought gnocchi, Gia Russa or Delallo are my preferred vegan gnocchi brands.
Whichever you choose, I prefer to boil the gnocchi for this recipe (vs baking or panfrying). Gnocchi is super easy to cook because it literally takes 2-3 minutes using this method.
Simply boil water, add in the gnocchi, and cook until the gnocchi rises to the top of the pot.
Then, use a slotted spoon to remove and strain the gnocchi and add it to a cast-iron skillet to be mixed with the sauce.
Step 2: Blend the Gnocchi Tomato Cream Sauce Ingredients
This step couldn't be easier! In order to get the smooth and creamy gnocchi tomato sauce you see in these pictures, you're going to need a good blender.
Simply add the canned tomatoes, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, garlic powder, red chili flakes, and soy/oat milk to a blender. Next, blend until smooth. Then add the vegan gnocchi sauce to the cast iron skillet with the gnocchi.
Step 3: Cook the Vegan Gnocchi & Tomato Cream Sauce
Now that both the gnocchi and tomato cream sauce are in the skillet, turn on the heat and cook for about 5 minutes.
This step helps to thicken the vegan tomato sauce and makes it nice and hot.
P.S.- I also LOVE making this recipe with my favorite Homemade Vegan Pesto mixed in!
Step 4: Top with Basil & Serve the Vegan Gnocchi
Now that the gnocchi sauce is hot, top it with basil, and some vegan parmesan cheese, and serve!
This recipe easily serves 3-4 people as a main dish. However, it can easily be doubled if you are looking to serve a larger crowd or save more for leftovers.
To store as leftovers, let the gnocchi cool to room temperature and store it in a closed container. The vegan gnocchi sauce will keep in the fridge for 2-4 days and in the freezer for up to 1 month.
P.S.- If you're looking for another recipe to make with fire-roasted tomatoes, I also used them in my favorite Chickpea Tomato Spinach Curry.
I truly hope you love this Vegan Gnocchi Tomato Cream Sauce recipe! This gnocchi with a vegan tomato cream sauce truly has the best of both worlds- healthy, delicious, and comforting too. Enjoy!
-TSG
More vegan weeknight dinner recipes you will love:
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Vegan Gnocchi with Tomato Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 4-5 cups vegan gnocchi 32-40 oz gnocchi
- 1 14.5 ounce fire roasted canned tomatoes
- ⅓ cup oat/soy milk almond milk also works, just not as creamy
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- ½ cup chopped red pepper about ½ large red pepper
- ¼-1/2 teaspoon chili flakes depending on spice preference
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- salt & pepper to taste
- fresh basil optional, to top
Instructions
- Begin by boiling the gnocchi according to package/recipe instructions. Strain the gnocchi and add it to a cast iron skillet/ large pan.
- Once the gnocchi has cooked, make the sauce. Add the canned tomatoes, red pepper, oat/soy milk, nutritional yeast, chili flakes, and garlic powder to a blender. Blend the ingredients together until completely smooth and no chunks remain. Then, add the sauce to the same skillet with the gnocchi.
- Turn on the heat and cook the gnocchi and sauce in the skillet for about 5 minutes to thicken and heat the sauce. When finished, remove from the heat and top with fresh basil. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- gnocchi can be substituted for any pasta
- while i prefer fire roasted tomatoes for this recipe, any 14.5 oz can of diced or stewed tomatoes can be used in this recipe for similar results
- gnocchi can be stored in the fridge in a closed container for 2-4 days and in the freezer up to 1 month.
- This post was previously sponsored by Muir Glen and has been updated to contain more recent photos and information.
Mary Lyn says
Hello! Thank you so much for this recipe, I really look forward to trying! I'd like to ask, could one combine the sauce ingredients in a skillet without the blender, or is the blender the key to making a creamy sauce?
Thank you for your input!
Megan says
You do need to blend it somehow- whether that be in a blender or with an immersion blender.
Emily says
Really was excited to try but it was BAD. Tasted like raw tomatoes.
Megan says
Sorry to hear that- did you actually cook the sauce and used cooked canned tomatoes? It's not going to taste good if you just blended it and didn't heat it together and/or didn't use the ingredients listed.
Payal says
Do you have an alternative to the red pepper? Could another color work?
Megan says
A red pepper is best but an orange one may work though the sauce will be a slightly different color.
Taylor says
This is lovely and light and has a nice kick to it. It’s comforting but also so healthy! Thanks!
Megan says
You're so welcome!
Cassie says
This looks fabulous. I plan to make this as a side dish for Christmas. Do you think I can make the sauce in the blender a day in advance and then just combine with the gnocchi the day of on the stovetop and it'll thicken then?
Megan says
Yes that should be fine! You'll want to store the sauce in the fridge- it may separate a bit but should come back together when you heat it up with the gnocchi.
Carol R Salyers says
I'm eating mine right now, and I love it! I only had regular canned, no-salt tomatoes on-hand so I used those instead of fire-roasted (boo-hoo). I doubled the recipe, used vegan gnocchi, and I subbed roasted water-packed red pepper instead of fresh. I topped mine with vegan parmesan. It is serious comfort food. I made the mistake of using a rounded tsp. of red chili pepper and it's a bit too hot but still delicious. I can't wait to make it again, less spicey.
Megan says
So happy you are enjoying it! Vegan parm sounds like the perfect topping 🙂
Tanya says
Looks delicious! How would you go about reheating this after freezing?
Megan says
I like to freeze in individual containers and then defrost overnight. To reheat you can do it in a skillet pan until warmed throughout or in the microwave. If going directly from the freezer, the best way is in a saucepan/skillet on low heat.
Nathalie says
Oh my goodness! This was absolutely delicious…this will be a weeky recipe…thanks!
Megan says
So happy you liked it! 🙂
Rebecca says
I didn’t care for the texture of the gnocchi and would use a different type of pasta next time. The sauce was excellent though and so easy! Fire roasted tomatoes make all the difference, I think. I could see doubling or tripling the sauce recipe and eating it as a soup 😋. Will definitely make the sauce again.
Megan says
So glad you liked the sauce and agreed- the fire-roasted tomatoes truly make this sauce so much better!
Kathryn says
I liked how easy this was, however, mine turned out rather bland. I tried this recipe simply because I wanted a creamy gnocchi meal, but I think this sauce would pair better with penne.
Megan says
Sorry to hear it didn't work out for you- You can definitely add more seasoning to your liking (I also highly recommend fire-roasted tomatoes if you didn't use those- they make a huge difference!).
Wanda says
I just made this recipe today! So easy but so delicious! I used fresh tomatoes and roasted them in the oven with some red pepper and onion instead of using the canned tomatoes. Definitely will be making this again.
Michelle says
So yummy!! Thank you!!
Megan Horowitch says
So so glad!
Megan Horowitch says
So glad!
Jacob says
Really liked how simple this sauce was- definitely will make again!