Creamy Coconut Gnocchi Skillet
This creamy, comforting skillet brings pillowy potato gnocchi together with bright cherry tomatoes, tender spinach, and a rich coconut-milk sauce—fully vegan and ready in about 25–30 minutes.
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 16 oz potato gnocchi (store-bought or homemade) Potato gnocchi works best for texture.
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 cups fresh spinach (packed)
- 1 cup canned coconut milk (full-fat for richest texture) For a lighter version, use light coconut milk.
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast Provides umami and cheesiness.
- 1 tsp dried Italian herbs (or 1½ tsp mixed oregano + basil)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Fresh basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
Preparation
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the gnocchi and cook according to package instructions or until gnocchi float to the top (usually 2–3 minutes). Drain and set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in minced garlic and cook 1 minute more until fragrant—don’t let it brown.
- Add halved cherry tomatoes and cook until they begin to soften, about 2–3 minutes.
- Toss in the fresh spinach and cook until wilted, stirring occasionally, about 1–2 minutes.
- Push the vegetables to one side of the skillet. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the empty side and add the cooked, drained gnocchi. Sauté the gnocchi 2–3 minutes until slightly crisp and golden on the edges.
- Pour in the coconut milk and stir everything together, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Stir in nutritional yeast, dried Italian herbs, and season with salt and pepper. Let the sauce simmer gently for about 5 minutes until it thickens slightly.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve hot, topped with fresh basil leaves.
Notes
For a non-coconut option, try unsweetened almond cream or a cashew cream. If you want more creamy, comforting pasta-style recipes, check older posts on the blog.