Baked gnocchi with bacon, tomato and mozzarella
This easy baked gnocchi recipe with smoky bacon, tomato and mozzarella sauce is perfect for rushed weeknights when you need dinner on the table fast.
This baked gnocchi is comfort food. Comfort food for those who need comforting. And yesterday, I needed it (more than I normally do). You see, yesterday was not only the beginning of the 3rd school term here in SA, but also the day we had to start with Atropine drops on my darling princess. I’m not going to go into what Atropine is (you can read more here, if you so wish) but we are doing it because she has a pretty important appointment at an Optometrist this Thursday.
We found out a couple of weeks ago that her eyes are slightly squint (so slightly that we’ve never even noticed) but now there are talks of glasses and surgery and even though this isn’t, by far, the worst thing that could happen, I feel sad. I think as a mom, all you want is for your kids to be perfectly healthy and happy. Again, this isn’t even that big of a deal (and I can’t imagine what it must be like to hear your child is terribly ill, etc).
{Our beautiful Abi has been for two eye operations now after the glasses made no difference. Her eyes are perfect and the doctor is very happy. This post was originally written when I was feeling very sorry for myself and so, I’ve edited it slightly because I never want her to read this one day thinking I felt she disappointed me (which one reader pointed out) because nothing she could ever do would disappoint me. She is wonderful, smart and perfect in every way.}
Anyway, so yes, yesterday I needed comfort food. And since I also didn’t feel like spending hours in the kitchen, I knew I wanted to use a few packets of ready-made gnocchi. This isn’t something I use a lot because I really love making fresh gnocchi but it definitely is a life-saver when you’re pressed for time. I also think it works really well in a baked gnocchi dish because it’s quite a lot firmer than home-made gnocchi so the shape is retained while, I think, home-made gnocchi will just get mushy.
The sauce is made by frying bacon and then adding both tinned and halved cherry tomatoes and a splash of cream (you could also use yoghurt). The cooked gnocchi is mixed into this and then baked under a blanket of fresh, creamy fior di latte. Perfect, easy comfort food ready in a flash.
Table of Contents
Baked gnocchi with bacon, tomato and mozzarella
Ingredients
- 500 g store-bought gnocchi
- 250 g bacon chopped
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- handful cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons cream/yoghurt
- large handful fresh parsley chopped
- salt & pepper to taste
- 100 g mozzarella sliced
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 200°c.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil.
- In the meantime, make the sauce.
- In a large, hot frying pan, fry the bacon until starting to crisp with most of the fat rendered.
- Pour off most of the fat then add the garlic and smoked paprika and fry for 30 seconds.
- Add all of the tomatoes and the sugar and allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cream/yoghurt, parsley and seasoning.
- Cook the gnocchi in the salted water until it starts floating to the top. Remove with a slotted spoon and add to the sauce.
- Transfer the gnocchi and sauce to an oven-proof dish and top with the sliced mozzarella.
- Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes until the mozzarella is melted and golden.
- Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
I am so glad that I have found this recipe. We are having this dish again tonight. So easy to put together. And use what you have in the house already.
This is such a great recipe. I love the smoked paprika. Will definitely make again!
The smoked paprika is a delicious addition! So glad you liked it.
Could I add chicken to this also and if so should I use more tin tomato or is it saucy enough?
Yes, you can definitely add chicken, it’s quite saucy so I wouldn’t worry about that.
As there are only two of us, could I make this for four & freeze the other two cooked portions?
Do you think it would re-heat IOK?
I don’t love freezing gnocchi as the texture is sometimes very floury once defrosted. Maybe just halve the recipe instead?
I used my slow cooker for this. I doubled everything. I did everything in the frying pan as recommended but didnt do the simmer at the end. And i used normal paprika instead of smoked. Threw everything together with the uncooked gnocchi into the slow cooker. I added an extra tin of tomatos and half a cup of water.
Cooked on low for 6 hours (would be done much sooner but i was out) I added the mozzerlla 2 hours before finishing. Hubby and kids LOVED it.
Awesome! I’m so glad to hear that Emma!
This is such a gem! I’ve made it several times and I am happy to report you can just add the gnocchi uncooked to the sauce and let it boil for a couple minutes before baking and it cooks up nicely, no need to fuss with boiling in another pot! I always double the recipe, we just love it! Thank-you for the great idea!
So glad you like it Rachael!
Great Idea! I have held off making this because comfort food and three or four pans ( including the baking dish) didn’t seem comfortable to me. Im going to have to try this.
If you use an oven-proof frying pan you could just stir the gnocchi into the sauce and bake straight away to save on washing up. 🙂
I use a 12 inch cast iron skillet to cook, mix and bake. Works great.
So glad you liked it.