Gnocchi alla Sorrentina (cheesy baked gnocchi) is a dish that gives comfort from the light tender gnocchi right down to that lovely simple Stefano's tomato basil sauce that reminds us of how Mom's and Nonna's used to make it. Add in a cheesy goodness and all baked to a crisp top and luxuriously rich middle. Why not make tonight Italian night! This will be a crowd pleaser!
Song of the day: "Cos Cos Cos" by Clementino.
[This post is sponsored by Stefano Faita. As always, all opinions and ideas are entirely our own.]
We cannot wait to share this Gnocchi alla Sorrentina recipe with you! When Stefano Faita asked us to share about their new sauces, we were so excited because we knew that you would love them as much as we did!
Stefano's tomato basil sauce tastes just as good as the homemade ones. We opened the jar, grabbed a spoon and tasted the sauce. Fresh and fragrant, it is made with a few simple ingredients like Italian tomatoes, basil, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, and sea salt. It makes the perfect condiment for our homemade gnocchi.
Gnocchi alla Sorrentina (cheesy baked gnocchi)
Sorrento is a lovely town on the Amalfi coast, and this cheesy baked gnocchi is one of their signature dishes. Homemade or store-bought gnocchi are first cooked then dressed in a tomato basil sauce, then layered in a baking dish with mozzarella and Parmigiano and baked until cheesy in the middle and crispy on top.
What you will need:
- gnocchi, homemade or store-bought
- tomato basil sauce, homemade or Stefano's jarred sauce
- mozzarella
- Parmigiano
- fresh basil leaves (optional but recommended)
If you want to make homemade gnocchi
- Wash and boil the potatoes with the peel in abundant cold water until they are soft when you prick them with a fork, about 30-40 minutes depending on the size of the potatoes. Drain the potatoes, remove the peel.
- On a wood board or any clean surface, add the flour and make a well in the middle. Rice or mash the potatoes in the middle, then add the egg, and a pinch of salt. Mix quickly with your hands just enough to combine the ingredients and form a smooth dough, not too sticky.
- Cut a slice of dough at a time, ½ inch thick or 1.5 cm thick, leaving the rest under a clean towel. Roll the piece of dough into a rope about ½ inch, 1.5 cm round, dusting some flour as needed as you're rolling. With a knife or bench scraper, cut pieces of dough about 1.5-2 cm long.
- To make the gnocchi shape, you can press them lightly to create a "dimple", or roll them on the rigagnocchi (specialized corrugated wood board), or on the back of a fork. You could also leave them like that. As they are ready, put them on well-floured trays making sure they do not overlap, and sprinkle some more flour on the gnocchi.
The next steps of Gnocchi alla Sorrentina
- Have a large pot with plenty of salted water on the stove on medium/high heat.
- Grate the Parmigiano and chop the mozzarella. Turn on the oven to 400°F/200°C.
- When the water is boiling, place the gnocchi on a slotted spoon and immerse them delicately in the water. Mix them gently, then do not turn during cooking, and wait until they rise to the surface.
- While gnocchi are cooking, add the tomato sauce to a wide deep bowl.
- As soon as the gnocchi are on the surface, drain them with a slotted spoon and add them to the bowl with the sauce. Mix the gnocchi gently in the tomato sauce.
Assemble and bake
- Drizzle a little evo oil at the bottom of a 9"x14" (roughly 23x35 cm) baking dish. Place half of the gnocchi in, add half of the chopped mozzarella and half of the Parmigiano. Cover with the rest of the gnocchi, and top with the rest of the mozzarella and Parmigiano. Optional, add some basil leaves.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes. Then turn on the grill on high for 1-2 minutes until cheese on top starts to get golden and bubbly.
- Take out of the oven, let sit a couple of minutes, then serve.
Ah what an aroma!
We just love the aroma of a baked dish like this. The sweetness of the tomatoes, that golden melted mozzarella and Parmigiano, the basil. It is all just making our mouth water! This dish is a beauty, just says Italian regional comfort food at its best!
Notes from our kitchen
- You can make your own gnocchi or you can use 500 grams of the store-bought gnocchi. This will save you some time.
- Traditionally, Gnocchi alla Sorrentina have a simple tomato basil sauce. No meat sauces for this gnocchi.
- Leftover gnocchi reaheat wonderfully. Store them in the fridge in an airtight container for 1 day. Place in a baking dish and reheat in the oven until cheese melts.
Tasting time!
First thing you see is that gooey melted cheese that just strings as you get a gnocchi and some sauce. There is nothing like freshly made gnocchi and these are melt in your mouth, light, and exquisite. So luxurious. Stefano's sauce is perfect, the tomatoes and basil offer a wonderful foundation to the gnocchi, and all that melted cheesiness seals the deal making this Gnocchi alla Sorrentina a lovely meal idea! Try it, you'll love it!
If you would like to learn, hands on, how to make this dish, or any other Italian dish, check out our virtual cooking classes or request a private class via our contact page.
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Gnocchi alla Sorrentina (cheesy baked gnocchi)
Gnocchi alla Sorrentina (cheesy baked gnocchi). Homemade gnocchi are first cooked then tossed in a tomato basil sauce, placed in a baking dish with added mozzarella and Parmigiano and baked until cheesy and crispy on top.
- Total Time: 1 hour 22 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
For the gnocchi
- 700 grams raw red potatoes
- 200 grams all-purpose flour
- 1 egg
For the bake
- 1 jar Stefano's Tomato Basil sauce
- 300 grams fresh mozzarella
- 60 grams grated Parmigiano
- 2-3 fresh basil leaves
Instructions
Homemade gnocchi
- Wash and boil the potatoes with the peel in abundant cold water until they are soft when you prick them with a fork, about 30 minutes depending on the size of the potatoes. Drain the potatoes, remove the peel.
- On a wood board or any clean surface, add the flour and make a well in the middle. Rice or mash the potatoes in the middle, then add the egg, and a pinch of salt. Mix quickly with your hands just enough to combine the ingredients and form a smooth dough, not too sticky.
- Cut a slice of dough at a time, ½ inch thick or 1.5 cm thick, leaving the rest under a clean towel.
- Roll the piece of dough into a rope about ½ inch, 2 cm round, dusting some flour as needed as you're rolling. With a knife or bench scraper, cut pieces of dough about 1.5-2 cm.
- To make the gnocchi shape, you can press them lightly to create a "dimple", or roll them on the rigagnocchi, or on the back of a fork. You could also leave them like that. As they are ready, put them on well-floured trays making sure they do not overlap, and sprinkle some more flour on the gnocchi.
Assemble and bake
- Have a large pot with plenty of salted water on the stove on medium/high heat.
- Grate the Parmigiano and chop the mozzarella. Turn on the oven to 400°F/200°C.
- When the water is boiling, place the gnocchi on a slotted spoon and immerse them delicately in the water. Mix them gently, then do not turn during cooking, and wait until they rise to the surface.
- While gnocchi are cooking, add the tomato sauce to a wide bowl.
- When the gnocchi are on the surface, drain them with a slotted spoon and add them to the bowl with the sauce. Mix the gnocchi gently in the tomato sauce.
- Drizzle a little evo oil at the bottom of a 9"x14" (roughly 23x35 cm) baking dish. Place half of the gnocchi in, add half of the chopped mozzarella and half of the Parmigiano. Cover with the rest of the gnocchi, and top with the rest of the mozzarella and Parmigiano. Optional, add some basil leaves.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes. Then turn on the grill on high for 1-2 minutes until cheese on top starts to get golden and bubbly.
- Take out of oven let sit 2 minutes then serve.
- Enjoy!
Notes
You can make your own gnocchi or you can use 500 grams of the store bought gnocchi. This will save you some time.
Leftover gnocchi reaheat wonderfully. Keep them in the fridge for 1 day and reheat in the oven.
If you make an abundance of gnocchi, you can first freeze them in a single layer, and then place them in a air tight freezer bag or container. Do not thaw before boiling, best to boil them frozen.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Category: Pasta, Vegetarian
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: gnocchi, homemade, italian, cheesy, gnocchi alla sorrentina, classic, mozzarella, tomato sauce, parmigiano
I love baking and kneading dough because it takes me to a happy place in my soul.
Allyssa says
Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe! Will surely have this again! It's really easy to make and it tasted so delicious! Highly recommended!
★★★★★
Thank you Allyssa, so happy you enjoyed it. It is such a wonderful dish packed with everything good and nice!
Have a wonderful cooking week!
Liz says
This dish sounds so delicious! Anything with "cheesy" in the description has my attention! Thanks for the share!
★★★★★
You are so welcome Liz, yes cheesy is a good tag word, who doesn't love gooey cheesy crispy, add in a rich tomato sauce and those light tender gnocchi, hey wait am I in heaven, lol. Thanks for checking this out!
Mikayla says
The absolute comfort food for me is a homemade pasta with fresh cheeses. Your recipe is geared to all levels of cooks.
★★★★★
Thank you so much Mikayla, so happy this interests you. It is so delicious!
Cheers!
Jere says
I am all about gooey and cheesy dishes. I tied making gnocchi once and it was a failure. However, now I can find it fresh in the stores I made this dish and it was a hit, super easy, and yes, gooey and cheesy.
★★★★★
That's fantastic Jere, way to go. Too bad about the homemade gnocchi, but nice that you can find the fresh ones in the store. It is such a wonderful tasting dish with plenty to be happy about!
Have a great week in the kitchen!
Tracy says
One of our favorite ways to eat gnnochi! This recipe is so easy and comforting. The perfect dinner.
★★★★★
Thanks Tracy, very happy it is being enjoyed and has become a favorite! You summed it up perfectly, easy and comforting! Thank you!
Kathryn says
Gnocchis are my absolute favorite and your recipe was so easy! I loved the red potato flavor and they were so fluffy just how they should be. Thank you for your recipe!
★★★★★
Your very welcome Kathryn, so happy you achieved that fluffiness. It is a great accomplishment, and so delicious in the oven with the sauce and cheese!
Thanks!
Marisa Franca says
You don't have to twist my arm to make delicious gnocchi with tomato sauce and gooey cheese. We had this as our dinner the other night and it was a huge success. I loved the bold taste of the tomato sauce and the pillowy gnocchi were perfect. Unfortunately we didn't have any leftover and we're wanting them again ASAP.
★★★★★
Thanks Marisa for giving it a go. Totally understand why you want them again. I crave these all the time! Hope you make them again soon!
Cheers!
Aya says
I used gluten-free store-bought gnocchi, and these turned out fantastic. I love how simple this recipe is, and the sweetness of the tomato against the cheese is so good!
★★★★★
Hi Aya, that is so wonderful that you found some gluten free and went ahead and made this. Very happy to hear that it went so well. Thank you so much for trying!
Jessica says
Another great recipe; Thanks so much for never letting me down! Making gnocchi from scratch is really a game changer. Your thorough instructions definitely led to my success.
Hi Jessica, Nicoletta is the gnocchi whisperer, she does it with her eyes closed. So happy to hear that you tried and won. It is a game changer for sure! Thank you for trying!
Hayley Dhanecha says
These cheesy baked gnocchi turned out so amazing! I loved how well explained recipe it was to make. This is definitely a recipe I’m going to repeat. Thank you!
★★★★★
Hey Harley, Fantastico, so happy they turned out for you, and that you found it very easy to follow the recipe. Nicoletta and I are always trying our best to make them easy to follow! Thanks for giving it a go!
Cheers!
LaKita says
This gnocchi recipe is so cheesy, flavorful, and delicious. So perfect to make when you need something comforting and quick.
★★★★★
That's the spirit LaKita, your so right, they are easy and it is so delicious!
Now I am craving them again!
Lol.
GUNJAN says
such an amazing recipe idea! we loved it thoroughly and was the best weekend dinner for us.
★★★★★
Wow Gunjan, that's wonderful. It is what we like to hear. It is a great dish and eats like a restaurant style meal!
Have a wonderful week!