Crispy Gnocchi Tray Bake with Bocconcini, Gluten-Free
Imagine crispy golden gnocchi with tender juicy vegetables and soft melting cheese. That is exactly what this Crispy Gnocchi Tray Bake with Bocconcini is! It's also gluten-free, simple to make, mess-free, and incredibly tasty! Add it to your mid-week dinner menu or cook it as part of your meal prep for the week.
Let's get straight to the obvious thought everyone is having. Yes, you can bake gnocchi without boiling it first and yes, I have used shelf-stable gnocchi (not fresh gnocchi). This is a pantry staple in my household as it is convenient, easy to cook, and as you can see, versatile.
Let's begin!
What is Gnocchi
Gnocchi is Italian dumplings made from cooked mashed potato, eggs and flour. This is then combined into a dough, separated into sections and then rolled out into long "snakes" using the palms of your hands. Pieces are then cut off that are approximately 2cm long and then each is rolled against the back of a fork to imprint ridges that allow the sauce to sit in once cooked and served.
Watch How To Make It
Helpful Tips
Gnocchi - are small Italian dumplings made from potato, semolina, or flour, usually served with a sauce. At this instant, I am using gluten-free gnocchi and we are baking it! The gnocchi I used is this: https://sanremo.com.au/products/gluten-free-gnocchi/
Vegetables - I have added cherry tomatoes, zucchini and onions but you can change it up by adding mushrooms, capsicums (peppers), and even pumpkin. However, you will need to make sure they are cut to a size that will bake within 30 minutes.
Olive Oil - don't skip the amount of olive oil added. You want to make sure the gnocchi is well coated as it stops it from drying out and adds to it making it crispy whilst baking. If you want to swap the olive oil for a neutral-tasting oil, then I recommend cooking avocado oil.
Dairy-Free Options - as I am dairy-free, I also tested this recipe using dairy-free feta and it has worked deliciously. The feta I used: https://www.mylifebio.net.au/my-life-bio-cheese-feta
Herbs - mix it up by adding fresh thyme, parsley, and even spring onions.
HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE - there are 4 main steps
Combine the olive oil dressing.
Toss the ingredients through the dressing until evenly coated.
Bake in the oven for 30 minutes
Toss through the bocconcini and garnish with herbs and spices.
Other Easy Oven Bake Meals
Baked Salmon with Peas and Butter Beans
Honey and Walnut Baklava Baked Fish
And now it’s time to start cooking! As always, if you make any of my recipes, I would love to hear your feedback. Don’t forget to save it on your Pinterest board as well! I have a board named CreateCookShare that you can follow and save. Can’t wait to hear from you!
Happy Cooking, Margaret x
Crispy Tray Bake Gnocchi with Bocconcini
Prep 10
Cook 30
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS
2 x 500g shelf stable gluten-free gnocchi
80ml (1/3 cup) extra virgin olive oil + extra
250g cherry tomatoes
420g bocconcini balls, pulled apart into pieces* (dairy-free)
4 garlic cloves, finely grated
1 large red onion, sliced
1 large zucchini, sliced into quarters and diced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon chilli flakes
Fresh Basil leaves to garnish
Sea salt and pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 220C fan-forced and line a baking tray (approx. 40cm x 25cm) with baking paper.
2. Combine the olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Pour the gnocchi first into the olive oil mixture and toss to coat, then add the tomatoes, zucchini, and onions and combine until evenly coated.
3. Transfer to the baking tray (preferably in an even layer to allow the gnocchi to crisp), and cook for 30 minutes, tossing halfway through, until gnocchi are golden and starting to crisp.
4. Remove from the oven and add the bocconcini balls to the baking sheet (the heat will soften the bocconcini).
5. Drizzle over a little more extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice, and garnish with chilli flakes and fresh basil leaves. Serve hot.
*Note: To make this meal dairy free, simply swap the bocconcini balls with cubed pieces of dairy-free feta.
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Recipe and Photography by Margaret Pahos for @CreateCookShare
