Cheesy Skillet Gnocchi Recipe with White Sauce
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Skillet Gnocchi is a creative way to take a classic ingredient and turn it into something yummy and exciting! This cheesy gnocchi skillet doesn’t require much: some salt and pepper, a bit of garlic, freshly grated cheese, and a splash of cream. All of that is tossed with homemade gnocchi for an absolutely addicting dish that keeps you coming back for more!
Gnocchi is an Italian dumpling, known and loved for its soft texture and mild flavor.
But don’t let that mild flavor fool you – gnocchi is easy to transform into a flavorful, mind blowing dish!!
You’ll love making this easy gnocchi recipe in a large skillet. It gives them a wonderfully crispy texture – and it’s the best results for an easy dinner!
Follow the simple cooking instructions for this perfect weeknight dinner – it’s my favorite type of gnocchi.
Table of Contents
Skillet Gnocchi
Italian gnocchi is usually enjoyed as a first course. But as this recipe proves, you can also make a cheesy gnocchi main course dish that’s totally filling all on its own!
With some cheese and a creamy white sauce, this one-skillet wonder of a meal is much more than an appetizer. The best part? It only takes 20 minutes to make!
For something even more substantial, you can try this gnocchi recipe that includes sausage and a scrumptious red pepper almond sauce!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Gnocchi – Sure, you could go with store bought, but making a batch of authentic gnocchi at home is so easy!
- Heavy Cream – Whole or reduced fat milk is a perfectly fine alternative to the heavy cream, BUT the creamy cheese sauce won’t be quite as creamy and tasty!
- Pecorino and Gruyere Cheese – Pecorino is an iconic Italian cheese that we simply cannot do without!
Gruyere is a kind of Swiss cheese, so any of your Swiss favorites would work as a topping instead. But I really recommend giving this one a try! - Chives and Oregano – The fresh herbs are sprinkled on top for both presentation and flavor!
Any Italian herb would make a great topping, like fresh basil or thyme – even a mix! - Garlic, Salt, and Pepper – The ultimate flavor makers that you just can’t miss.
If you can’t use fresh garlic, minced is fine! I don’t recommend using powdered garlic because it loses its flavor very quickly in heavy dishes like cheesy gnocchi.
Tips and Recommendations
- Watch the garlic! Garlic burns super quickly, so keep an eye on it as soon as you throw it in the pan with the butter.
It’ll keep cooking throughout the whole dish, so only saute until it’s just lightly brown and fragrant. - Brown the flour. This adds so much flavor to the white sauce. To brown flour, put it in a pan or skillet and toast until it turns a beautiful golden brown color.
This can take a bit of time, so do this before anything else. - Add some veggies. Spinach and kale go perfectly with cheesy gnocchi. You can add them right into the sauce, no other prep required.
Storing and Reheating Leftover Skillet Gnocchi
As always, be sure to store your leftovers in a clean, airtight container. Refrigerated properly, leftovers will last you for 3 days.
Reheat in the microwave in 30 second bursts until warmed all the way through. It shouldn’t take too long! Honestly, I enjoy leftovers chilled, right out of the fridge!
Skillet Gnocchi FAQ
You can, if you prefer, but I really like to boil it first. It only takes a couple of minutes and makes the whole process a lot faster.
Why limit the toppings? You can add parmesan cheese, olive oil, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, or minced garlic.
You can also add other ingredients into the pan with this simple gnocchi recipe like cherry tomatoes, Italian sausage, white beans, baby spinach, diced red peppers, or anything else that you want.
I’ll also toss in some remaining butter because it’s my personal consumption preference!
As you can see, this main dish is something for the entire family to enjoy. Cooking it in the skillet is the best way to feed a whole lot of people quickly! Italian recipes like this are so simple to make!
Having a variety of foods related to the pasta section means that you’ll have lots of new recipes to try! Pair this dish with some fresh vegetables to create a full meal! Don’t forget to add a little fresh parsley on top for fun flavor.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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More Easy Italian Recipes
Cheesy Skillet Gnocchi Recipe with White Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 pound gnocchi
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for salting the water
- 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup romano pecorino cheese, grated
- ½ cup Gruyère cheese, grated
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives, for garnish
- sprinkle of fresh oregano, for garnish
Instructions
- Place gnocchi in the boiling water and cook for 2-3 minutes until they float to the top of the water and are cooked through.
- Lift from the boiling water to drain.
- Meanwhile, heat butter and garlic in an oven-safe skillet or cast iron pan. Saute garlic until lightly browned and fragrant.
- Add pepper, salt, and flour to the skillet and saute 1-2 minutes longer to brown the flour.
- Whisk mixture while slowly adding cream. Then whisk in the romano cheese while continuing to heat over medium.
- Once sauce is smooth and cheese is melted, add the cooked gnocchi to the sauce and toss to coat the gnocchi completely.
- Top with grated gruyere cheese.
- Place in the oven and broil 3-4 minutes until golden brown and bubbly on top.
- Garnish with chopped chives and a sprinkle of fresh oregano and serve immediately.
Donna’s Notes
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published July 2022, updated and republished March 2025
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We’re Donna and Chad, the dream team behind The Slow Roasted Italian. Our focus is on taking complicated OUT of the kitchen. Life is busy enough, making meals should be fast and easy, to help make your life as simple as possible. Read More >>
This is a very comforting, filling meal. My boyfriend loves cheese and gnocci, so I knew this would be a hit! Gonna try and make fresh Gnocci next time.
Outstanding flavor using gruyere and an AOP romano pecorino. I simply made a sauce out of the milk and cheeses rather than the two steps of sauce and then topping/browning. It was still really excellent. That romano pecorino upped the flavor quite a bit from using gruyere alone.
Hi Debra!
We’re so glad that you enjoyed it.
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn