This one-pan vegetable gnocchi bake is an easy, comforting dinner packed with tender veggies, creamy ricotta, and perfectly baked gnocchi. Everything cooks together on a sheet pan—just toss, bake, and dig into bubbly, golden perfection. This weeknight-friendly baked gnocchi is vegetarian, customizable, and always a crowd-pleaser.
One pan to the rescue
Here on Hey Nutrition Lady, we're big fans of one-pan/one-pot/low-effort dinners. Because why dirty up a second dish unless absolutely necessary, right?!
Also not necessary? Pre-cooking your gnocchi. Realizing that was a game-changer for me. Case in point, this creamy one-pan gnocchi with chickpeas and kale is one of my favorite one-pot vegetarian dinners.
And then there is this: a Vegetarian Gnocchi Bake that could not be more straightforward. If you can chop up your favourite fresh, seasonal vegetables and sling them into a roasting pan together with store-bought gnocchi, then you can make this meal.
Add a good glug of olive oil, and some briny capers - and once the vegetables are halfway through their roasting, ricotta cheese is dotted over the top to bake up into golden domes of creamy goodness.
And if domes of creamy goodness don't seal the deal for you, then I don't know what will.
Let's make our one-pan gnocchi bake together!
You'll find a detailed ingredients list with specific quantities in the printable recipe card at the end of this post. But here's quick overview of what you'll need:
Step 1: put everything in one pan
The zucchini, onion, tomatoes, peppers and gnocchi go in there with a good glug of olive oil, salt and pepper, and the capers.
Into the oven this goes!
Step 2: add the ricotta
When the veggies are about halfway done, add dollops of ricotta all over the pan.
Back in in goes until nice and golden.
Step 3: serve!
That's it, my friend. You're ready to serve big scoops of this veggie-packed baked ricotta goodness onto your favorite plates.
Dinner is served!!
Vegetarian Gnocchi Bake with Ricotta
Ingredients
- 1 lb gnocchi fresh or vacuum-sealed
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 1 small yellow zucchini diced
- 1 medium green zucchini diced
- 1 medium red pepper diced
- 1 medium yellow pepper diced
- 1 medium red onion diced
- ¼ cup capers drained
- 8 oz ricotta
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200°C / 400°F.
- Chop all of the vegetables into chunks roughly the same size as the gnocchi.
- In a large roasting dish or sheet pan, toss the gnocchi, cherry tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, onion, and capers together. Add a few good glugs of olive oil, and shake the pan to distribute evenly.1 lb gnocchi, 1 pint cherry tomatoes, 1 small yellow zucchini, 1 medium green zucchini, 1 medium red pepper, 1 medium yellow pepper, 1 medium red onion, ¼ cup capers, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper
- Cover the pan with foil, place into the oven and roast for about 30 minutes, until the vegetables are just beginning to brown.
- Remove the tray from the oven, remove the foil, and give it a stir. Add the ricotta, dropping spoonfuls over the top of the vegetables.8 oz ricotta
- Put the tray back into the oven (without foil) and roast for another 20 minutes, until the vegetables are saucy and the ricotta is golden brown.
- Remove from the oven, sprinkle with fresh herbs if desired, and serve immediately.
Notes
- If you'd prefer to use olives instead of capers, I recommend 1 cup of Castelvetrano olives. But really any olives you've got on hand will do!
- Nutrition values are an estimate only.
Tea says
Hi, I'd like to make this, but I'm a little confused: are the gnocchi cooked in water beforehand? I'm planning to make my own gnocchi and I know it will be next to impossible to 'toss' the gnocchi around as they are so soft and delicate when uncooked.
Katie Trant says
Hi Tea! These gnocchi are not cooked in the water beforehand, they do their cooking in the oven together with the veggies. However, since homemade gnocchi are not as robust as packaged, I recommend in this case that you do boil them first. Then proceed with the recipe as written, and the gnocchi will become crisp and delicious as they bake.
Tea says
Thanks for replying so quickly. Cooking them beforehand was definitely the way to go.
This was really fun to make and eat. I never made 'dry' baked gnocchi (i.e. not buried under lots of sauce) and it really is special and delicious. I'll definitely do this again.
I made my gnocchi with cottage cheese instead of potato, so they have extra protein, and the subtle tang from it I found actually complimented the veggies and gave it an extra touch of complexity. It's like making ricotta gnocchi, but subbing the ricotta.
Thank you for the recipe idea.
Tea says
Forgot to rate 🙂
Katie Trant says
Thanks for letting us know how this turned out. I've made ricotta gnocchi before, and this sounds dreamy! Will have to try the recipe again with homemade gnocchi.
JoF says
Made this tonight for the first time - amazing! I threw in a bit of broccolini and baby spinach at the halfway point. Also added capers and black olives. So delicious with the ricotta. Quick and so tasty with no salt or pepper needed. Will definitely be making this again. Thanks Katie!
Katie Trant says
Adding spinach is such a great idea! Glad you enjoyed this one as much as I did.
Heather says
Could you use fresh mozzarella instead of ricotta?
Katie Trant says
You definitely could! The texture and nutrition profile would be different from using ricotta, but super tasty!
Marilyn says
This is definitely a go-to recipe for me and the reason I keep a package of gnocchi in the pantry at all times! In fact, it's the only thing I ever do with gnocchi. I use whatever veg I have on hand and often whip up a little tofu ricotta for the top (because the rest of the dish is super easy) for a dairy-free dinner that satisfies!
Allison says
I’ve had this on repeat at our house for ages now. Works with basically whatever I have on hand. I use feta instead of ricotta (more often have it on hand) and it’s delicious with a bit of chorizo chopped up as well if you’re into eating meat!
Christelle says
One of the regular meal in the household now. Thanks Katie!
Jessica says
I have some gnocchi in my pantry I need to use, and this sounds good in theory, but half my household are allergic to bell peppers. Any ideas on substitutions? I feel like cauliflower might be a good addition if the florets are broken up pretty small...
Katie Trant says
I think cauliflower is a great idea! Or even broccoli chopped up small as well. You can use pretty well any vegetable you like here. I hate mushrooms, but if you like 'em, throw 'em in!
Sue says
Hi Katie. I love following your recipes blog. You give me a lot of informative and useful nutrition food and recipes. With my honest, I never think about nutrition foods before until I'm older and I face with illness. Wow! Amazing tomatoes! which is an excellent source of vitamin K and other useful vitamins. I have taken Vitamin K some. Because I have been facing with excessive bleeding so it works very well under my condition. However, I also need Vitamin K from nutrition foods as well. Thank you very much for your sharing .
Katie Trant says
Thanks Sue! I'm actually an avoider of excess vitamin K due to a genetic blood clotting disorder, so we're completely the opposite. It really is an incredible nutrient!
Andrea says
Love love love this recipe! Easy and delicious, double win. It has become part of our regular rotation since we first tried it.
Katie Trant says
Yay! This makes me so happy, Andrea! I love when a recipe is so simple and soooooo delicious at the same time, and this one definitely hits the ball out of the park on all fronts. So glad it's in your regular rotation now!
Kris says
I used gluten free gnocchi, some eggplant instead of onion, and since I had mozzarella, I used that instead of ricotta. Yes, lots of changes, but it was so good! I loved the capers in it.
Katie Trant says
That's what's so great about this recipe - it's totally versatile, and you can just chuck in whatever you've got on hand and what works for you. Glad you enjoyed it!
Cammy says
This is truly one of he easiest and most delicious ways to eat up late season veggies. Everyone in the family loves it.
Christa G says
I made this last night with vacuum-sealed gnocchi, a ton of the slightly oversized pattypan squash I keep missing in my garden, plus beets, carrots, a pepper, cherry and Roma tomatoes (all from my garden, woot!) and then store bought mushrooms and capers!
Prep was easy, and after 30 minutes in the second bake, I broiled the top for a few more minutes to add a bit more browning to the ricotta. My father and I loved it, and I'm looking forward to reheating the leftovers for lunch!
This will definitely be repeated 🙂
Katie Trant says
Yay! I'm glad this worked for you and that you enjoyed this recipe as much as I do! A little extra time under the broiler is pretty much always a good thing in my books.
Maude says
What kind of gnocchi do you use? Dried? Vacuum sealed? Fresh? Frozen?
Thank you!
Katie Trant says
Hi Maude! I've made this recipe with both fresh and vacuum-sealed gnocchi. Not dried! Thanks for asking, I'll update the recipe accordingly.
Sustainable Cooks - Sarah says
This is so good and I love all the veggies in it!
Anne Titcomb says
Hi Katie: I have made this a few times since Emily told me about it - always a big hit. It is pretty empty here now with everyone gone. Just know how wonderful it was to have you all here and having such a great time. Can't wait until next year to watch them all the "littles" running across the grass with Niko out in front!!!