Easy Sheet Pan Gnocchi

As a toddler mom, quick and easy dinner options are my go-to these days. This easy sheet pan gnocchi is a reliable winner in our house. Use store bought gnocchi and pesto to make this vegan gnocchi recipe even simpler.

Getting a healthy dinner on the table when crunched for time during the week is a struggle. Luckily, sheet pan meals like this delicious vegan sheet pan gnocchi recipe can be a lifesaver. With just a few minutes of chopping and a few store bought shortcut ingredients, this simple sheet pan gnocchi can be on the table with minimal effort.

We also love how this recipe can be adapted to the individual preferences of your family since it’s easy to swap out the veggies. It’s also a great option for using up random veggies that are leftover in the fridge at the end of the week. If we’re not making this gnocchi,  our other favorite sheet pan dinners are this southwest sheet pan meal and this sausage pesto sheet pan are other family favorites!

Why You’ll Love this Gnocchi Recipe

• A weeknight dinner hero! Just add a protein and this easy meal is ready to go on busy weeknights.
• Truly one pan – no boiling required!
• Easily customizable so you can make it for a variety of eaters: vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, or even meat-eaters.

Sheet Pan Gnocchi Recipe Ingredients

• Potato Gnocchi: it hasn’t been too difficult to find brands of store-bought gnocchi that are vegan, but they occasionally include eggs so just double check the ingredient list. Both shelf stable and frozen gnocchi work well for this recipe. (If using frozen gnocchi, no need to thaw – just add it to the sheet pan still frozen.)
• Vegetables (zucchini, red onion, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers): this is our favorite combination of veggies for this crispy sheet pan gnocchi. The tomatoes are key because they break apart with baking and create a sauce for the gnocchi.
• Olive Oil: a drizzle of olive oil helps brown the veggies and gnocchi as this sheet pan meal cooks in the oven.
• Seasoning (Italian seasoning, garlic): since we’re adding pesto, you don’t need a lot of extra seasoning for this recipe. We keep it simple and add some Italian seasoning and garlic. You can use garlic powder in place of the garlic powder if you prefer – I’d use about 1/2 teaspoon.
• Vegan Parmesan: did you know that traditional parmesan cheese isn’t actually vegetarian? It normally uses rennet which is animal-based. So if you are making the gnocchi for vegan or vegetarian eaters, use a vegan parmesan. We really like Violife’s vegan parmesan.
• Vegan Pesto: to reduce the prep work needed for this recipe, we usually just use our favorite brand of store-bought pesto (Gotham Green’s vegan pesto!), but you could also make your own. This pistachio pesto is delicious with this dairy free gnocchi sheet pan dinner.

Variations and Substitutions

Use different gnocchi: use different varieties of gnocchi like cauliflower gnocchi or sweet potato gnocchi.

Add a protein: We like adding some sliced vegan Italian sausage or frozen veggie meatballs to this for some protein. You could also add white beans or cooked lentils during the last few minutes of cooking.

Try different veggies: you can use other veggies for this dish like eggplant, cabbage, butternut squash, green beans, baby spinach, or potatoes.

Switch up the cheese: if you don’t have parmesan, you could also use shredded mozzarella or crumbled feta or goat cheese for this recipe.

Gluten Free: make it gluten free by using gluten free gnocchi or try with Trader Joe’s cauliflower gnocchi. 

How to Make Sheet Pan Gnocchi

One of the reasons I love sheet pan meals so much is that after you chop everything up and put it in the oven, you’re free to do other things around the house until the oven beeps! There’s no need to juggle or babysit a bunch of different pots and pans on the stovetop for this easy recipe.

Step one: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step Two: On a large sheet pan, add the gnocchi, bell pepper, red onion, cherry tomatoes, olive oil, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Use your hands to combine everything together, making sure everything is well coated in the oil and spices and then spread out into a single layer. (You can also use a large bowl to toss everything together if you prefer.)

Step Three: Bake for ~30 minutes in a preheated oven, stirring halfway through. Five minutes before the gnocchi is finished, remove the sheet pan from the oven. Add the shredded vegan parmesan evenly over top of everything on the sheet pan. Return to the oven for the remaining 5 minutes.

Step Four: Spoon the pesto over top of the gnocchi and vegetables. Use a spatula to toss everything to coat in the pesto and garnish with fresh basil to serve.

What to Serve with Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Pesto

Once you add a protein, this sheet pan recipe is an entire meal but if you want to serve something else alongside- here are our suggestions:

• Add a salad: we love this lemon kale caesar, pear arugula salad, or this summer peach salad.
• Dessert: round out the meal with a simple dessert like this peach blueberry crisp or vegan chocolate mousse.

Storage

Fridge: leftovers can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave for a couple minutes.

Freezer: store in an airtight container int he freezer for up to 6 months. Allow to thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Recipe FAQs