Creamy Spinach Parmesan Gnocchi Recipe

Name: Creamy Spinach Parmesan Gnocchi Recipe
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 17 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Italian/American
Ingredients: 3 tbsp butter; 1/4 cup garlic, diced; 1 lb gnocchi; 2 cups baby spinach, fresh; 1 cup water; 1/4 cup basil, cut into thin strips; 1 tsp salt, celtic sea salt; 1 tsp pepper, freshly cracked; 1 cup half and half; 1/2 cup parmesan, grated; 1 cup water

By Courtney ODell

Mar 22, 2018, Updated Mar 03, 2020

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Super Easy One Pot Creamy Spinach Parmesan Gnocchi Recipe is a delicious, quick, and hearty dinner the whole family loves in under 20 minutes! Tons of garlic, parmesan, spinach and buttery cream sauce flavor for a vegetarian pasta dinner that is irresistible.

This creamy, delicious, and easy one pot gnocchi pasta dinner is a restaurant quality meal home cooks of any skill level can master – from the fridge to the dinner table in under 20 minutes!

If you love delicious, hearty, and creamy pasta dinners that are super simple and don’t require a ton of efforts or ingredients, this Creamy Spinach Parmesan Gnocchi recipe is for you! It is bursting with garlic butter flavor, salty and nutty parmesan cheese, and fresh spinach and basil flavors for a dish that is perfect any time of year – as a side dish, for dinner, or served with chicken or fish!

If you’ve been wondering how to cook store bought gnocchi – or you’re looking for creamy gnocchi recipe ideas, you’re in luck because this one is a keeper!

Just take me to the gnocchi recipe already!

If you’d rather skip my (very helpful, i think) tips and tricks, essential cooking info, and similar recipe ideas – and get straight to this deliciously easy and creamy gnocchi recipe – simply scroll to the bottom of the page where you can find the printable recipe card.

To make this Creamy Spinach Parmesan Gnocchi Recipe You’ll Need:

This creamy spinach parmesan gnocchi recipe is super easy – but there are a couple tried and true tools that will make it the easiest dish, ever! This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

Large nonstick pan.
- I prefer ceramic coated pans – they are naturally nonstick and wont leach BPAs or chemicals into your food.
Microplane for grating parmesan.
- Grated parmesan is fine in this recipe, but I prefer to grate my own parmesano reggiano fresh over my gnocchi – it is salty, nutty, and so delicious!
Wooden spoon or non-metal spatula.
Pre-made gnocchi.
- I prefer to buy super soft fresh gnocchi from my grocer’s deli refrigerator – it is faster and easier to cook than the dried variety in the pasta aisle. If you’re cooking gnocchi in one pot, the refrigerated fresh kind is best.

Tips to Perfect Creamy Spinach Parmesan Gnocchi Recipe:

This super easy gnocchi recipe is a restaurant quality dinner cooks of any skill level can make in a jiffy – but there are a couple of tips and tricks that will help take this easy gnocchi dinner over the top!

Cook the gnocchi in the same pot.
- This gnocchi gets some of the creaminess from the starches that release when cooking gnocchi in the pot – don’t pre-boil, let the gnocchi cook in the pot with the rest of the dinner!
Let sauce emulsify.
- Don’t toss the cooking water out when the gnocchi is done – there shouldn’t be any left to toss! Letting the gnocchi soak up the water and release starch into the pot helps make this dish creamy and irresistible!
Fresh is best.
- Since this dish has so few ingredients, fresh herbs and garlic are best.
Turn heat off when adding cream.
- Cream sauce breaks easily – especially when cooking with butter in the recipe as well.
Don’t overcook gnocchi.
- Gnocchi is naturally a bit more dense and chewy than thin pastas – but when overcooked, it falls apart and turns to a thick, pasty mush. Cook your gnocchi – but don’t overcook it.

Other Easy Pasta Dinners You’ll Love:

If you love this easy garlic butter gnocchi, you’ll love some of my other favorite easy pasta dinners! These are tried and true family favorites that will knock your socks off!

Click the links below to get each easy printable recipe:

Creamy fettuccine with mushrooms and tomatoes in a pan.

Chicken and mushrooms served with noodles in a garlic butter sauce. — Garlic Butter Chicken and Mushroom Pasta Recipe

One Pot Bruschetta Chicken Pasta cooked in a pan with a wooden spoon.

A bowl of chicken enchilada with tomatoes and tequila lime sauce.

15 minute pasta with mussels and peppers.

Tortellini with meat and spinach in a skillet cooked in a creamy tomato sauce.

One Pot Creamy Tuscan Mushroom Linguine Recipe

20 Minute Garlic Butter Chicken and Mushroom Pasta

Creamy Chicken Bruschetta Tortellini One Pot Pasta

Spicy Tequila Lime Chicken Fettuccine

15 Minute Drunken Mussels Pasta

One Pot Creamy Ravioli and Sausage Skillet

And be sure to check out one of my all time pasta favorites – a tuscan shrimp linguine that will knock your socks off!

Creamy Spinach Parmesan Gnocchi Recipe

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