Vegetarian Baked Gnocchi with Meatballs
This super simple but comforting baked gnocchi is made with just 5 ingredients. This is a dump & bake recipe, so no slicing or prep is required.
Servings: 5 servings
Calories: 469kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 16 ounces gnocchi see note #1
- 12 ounces frozen vegetarian meatballs I use Gardein or Impossible
- 24 ounces pasta sauce
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 large broccoli crown sliced into small florets, see note #2
- 1 medium yellow bell pepper chopped into 1-inch pieces
- oil as needed
- salt and pepper to taste
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese sliced and torn into bite-sized pieces
- other optional toppings: red pepper flakes, fresh basil, Parmesan
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F.
- To a 9x13-inch or similarly sized casserole dish, add the the gnocchi, frozen meatballs, and pasta sauce. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar.
- Top that with the broccoli and peppers. Drizzle or spray the broccoli and peppers with a bit of oil to help them brown. Season with salt & pepper, to taste.
- Distribute the torn mozzarella across the top of the casserole.
- Cover tightly with foil or an upside down sheet pan and bake at 425F for 25 minutes. Test a meatball for doneness. Continue baking in 5 minute increments, as needed, to fully cook the meatballs.
- Remove the foil and continue baking for 15 minutes, or until the broccoli is golden and the mozzarella is bubbling. Enjoy!
Notes
- Gnocchi: I recommend using dry gnocchi. Frozen gnocchi will result in softer gnocchi because of the long bake time.
- Broccoli: I recommend slicing the broccoli florets small to ensure even roasting. The original version of this recipe used 12 ounces of frozen broccoli, added directly to the casserole dish.
- Nutrition facts are an estimation and will vary based on the ingredients used. If monitoring salt intake, use half of the mozzarella and use a lower-sodium protein option, like chickpeas or white beans. Choose a low sodium pasta sauce, which most grocery stores carry.
- Leftovers are best within 3-4 days. Keep covered and refrigerated.
- For those who enjoyed the original version of this recipe, the ingredients were baked uncovered in a 9x9-inch dish at 350F for 35-40 minutes.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 469kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 1363mg | Potassium: 816mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1272IU | Vitamin C: 100mg | Calcium: 329mg | Iron: 7mg
