A simple but very inviting first course, perfect even for Sunday lunch… spinach and ricotta gnocchi, seasoned with a fragrant tomato and basil sauce. You can gratin them for a few minutes in the oven as I did, or you can serve them as they are, try the recipe because it’s easy but very tasty!
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4-6
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Energy 278.06 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 25.46 (g) of which sugars 0.99 (g)
- Proteins 17.32 (g)
- Fat 13.08 (g) of which saturated 7.26 (g)of which unsaturated 4.55 (g)
- Fibers 4.54 (g)
- Sodium 310.94 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 215 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 12.7 oz spinach (cooked and squeezed)
- 14.1 oz mixed ricotta
- 2 eggs (medium)
- 2.1 oz grated parmesan
- 2.8 oz flour (+ 1 tablespoon)
- 1.4 oz breadcrumbs
- 17.6 oz tomato pulp
- extra virgin olive oil
- butter
- salt
- pepper
- basil (or other aromatic herbs)
Tools
- Pan
- Bowl
- Baking dish
- Pot
- Colander
Preparation
After boiling the spinach, sauté them in a pan for a few minutes with a small piece of butter and a pinch of salt, so they become tastier and drier.
Chop them finely and place them in a bowl.
Add the ricotta, the eggs and mix (1). Add the flour, the breadcrumbs and the parmesan, season with salt and pepper and blend until you get a soft but fairly compact mixture.
With the palms of your hands, form balls of uniform size, then roll them in a little flour (2).
Pour the tomato pulp into a pot, add a drizzle of oil, a pinch of salt and a couple of basil leaves. If desired, you can also add a clove of garlic.
Cook the sauce over low heat for 5-6 minutes.
Meanwhile, dip the gnocchi in boiling salted water. Wait a couple of minutes of cooking after they rise to the surface, then drain them.
Arrange the gnocchi in a lightly greased baking dish, season them with the tomato, add a few butter flakes and some parmesan on top (3).
Place the baking dish in a ventilated oven at 374°F and gratin for 10-15 minutes.
The spinach and ricotta gnocchi with tomato sauce are ready to be served… enjoy your meal!
Tips and Variations
You can replace the spinach with chard, chicory, or herbs of your choice. The ricotta can be mixed, sheep, or cow. If very fresh, let it drain well from excess liquid.
You can skip the oven step and serve the gnocchi directly on the plates with their sauce.
Besides tomato, the gnocchi are also excellent with just butter, parmesan, and sage.
You can prepare and boil them in advance, then bake them in the oven when ready.
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