Gnocchi Bake with Summer Vegetables

This gnocchi bake makes the most of fresh summer vegetables and is really low effort, for those nights you don’t feel like cooking.

You know I love a tray bake for a low fuss dinner, and baked gnocchi is another version of a simple, sheet pan dinner. I particularly like this one because it is so simple. It lets the fresh produce shine and that is where we get all our flavour from.

We just place the veggies and gnocchi in the oven and twenty minutes later it’s basically done. We don’t need to make a sauce because the juices from the vegetables turn into a lovely juice that coats the gnocchi and intensifies in the oven. After that simply mix through some basil, olives, grate over some parmesan and a squeeze of lemon juice and you’re done!

Can I bake gnocchi without boiling first?

Yes! Fresh gnocchi is really not that dissimilar from a potato gem - it's basically mashed potato and flour. In this particular tray bake the vegetables that we're using will release lots of juices when we bake them, so this juice will be absorbed by the gnocchi and cover it in enough liquid so it's not dry, but really, it doesn't need a lot.

Is gnocchi supposed to be soft or crispy?

In this recipe we'll have the best of both worlds! Some pieces of gnocchi will be soft, others that don't get as much liquid will be a little more crispy, and it is this combinations of textures which is part of what makes this dinner so satisfying.

What goes with gnocchi for dinner?

In this recipe we’re showcasing the flavours of in-season summer produce, and accenting with olives, lemon juice, parmesan and fresh basil.

• Gnocchi - Use fresh gnocchi available in the fridge section of your supermarket.
• Summer vegetables - Corn, tomatoes, asparagus and zucchini. I used mixed baby tomatoes.
• Aromatics - Garlic, basil, lemon juice and olive oil.
• Toppings - Avocado, kalamata olives and parmesan cheese.

Substitutions

• Alternative proteins - If you wanted to add meat to this you could add bacon, chicken tenderloins or fish to the baking tray.
• Vegetarian - This recipe is vegetarian.
• Dairy Free - Skip the parmesan cheese or replace with dairy free shredded parmesan.
• Gluten Free - Use gluten free gnocchi.

Kid-Friendly Variations

• Reserve fresh tomatoes for your child’s plate.
• Serve their vegetables to them before you mix through, so you can keep elements separate if you like.
• Skip olives and basil.

Equipment

You will need an oven, two (2) baking trays (sheet pan).

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