Cauliflower Gnocchi with Roasted Tomatoes & Feta
Have you tried the super simple dish that went viral in 2019? It’s so simple and delicious that when I finally discovered it (literally in early 2021, late to the game), I had to try it. I’ve made it with different shapes of pasta and chickpea pasta, each being successful. It truly is genius. And with this version, everything goes into the oven at the same time, for the same amount of baking time, leaving you with an hour of free time!
This version uses another popular trend, cauliflower gnocchi. Trust me in preparing the gnocchi in the oven, without oil. They’ll crisp up so nicely on the outside and will be ready to stand up to the sauce without becoming mushy and gluey, like they might if boiled. Side note: bake cauli gnocchi up this way and eat them as “tots” dipped in your fav sauce for an extra fun way to get cauliflower in your or your kids’ diet. We do it weekly!
Back to the viral dish. If you’re looking to make this dairy free or vegan, you can use a brick of vegan cream cheese, such as Kite Hill brand. I have not tested this, but it will definitely work and create that same creamy, dreamy texture. Don’t bake the vegan cream cheese, but add it into the roasted tomatoes as you’re mashing them. It will incorporate really nicely.
Hope you enjoy! If you make this recipe and others and love it, please share the recipe(s) with your friends and family!
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 bags frozen cauliflower gnocchi (12 oz. bags)
1 brick feta, or vegan cream cheese*
2 pints cherry tomatoes, rinsed
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, unpeeled** (I repeat, leave the skins on!)
pepper, to taste
1 cup freshly grated parmesan (omit if vegan)
1/2 cup fresh basil, packed and finely chopped
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spread the gnocchi onto a large sheet pan, leaving enough room between the gnocchi so they crisp on the outside. You may use parchment paper if desired, however I don’t use parchment paper and they don’t tend to stick. No oil necessary!
In a 9x13 casserole dish, lay the brick of feta in the middle, the unpeeled garlic cloves in a corner, and then spread the cherry tomatoes evenly around the rest of the dish. Drizzle the olive oil over everything. Sprinkle with desired amount of black pepper. (Note, I do not use salt because the feta and parmesan add enough saltiness to the whole dish. If you prefer more salt, add it at the end.)
Place both the sheet pan with gnocchi and the casserole dish with tomatoes and feta into the middle of the oven. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until the gnocchi are golden brown and crisp outside, and the tomatoes are bubbly, and the skins are bursting. Remove both from the oven. Carefully remove the garlic cloves and peel them. Also, if you squeeze them, the roasted garlic should squeeze right out. Add back into the dish with the tomatoes. Use a fork to carefully mash the tomatoes, feta, and garlic. (The tomatoes that haven’t burst can pop their burning hot juice on you, so use caution).
Add the freshly grated parmesan, chopped basil, and gnocchi, and mix to combine. Serve as is, or topped with extra basil, pepper, or red pepper flakes.
Notes:
*To make this dish vegan, you may use vegan cream cheese. Do not bake the cream cheese, but add it when you are mashing the tomatoes and garlic. Depending on the saltiness of the brand of vegan cream cheese, you may need to add salt to the tomatoes before they bake, or at the end. Simply taste the final dish and add more as preferred.
**Keeping the garlic cloves unpeeled helps roast them. Peeling them may burn the cloves. You may choose to omit the cloves if you do not have them, and instead add 1-2 tablespoons of jarred, minced garlic.