Brown Butter Gnocchi is the ultimate comfort food. Pillowy soft gnocchi is made delicious with garlic, parmesan cheese, fresh basil and the very best brown butter sauce. It’s a wonderfully simple, yet elegant entree that only takes 15 minutes to make!

pan of brown butter gnocchi with tomatoes and basil

Brown Butter Gnocchi

Brown butter gnocchi has completely redefined the way I see gnocchi. I mean, I’ve always loved it, this quick and easy recipe has totally changed the game! Gnocchi and juicy tomatoes are a part of every forkful of this dinner, and they’re both complemented perfectly by the nutty brown butter sauce. Trust me, you’ll never make a more simple or impressive gnocchi dish in your life, and it’s all thanks to the magic of browned butter. Of course, there are also additions in the mix like fresh garlic and grated parmesan cheese that make this easy gnocchi recipe downright irresistible! Garlic, butter, parmesan… with ingredients like that, you just know it’s going to be a great dinner.

Calling all gnocchi lovers! Get your fix with more easy recipes like Chicken Gnocchi Soup, French Onion Beef Gnocchi and Roasted Red Pepper Gnocchi.

What is brown butter sauce made of?

In this easy gnocchi recipe, the brown butter sauce features garlic, tomatoes, salt, and pepper. The key to the best results is to cook the butter sauce long enough for it to just start to turn brown, which really does wonders for the overall flavor!

How to Make Brown Butter Gnocchi

Prep the ingredients. This is a fast moving recipe, so you’ll want everything prepped and ready to go! Grate the garlic and cheese and slice the tomatoes in half.
Cook the gnocchi. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the gnocchi. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the gnocchi floats to the top. Drain and set aside.
Make the brown butter sauce. In a large skillet on low to medium heat add the butter, garlic, tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the butter has a light brown color. It will be frothing and have little brown bits in it.
Assemble the dish. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the gnocchi. Top with grated cheese and fresh basil leaves, serve immediately, and enjoy!

image collage showing brown butter gnocchi in four stages of preparation

Storing Brown Butter Gnocchi

Once it’s cooled to room temperature, you can store any leftovers you have in an airtight container in the fridge for about 2-3 days. Reheat in the microwave or back in the skillet over medium-low heat until warmed through.

You can store the prepared gnocchi for up to 6 weeks in the freezer. Thaw in the refrigerator before heating it back up.

Ingredient Notes for Brown Butter Gnocchi

Gnocchi – I like to use a shelf-stable gnocchi as it has a great consistency and holds up well when cooked.
Parmesan Cheese – Freshly grated parmesan is really the only way to go here for both flavor and consistency. Pre-grated cheeses are coated in an anti-caking powder that prevents it from clumping in the bag, which in turn also affects how well it mixes into sauces and recipes like this one.
Cherry Tomatoes – You can use grape tomatoes instead if preferred.
Garlic – For the very best flavor, it’s so important to use fresh garlic! Pre-minced garlic (the kind that comes in the little jars) just won’t create the right flavor or aroma in the brown butter sauce.
Butter – Since we’re adding a pinch of salt to the sauce, I recommend using unsalted butter. If you do choose to use salted butter, consider omitting the extra sprinkle of salt.
Pepper – Freshly cracked black pepper always yields great flavor, but you an also add some red pepper flakes if you want a little heat!

photo of gnocchi with brown butter sauce and tomatoes

Enjoy!

~Nichole

5 from 2 votes

Brown Butter Gnocchi

Brown Butter Gnocchi is the ultimate comfort food. Pillowy soft gnocchi is made delicious with garlic, parmesan cheese, fresh basil and the very best brown butter sauce. It’s a wonderfully simple, yet elegant entree that only takes 15 minutes to make!
 
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 5 minutes
Total 15 minutes
Servings 1

Ingredients 

  • 2 Cloves Garlic Grated
  • Cup Parmesan Cheese
  • 1 Pint Cherry Tomatoes
  • 1 Pound Gnocchi shelf stable
  • 8 Tablespoons Butter
  • ½ teaspoon Salt
  • ½ teaspoon Pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons Basil Leaves

Instructions 

  • Grate your garlic and cheese. Set aside.
  • Slice the tomatoes in half. Set aside.
  • In a large pot boil your water. Add the gnocchi. Cook the gnocchi for 2-3 minutes or until the gnocchi floats to the top.
  • Drain the gnocchi. Set aside.
  • In a large skillet on low to medium heat add the butter, garlic, tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the butter has a light brown color. It will be frothing and have little brown bits in it.
  • Remove from the heat immediately.
  • Add in the gnocchi. Stir until heated through.
  • Top with grated cheese and fresh basil leaves.

Video

Notes

NOTE:  Fresh parmesan cheese is best if possible!  Also, if you don't have fresh basil, just sprinkle dried basil over to your own taste.

Additional Info

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
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Hey! Nice to meet you! I'm Nichole!

Welcome to The Salty Marshmallow! I'm a mom, animal lover, photographer, & kitchen mess-maker. Here you will find the result of my decades-long passion for chasing the best flavors in the kitchen, all meant to be cooked by regular people with busy lives just like you and me.

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1 Comment

  1. 5 stars
    Love your recipes….I think your amazing….I’m a southern girl from Tennessee I’ve loved cooking since I was 12yrs old…can you send some southern recipes