Vegan Gnocchi Bake with Mushrooms & Spinach

This vegan gnocchi bake is hearty, flavorful, and ideal for every thing from busy weeknights to holidays and particular events. Made with pillowy potato gnocchi in wealthy tomato sauce with mushrooms and spinach, then baked with creamy béchamel sauce on high, it’s the form of comforting meal you’ll need to make many times.

In case you love my tomato gnocchi and vegan baked ziti, I’ve nice information for you at present: this vegan gnocchi bake combines the perfect components of each dishes, plus mushrooms and spinach, making it even heartier and extra scrumptious.

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I like a very good pasta bake, and dishes like my vegan lasagna and vegan stuffed shells are amongst my favorites. Each of these dishes characteristic vegan ricotta cheese. I additionally love pasta bakes that do not embrace ricotta, however generally posting a recipe for them can appear slightly foolish. In any case, anybody can change a dairy-based tacky topping with vegan cheese, and albeit, I am not even a fan of most store-bought vegan cheese. That is why at present I am doing one thing completely different. I took a cue from my vegan baked ziti and topped this gnocchi bake with dairy-free béchamel sauce.

Béchamel is a straightforward milk-based sauce thickened with flour, and making a vegan model is straightforward with non-dairy milk. It creates an expensive topping for this gnocchi bake, including creamy richness to each chew of gnocchi, mushrooms, and spinach. The result’s an ultra-comforting dinner that feels straightforward sufficient for a weeknight, however particular sufficient for firm too.

Elements You will Want

Beneath you may discover a checklist of components on this recipe, with notes and substitutions. Scroll all the way in which to the underside of the submit to see the complete recipe, together with the quantity of every ingredient.

Gnocchi. Most shelf-stable gnocchi is vegan, however make certain to test the components before you purchase.
Olive oil.
Mushrooms. The recipe requires cremini mushrooms, also referred to as child portobellos, however be at liberty to substitute one other number of recent mushrooms if you would like.
Garlic.
Crushed tomatoes. Tomato puree will work too, however your sauce could have a special texture.
Sugar. Keep on with natural sugar, since typical sugar is commonly processed with animal bone char.
Salt.
Crimson pepper flakes. These will add a teeny-tiny bit of warmth—you most likely will not even discover it. That stated, be at liberty to go away them out if you happen to favor.
Contemporary spinach.
Contemporary basil. Keep on with recent — dried will not work effectively on this recipe.
Flour. That is the thickener on your béchamel sauce. I’ve solely examined the recipe with all-purpose wheat flour.
Non-dairy milk. Just about any selection will work, however I like to recommend utilizing a creamy selection like cashew for the creamiest attainable béchamel.

How It is Made

Beneath is an in depth photograph tutorial on find out how to make this dish. Scroll all the way in which down if you would like to skip proper to the recipe!

Step 1: Prepare dinner the gnocchi. Merely prepare dinner it in accordance with the package deal instructions, then drain it when it is carried out. It’s going to be able to go once you want it.

Step 2: Prepare dinner the mushrooms. Warmth some olive oil in a skillet, then add the mushrooms. Prepare dinner them till they’re tender and browned, stirring solely each jiffy.

Minced garlic cooking in a dish with mushrooms.

Step 3: Prepare dinner the garlic. Push the mushrooms apart and add your minced garlic. Sauté it briefly, stirring continually, till it turns into very aromatic.

Tip: In case you’ve bought one, use a big (12-inch or 4-quart) oven-safe skillet or low casserole to make the sauce. You may add every thing and pop it proper within the oven with out the necessity for a separate baking dish.

Step 4: Simmer the sauce. Stir in your crushed tomatoes, sugar, salt, and crimson pepper flakes, then let the sauce simmer till it thickens a bit.

Hand whisking simmering mixture of vegan butter and flour in a saucepan.

Step 5: Make a roux. Warmth some olive oil in a saucepan, then whisk in your flour. Whisk the combination whereas simmering for a couple of minutes, till it darkens a bit.

Bechamel sauce simmering in a saucepan with wire whisk.

Step 6: Simmer the bechamel. Whisk in non-dairy milk, convey the sauce to a simmer, and let it prepare dinner for a couple of minutes, till thick and creamy.

Step 7: Preheat the oven. You are getting near baking, so hearth up the oven to 400°F.

Gnocchi, mushrooms, and spinach in tomato sauce in a casserole dish.

Step 8: End the gnocchi. Stir within the spinach, then let the sauce simmer briefly to wilt it. Take the skillet off the warmth, then add the basil, gnocchi, and salt if wanted.

Baking dish of gnocchi, spinach, and mushrooms in tomato sauce, with bechamel on top.

Steps 9 & 10: Prime and bake. Dollop your bechamel over the gnocchi, then pop the dish into the oven. Bake till the sauce is sweet and bubbly.

Tip: In case you did not use an oven-safe vessel to make the sauce, you may must switch every thing to a baking dish at this level.

Casserole dish filled with Vegan Gnocchi Bake.

Step 11: Relaxation and serve. As with different pasta bakes, you may need to let your baked gnocchi sit and accept a couple of minutes when it comes out of the oven. Train some self-restraint (you are able to do it!). After 5 minutes or so, dig in.

Variations

Veggie swaps. Mushrooms might be swapped with eggplant, peppers, and asparagus, amongst others. The spinach might be changed with different leafy greens like kale or chard. Simply understand that the prepare dinner instances for various veggies can differ a bit.
Sauce swaps. Bought one other favourite pasta sauce? Be happy to make use of it. Jarred sauce is okay (no disgrace!). This dish could be further decadent with my vegan vodka sauce.
Make it tacky. You may completely use store-bought vegan cheese as a substitute of or along with the béchamel.

Ceaselessly Requested Questions

Can this be made gluten-free?

In all probability, however I have never tried this myself. You must be capable to substitute vegan gluten-free gnocchi with no downside. You too can strive changing the all-purpose flour within the béchamel with an all-purpose gluten-free flour mix.

Can I take advantage of frozen gnocchi?

Sure, however you’ll want to test the components. In my expertise, frozen gnocchi is extra more likely to comprise dairy and/or eggs.

Can I take advantage of frozen spinach?

Completely! Thaw it first after which squeeze out any extra water earlier than including it to the sauce.

How ought to I retailer leftovers and the way lengthy will they preserve?

Leftover vegan gnocchi bake will preserve in an hermetic container within the fridge for about 3 to 4 days.

Extra Vegan Gnocchi Recipes

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Recipe

Bowl of Vegan Gnocchi Bake with fork and spoon.

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Delicacies American, Italian

Prep Time 20

Prepare dinner Time 45

Complete Time 1 5

Elements

1 (16 ounce/454 gram) package deal shelf-stable vegan gnocchi
2 tablespoons olive oil
16 ounces cremini mushrooms, roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 (28 ounce/794 gram) can crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon natural granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt, or to style
Pinch crimson pepper flakes
4 ounces recent spinach, roughly chopped
½ cup recent basil

For the Béchamel Sauce

3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 ½ cup unflavored and unsweetened non-dairy milk
½ teaspoon salt

Directions

Place a big pot of salted water over excessive warmth. Carry the water to a boil, then add the gnocchi. Prepare dinner the gnocchi in accordance with the package deal instructions, then drain it right into a colander when carried out.
Whereas the gnocchi cooks, warmth the olive oil over medium warmth in a big skillet or low casserole (ideally oven-safe — Word 1). As soon as the oil begins to shimmer, add the mushrooms. Prepare dinner them for about 10 minutes, stirring each 2 to three minutes, till they’re tender and browned.
Push the mushrooms to the aspect and add the garlic to the skillet. Sauté the garlic for about 1 minute, stirring continually, till it turns into very aromatic.
Stir within the crushed tomatoes, sugar, salt, and crimson pepper flakes. Carry the sauce to a simmer and permit it to prepare dinner for about 10 minutes, stirring often, till it thickens barely.
Make the béchamel sauce whereas the tomato sauce simmers. Warmth the olive oil in a small saucepan, then add the flour. Whisk the oil and flour collectively when you convey the combination to a simmer. Let it prepare dinner for about 2 minutes, whisking continually, till it darkens barely.
Whisk within the milk and salt. Carry the combination to a simmer and let it prepare dinner for about 4 to five minutes, whisking often, till it thickens and turns into creamy. Take away the pot from warmth.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
As soon as the tomato sauce has completed simmering for 10 minutes, stir within the spinach. Let the sauce proceed to simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, till the spinach wilts. Take away the skillet from warmth. Stir within the basil, style the sauce and add extra salt if desired. Stir within the gnocchi.
In case you didn’t use an oven-safe skillet, switch the gnocchi to an oven-safe baking dish at this level. In case your skillet is oven-safe, you’ll be able to bake it proper within the skillet. Give the béchamel sauce a fast whisk, then unfold the combination over the gnocchi, dropping it in massive dollops. It will not fully cowl the gnocchi, and that is fantastic (Word 2).
Bake the gnocchi uncovered for about quarter-hour, or till the sauce is bubbly.
Let the gnocchi sit for about 5 minutes when it comes out of the oven, then serve.

Notes

A 12-inch skillet or a 4-quart low casserole is right for this dish.
In order for you your béchamel to cowl all the gnocchi, double the quantity.
This recipe makes 3 very beneficiant servings. You would simply get 4 servings out of it, and even 6 side-dish servings.