Seared Gnocchi with Cherry Tomatoes and Mozzarella
Golden pan-seared gnocchi tossed with burst cherry tomatoes, pesto and melting mozzarella. A fast one-pan dinner with crisp edges and a glossy tomato-pesto sauce.
- Total
- 18 min
- Prep 4 · Cook 14
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Searing · Pan sauce
- Savory
- Quick
- Stovetop
- One pan
Instructions
-
Halve the cherry tomatoes and tear the mozzarella into 2 cm pieces. Season the gnocchi with the salt and black pepper.
~4 min
Halving exposes more tomato surface to heat, speeding juice release; tearing mozzarella creates irregular edges that melt faster.
Tear the mozzarella rather than slicing it so the ragged edges melt faster and pool into the tomato-pesto sauce.
-
Heat the olive oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the gnocchi in a single layer and sear, without stirring, until the undersides are deep golden, about 4 minutes.
~4 min
A single layer and no stirring maximize contact with the hot pan, driving Maillard browning for crisp, golden crust.
Searing Get the pan hot and leave the gnocchi undisturbed until deep golden; moving too early prevents crust formation.
-
Turn the gnocchi and sear the second side until golden and crisp, about 3 minutes.
~3 min
Turning lets the second side brown, building more flavor and texture through the same Maillard reaction.
Searing Get the pan hot and leave the gnocchi undisturbed until deep golden; moving too early prevents crust formation.
-
Push the gnocchi to the edges of the pan, add the cherry tomatoes cut-side down in the center and cook until they soften and release their juices, about 3 minutes.
~3 min
Cut-side-down contact with the hot pan concentrates heat, causing tomatoes to burst and release their juices quickly.
Pan sauce Use the tomatoes' released juices to deglaze the pan, then stir in pesto to create a glossy, emulsified sauce.
-
Stir the pesto into the tomatoes and gnocchi until everything is coated and glossy, about 1 minute.
~1 min
Stirring pesto in off the direct heat prevents the basil from scorching and helps the sauce emulsify into a glossy coating.
Pan sauce Use the tomatoes' released juices to deglaze the pan, then stir in pesto to create a glossy, emulsified sauce.
-
Scatter the mozzarella over the top, cover the pan and cook until the cheese just melts, about 3 minutes. Serve straight from the pan.
~3 min
Covering traps steam, which gently melts the mozzarella without overheating the sauce or toughening the cheese.