This easy recipe for gnocchi with bacon and spinach is a great all in one dinner! The mixture of brightly flavored tomato spinach and bacon makes a perfect gnocchi sauce, and it’s ready in just a half hour.
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Why we love this recipe
Welcome to one of my favorite pasta recipes, gnocchi with bacon and spinach. I love gnocchi of any kind, but this gnocchi recipe is a particular winner for a weeknight supper, and it’s also one of those surefire hit recipes I pull out for dinner parties. Here’s why.
First up, THAT SAUCE. It’s a mess of chopped bacon, and you add tomatoes and a few other spices into the bacon drippings and it’s just HEAVEN.
Next, there is some baby spinach that cooks up with the gnocchi, meaning your veggies are already in there. No side dishes needed unless you want to!
And of course the gnocchi (and more on that in a sec). Tender little pillows of pasta that are the very definition of comfort food.
And, this whole pan of deliciousness comes together in a half hour! Pretty close to Instant Gratification! 🥳
What is gnocchi?
Gnocchi are little pasta dumplings, traditionally made with a combo of flour, egg and potato. They are available in the fresh pasta section of your supermarket, and since they are fresh pasta they cook up in pretty much no time.
PRO TIP: Want to try your hand at making homemade gnocchi? This recipe for mashed potato gnocchi is a great place to start!
Ingredients you need for this recipe
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Gnocchi: These little pasta dumplings are almost always available in the fresh pasta section of your supermarket near the ravioli (oh, and I should mention that this sauce is also amazing with ravioli!).
- Balsamic Vinegar: This is a dark, concentrated, intensely flavored vinegar with a sweet, tart, and complex flavor because it is aged more than regular vinegar. Just a little gives a rich flavor to this sauce.
- Red Pepper: This is going to give your sauce just a little bit of sass…you can add more if you want things a little more spicy, or you can leave it out or swap in some black pepper if you want to take things down a notch.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Here’s how you make this recipe
STEP 1: Cook up some chopped bacon in a large deep skillet over medium high heat until it is done just the way you like it.
STEP 2: Now add a can of chopped tomatoes with their juice, a pinch each of sugar and red pepper and vinegar and little balsamic vinegar and sauté it all up for about five minutes.
STEP 3: Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add some fresh gnocchi. Cook the gnocchi according to package directions until gnocchi are done (usually when they float to the top, about three to five minutes).
STEP 4: Add some baby spinach to the pot of gnocchi and cook it for for about 30 seconds until it is nice and wilted. Drain the gnocchi and spinach mixture and then pour it into the skillet with the sauce.
STEP 5: Gently toss your gorgeous gnocchi concoction with tongs until everything is nice and combined.
Divide it up among plates (I like soup plates for this recipe) and shower it with grated Parmesan cheese.
Want to round out your meal?
This is one of those all-in-one suppers that gives you everything in one delicious plate, but we wouldn’t say no to some grilled flatbread on the side to mop up the sauce.
And of course we need dessert! We love this light and luscious cannoli cream with berries.
Other gnocchi recipes we love
Looking for more pasta inspiration? You can find our complete collection of pasta recipes here!
Could you leave us some stars?
If you try this recipe, we would love to hear how it came out for you! I’d be super grateful if you could leave a star rating (you pick how many stars! 🌟 ) and your thoughts in the Comments section.
Gnocchi with Bacon and Spinach
This easy recipe for gnocchi with bacon and spinach is a great all in one dinner! The mixture of tomato spinach and bacon makes a perfect gnocchi sauce, and it’s ready in just a half hour,
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 4 slices thick cut bacon, chopped
- 1 14 ounce can chopped tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 pound gnocchi
- 4 ounces baby spinach (about 5 cups)
- Parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
- Cook bacon in a large deep skillet over medium high heat until done to your liking. Add tomatoes, sugar, pepper, and vinegar and saute for about five minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add gnocchi. Cook according to package directions until gnocchi are done (usually when they float to the top).
- Add spinach to gnocchi and cook for about 30 seconds until wilted. Drain gnocchi and spinach mixture and add to sauce.
- Gently toss with tongs until combined. Divide among plates and top with Parmesan.
Notes
-
- Gnocchi: These little pasta dumplings are almost always available in the fresh pasta section of your supermarket near the ravioli (oh, and I should mention that this sauce is also amazing with ravioli!).
-
- Balsamic Vinegar: This is a dark, concentrated, intensely flavored vinegar with a sweet, tart, and complex flavor because it is aged more than regular vinegar. Just a little gives a rich flavor to this sauce.
-
- Red Pepper: This is going to give your sauce just a little bit of sass…you can add more if you want things a little more spicy, or you can leave it out or swap in some black pepper if you want to take things down a notch.
Lawrie Hancock says
My husband and I both enjoyed this recipe!! The only thing I did different and only because I didn’t have the can of tomatoes, was to use a can of Italian Stewed Tomatoes. It was very delicious, will be making it again!! Thanks!
I’m so glad you liked it – and good work on the substitution! :) :)
Lin says
Kate I just pinned and printed this recipe! I can’t wait to try it! I have a request….could you possibly add a photo option to your recipes to print? I am very visual and it would help me to know what I am shooting for when making recipes. Thank you for considering this. Thank you for the link to the best bacon and letting us know what kind you used! Can’t wait to try it also!
I love these pictures of you family of all of y’all making wonderful memories with young and the more vintage!
Lin, thank you so much! I will look into adding that photo option – thanks for the suggestion! :)
Sandy says
I love this recipe! Easy, delicious and very flavorful…I used red pepper flakes and that gave it a little kick. And for those of us who can’t afford million dollar bacon, I used the store brand and it was just fine. Mmmm ?
Hi Sandy! Love your addition of red pepper flakes – and any bacon is good bacon in my book. :) Happy weekend!
C.D. Zwerling says
Can’t rate the recipe as I haven’t made it yet but it looks and sounds great. Howevet the directions don’t say anything about draining the fat out of the pan after cooking the bacon. Do you really recommend leaving all the cooked off fat in the pan to become part of the sauce?
I do! It mixes in with the other ingredients to make a light (I promise) flavorful sauce. This is probably one of our top 5 favorite pasta recipes, and I have a LOT of pasta recipes. :)
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop says
There’s nothing better than family get-togethers, except summer family get-togethers. What great memories for the kids. This gnocchi looks wonderful….add a little bacon and you do get wonderful! :)
Rachel @ Mesa Cooking Co. says
I love gnocchi and, boy, this recipe looks and sounds absolutely fantastic! You selected some of my favorite (everyone’s favorites, really!) ingredients! Love :)
Mary Eman says
I feel like the dog in the tv commercial, except I’m saying: “Bacon, bacon, bacon, bacon”. This looks absolutely delicious!
grace says
they DO look like a bunch of mischief-makers! cute ones, at that. :)
love this dish–gnocchi has become one of my favorite meals!
Amanda says
What a great time! And that cake looks fabulous.
This gnocchi looks so delicious and comforting. I want a big bowl right now!
Anne Lane says
Okay, I just went to the Oscar’s website and was faced with a bewilderment of choices on the bacon page. Applewood? Hickory? Irish? British? Do I honestly have to spend my entire week’s wages trying to find the Perfect Bacon? Or would you be so kind as to give me some hints?
Thanks!
Anne
I know, it’s an embarrassment of riches, bacon-wise! I’m sure you can’t go wrong with ANY of them, but I always go for the applewood smoked bacon. It is sheer bacon heaven. I just made a conglomeration of bacon, sliced hanger steak, spinach and balsamic vinegar all sprinkled with blue cheese this week using that bacon, and I practically cried tears of bacon happiness. Have a great weekend! :)
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
Sounds like you have such special memories of Vermont! I’ve never been there before, but I would love to visit some day. This gnocchi looks amazing! It’s a dish that I always order out, but have never tried making on my own. I love the bacon in here!
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
Looks like an awesome time was had by all Kate! (Minus the bat!) Love this pasta! Bacon makes everything better! Your motto and mine!!
Anu - My Ginger Garlic Kitchen says
Wow! This is such an awesome post with most beautiful pictures, Kate. Vermont sounds like an amazing place to visit. And this gnocchi looks fantastic.
Dawn @ Girl Heart Food says
Vermont looks like a beautiful place! Great pics too! And just look at that bat!! Yikes. Those outside fire pits are so great. Nothing like sitting around them in the Summer time just relaxing and having some good food, good drinks and good company. The absolute BEST!
This recipe looks like a big plate of comfort food. Can’t go wrong with carbs, bacon and cheese, can you? Everything yummy all combined :)
Cathy says
Beautiful pictures!! And that dish looks so delicious! I have no idea why I’ve never tried cooking gnocchi before when I enjoy it so much! I’m going to make this for the hubby this weekend!