7 Best Vegetarian Gnocchi Recipes (Veggie Gnocchi)

Gnocchi is one of the most scrumptious and unique dishes in Italian food. Generally made with potatoes, these dumplings may be small in size, but they more than makeup for it in flavor and satisfaction. Their density makes them a wonderful base for many dishes, and there is hardly a need to add meat, as you’re sure to be pretty full after a single serving.  

Gnocchi may not be paleo-friendly or low-carb, but it can definitely satisfy the vegetarian diet. The ridges make it a fantastic vessel for sauce, and the rich, potato flavor complements lighter veggies in many different ways. If you’ve never tried your hand at gnocchi, it’s fun to make and not as difficult as it seems. But if you’re in a hurry, many of these recipes will be almost as good using a readily available store-bought version.

1. Vegan Gnocchi

Vegan Gnocchi
Vegan Gnocchi

You may associate gnocchi with cream sauces or others that might not be vegan friendly, but that doesn’t have to be the case. The gnocchi itself doesn’t usually contain animal products, and it is easy to put together a dish that keeps them out altogether. Use vegan butter if you are opting to pan-fry the dumplings and serve them with cheeseless pesto or in an oil-based sauce. This is really more of a technique, and the options are unlimited.  This vegan gnocchi are beautiful alongside roasted tomatoes and mushrooms garnished with basil. But it’s truly up to you to create your perfect vegan gnocchi dish. 


Get the full recipe and directions at Bianca Zapatka.

2. Easy Weeknight Veggie Gnocchi Recipe

Easy Weeknight Veggie Gnocchi Recipe
Easy Weeknight Veggie Gnocchi Recipe

With everyone seemingly having busier schedules these days, simple weeknight recipes are essential. This veggie gnocchi recipe is perfect for meatless Monday, or pretty much any other day of the week. If you buy gnocchi from the market, this can come together in 20 minutes flat – something almost anyone would need after a rough Monday! Using tomatoes, mushrooms, spinach, and onions, you are certainly getting a good serving of veggies for a nutritious and incredibly tasty meal! While we love the savory punch that parmesan adds, you can certainly keep this vegan by using nutritional yeast or omitting it altogether. 


Get the full recipe and directions at Super Healthy Kids.

3. Crispy Pan-Fried Vegan Gnocchi with Mushrooms and Broccoli

Crispy Pan-fried Vegan Gnocchi with Mushrooms and Broccoli
Crispy Pan-fried Vegan Gnocchi with Mushrooms and Broccoli

Mushrooms and broccoli are an underrated combination. The fresh taste of the broccoli counteracts the meaty, umami flavor of the mushrooms, making them a perfect pair for a wide range of dishes. In this gnocchi recipe, you’ll make your own dumplings using both starchy and sweet potatoes, and you’ll have fun doing it. No worries if you don’t have the time, though, as store-bought gnocchi will work.

Pan-frying the gnocchi gives them a nice crispy exterior while maintaining their softy, fluffy inside, and finishing with rosemary and basil really helps all of the flavors come together into what might be one of the best dumpling dishes you’ve ever feasted on. 


Get the full recipe and directions at From the Comfort of My Bowl.

4. Gnocchi with Garlic Cream Tomato Sauce

Gnocchi with Garlic Cream Tomato Sauce
Gnocchi with Garlic Cream Tomato Sauce

If the thought of garlic cream tomato sauce doesn’t have you running to the store to buy everything for this recipe, we don’t know what will! What makes these even more amazing is that it is entirely vegan, thanks to the use of tahini for the base of the sauce. This recipe takes only 5 minutes, making it one of the easiest recipes you’ll ever put together. Of course, if you really want to elevate it, you can make your own gnocchi and marinara sauce, but there’s no shame in buying them from the store. 


Get the full recipe and directions at Contentedness Cooking.

5. Parmesan Spinach Gnocchi

Parmesan Spinach Gnocchi
Parmesan Spinach Gnocchi

Spinach is one of the healthiest things you can eat. A parmesan spinach mixture, on the other hand, might not be, but who are we to judge? This gnocchi dish is loaded with flavor and requires very little preparation after you either make or buy your gnocchi. You will have to make a roux, so be sure to pay attention as you are whisking so as not to burn it. Once that’s done you simply add spinach, cooked gnocchi, seasonings, and parmesan, and you’re good to go! If you’re a strict vegetarian, make sure to buy a parmesan that doesn’t use rennet, or opt for another hard cheese. 


Get the full recipe and directions at Life as a Strawberry.

6. Tuscan Vegan Gnocchi

Tuscan Vegan Gnocchi
Tuscan Vegan Gnocchi

This one-pan recipe may be vegan, but it certainly isn’t lacking in richness. Using vegan sausage, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes, you create a dish that is salty, savory, sweet, bitter, and perfect. You’ll use coconut milk and vegan parmesan to keep the sauce free of animal products, and you’ll garnish with fresh basil for a bit more earthy sweetness. This is so good that even your carnivore friends will be impressed, though it can be made with real sausage and parmesan if desired. 


Get the full recipe and directions at Nora Cooks.

7. Vegan Gnocchi Mushroom Florentine

Vegan Gnocchi Mushroom Florentine
Vegan Gnocchi Mushroom Florentine

It should come as no surprise that mushrooms keep popping up in these recipes. They make for a wonderful pairing with fluffy potato dumplings. This vegan Florentine gnocchi includes spinach (of course) and a sauce made out of almond milk, vegetable broth, and nutritional yeast that manages to be light and rich at the same time.

We can’t explain it, so you’ll have to taste it to believe it. Even if you make your gnocchi, this one will only take a little over an hour to complete, but if you buy some it will be even faster. Either way, you can customize this with peppers and your other favorite veggies, and you’ll be sure to go back for seconds! 


Get the full recipe and directions at Rabbit and Wolves.

No matter which of these veggie gnocchi recipes you choose to make, you are in for a treat! The mouthfeel of the dumpling is second-to-none, and it mixes well with so many different flavors that you really can’t go wrong.


If you like this post, we think you’ll really like our Spicy Miso Pasta Recipe post.

Veggie Gnocchi Recipes
Veggie Gnocchi Recipes

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