4 Easy Gnocchi Dinner Recipes

There are countless reasons why we at

Southern Living

love easy, throw-together pasta dishes for dinner. No matter what

type of noodle

, like pappardelle or rigatoni, or dinner dish, like light

summer pasta

or hearty

ground beef pasta

, you prefer, we have got you covered. But one what’s one of our favorite (and easiest) pasta shapes for recipes? Gnocchi.

This Italian pasta is most commonly made with mashed potatoes, flour, and eggs, basically like a little potato dumpling. It’s pretty utilitarian—you can boil, pan-fry, or bake gnocchi depending on your recipe or textural preference. It works great with creamy, pesto, or tomato sauces, and it makes a great addition to soups and casseroles.

While you can make homemade gnocchi, there are plenty of pre-made versions you can find in your grocery store’s freezer section, on the refrigerated aisle, or dried versions with the

other pasta

shapes. The little potato dumplings often have a little gluten in them, but you can find a wide variety of pasta made from a variety of vegetables, including

cauliflower

,

pumpkin

, and

spinach

, should you need your recipe to be gluten-free.

Regardless of the type of pillowy pasta, these easy gnocchi recipes come together with little to no effort, just a few easy ingredients, and are bound to please any crowd.