We love this Summer Garden Skillet Gnocchi. Use abundant summer produce—burst cherry tomatoes and zucchini—to build a bright, fresh sauce. Toss in pillowy gnocchi and plenty of Parmesan for an effortless, satisfying weeknight dinner.
There’s nothing like a quick, simple pasta skillet to celebrate summer produce.
This is my go-to summer dish—straightforward, flexible, and bursting with garden flavor. The skillet combines burst cherry tomatoes, chopped zucchini, red onion, plenty of garlic, fresh basil and chives, and a generous amount of Parmesan.
Simple, fresh, and delicious.
The inspiration started with a burst cherry tomato sauce—cooking summer tomatoes down until they break and release their juices, then adding garlic, basil and pasta to create a quick, bright sauce. A splash of starchy pasta water and a good handful of Parmesan round it out.
That combination tastes like a bowl of summer: light, fragrant, and satisfying.
I make a variation of this pasta many times during the season and lately I’ve had more zucchini than I know what to do with—so adding it to a tomato base and swapping pasta for gnocchi felt like the perfect solution.
Years ago I shared a brown butter garden vegetable pasta that remains a favorite. It’s lovely, but I often crave a little more sauce and cheese. This skillet gnocchi gives you that: a comforting, saucy, cheesy summer meal that still feels fresh.
To build the dish, start by cooking down the vegetables. I add the cherry tomatoes and shallots first so the tomatoes can burst and release their juices. Then the zucchini goes in with garlic and olive oil until tender.
I cook the gnocchi separately—this only takes a few minutes—and reserve some of the starchy cooking water. That starchy water helps create a silky sauce that clings to the gnocchi and vegetables.
When the gnocchi joins the vegetable skillet, add reserved pasta water and lots of finely grated Parmesan. Stir until the cheese melts and the sauce thickens slightly. Finish with fresh basil, chives and your choice of parsley, rosemary, or thyme for an herbal lift. Serve with extra Parmesan on top.
Even though gnocchi can feel indulgent, the abundance of vegetables keeps this dish feeling light and bright—packed with flavor without heavy cream.
Add it to your summer dinner rotation.
Summer Garden Skillet Gnocchi
Summer Garden Skillet Gnocchi
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ red onion, diced
- 2 cups whole cherry tomatoes
- kosher salt and pepper
- 1 medium zucchini, chopped into pieces
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pound potato gnocchi
- 1 cup reserved starchy pasta water
- 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
- ⅓ cup fresh chopped basil
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, rosemary, or thyme
Instructions
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Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the diced red onion, whole cherry tomatoes and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes burst and begin to break down, about 8 to 10 minutes.
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Stir in the chopped zucchini and minced garlic. Cook, stirring often, until the zucchini are softened, about 5 to 6 minutes.
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Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the gnocchi according to package directions and reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining.
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Add the cooked gnocchi and reserved pasta water to the skillet with the vegetables. Stir in the grated Parmesan and cook a few minutes, until the sauce thickens and the cheese melts. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
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Remove from heat and fold in the chopped basil, chives and any other fresh herbs. Serve hot with additional Parmesan on top.
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Cheese forever.