Instant Pot Tuscan Gnocchi–-pillowy bites of gnocchi with a cream cheese sauce, tomatoes, spinach and a bread crumb topping.

Instant Pot Tuscan Gnocchi
Gnocchi is one of those pure comfort foods. With each dumpling-like, pillowy bite you’ll be in heaven. My kids both took this down. Down to china town. It was gone in like 2.2 seconds.
This recipe starts with browning some panko bread crumbs and garlic in butter. This topping is used later on to add a bit of crunch to the texture of the dish. After that the gnocchi is added to the pot along with broth, spinach, tomatoes and cream cheese and it’s pressure cooked for a zero minute pressure cooking time (more on this below). Stir in the some parmesan cheese and you’re set to eat! Such an easy (fancy-ish) meal that you’ll love.
Where’s the meat? This recipe doesn’t have meat in it. However I think it would taste great with some rotisserie chicken thrown into the pot. You could also slice up some smoked chicken sausage and add that in. Serve the pasta with some steamed broccoli or a green salad.
What is a zero minute pressure cooking time?
Many people don’t realize that when you set your Instant Pot to pressure cook you can actually use the – button and adjust the cooking time all the way down to zero minutes. But why would you want to do this and what does it mean?
When you set your pressure cooker for zero minutes the Instant Pot will get up to pressure, then immediately switch off (it will switch to the keep warm function). Just because it says zero minutes on your display doesn’t mean the food is not going to get cooked. The food starts cooking while the pot is building pressure (and while it releases pressure). Certain types of foods will be fully cooked just as the pot reaches pressure. Of course this only works for foods that don’t need a lot of time to cook in the first place. For example tender vegetables or gnocchi.
More Instant Pot Pasta Recipes…
Instant Pot Friendship Casserole
Instant Pot Next Level Bacon Mac
Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken Pasta
Instant Pot Spinach and Ravioli Lasagna

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Instant Pot Tuscan Gnocchi
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
Description
Pillowy bites of gnocchi with a cream cheese sauce, tomatoes, spinach and a bread crumb topping.
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp butter, divided
- 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 (16 oz) package gnocchi
- 1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/8 tsp red pepper
- 1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 4 cups coarsely chopped spinach
- 1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes (or 1 can petite diced tomatoes)
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Turn Instant Pot to sauté (normal setting). When display says HOT add in the butter and let melt. Add in the breadcrumbs and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Pour into a small bowl.
- Melt the remaining 2 Tbsp of butter in the Instant Pot. Add in the gnocchi, Italian seasoning, red pepper and toss to coat. Turn off Instant Pot.
- Add in the broth and scrape the bottom of the Instant Pot so that nothing is sticking. Dump in the spinach, tomatoes and cream cheese.
- Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to zero minutes. When time is up move the valve to venting and remove the lid.
- Stir well so that gnocchi is coated in cream cheese. Stir in the parmesan cheese. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Scoop onto plates and sprinkle each serving with the breadcrumb topping.
Notes
I used my 6 quart Instant Pot Duo 60 7 in 1*.Make in the 3 quart or 8 quart pot with no changes.
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Instant Pot
*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
Easy to make and super good. I didn’t have parmesan so I substituted goat cheese. Yummy!
★★★★★
I love goat cheese! Thanks for the 5 stars ★★★★★
Super easy and very satisfying. Lots of flavor. I didn’t have parmesan so I substituted goat cheese. Yummy!
Karen this is soooo delicious! My husband and I just made this recipe for our dinner tonight. So quick and easy. Was a bit soupier than in your picture. Not sure why as we followed the recipe exactly. Leftovers for tomorrow…yummy! Our IP would not go to O so set it on 1 minute and released pressure as soon as it came to pressure. Worked perfectly. Would give you 10 stars if I could! Thanks for all you do.
★★★★★
Mmm! So glad you liked it Dianna!
Out of this world easy comfort food. You never fail to nail it for me, thanks so much Karen!
★★★★★
So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the 5 stars 🙂
This was so amazing and easy delicious 💕 the whole family devoured this dish, even the picky eaters! I used mini gnocchi but eather way, a new recipe for the family to enjoy!
★★★★★
mmm I like the idea of mini gnocchi!
Looks wonderful so my rating is based on the picture and my imagination since I haven’t cooked it yet. I have some frozen cauliflower gnocchi – what changes should I make?
★★★★★
I’ve never used cauliflower gnocchi. But I imagine it would only need a zero or 1 minute pressure cooking time. Plus I am not sure that it would soak up any of the liquid.
This was quite tasty and the whole family approved! I think next time, I may add more gnocchi and spinach or slightly less cream cheese, as it was a bit rich for our taste, but an outstanding recipe nonetheless.
★★★★★
Thanks for the 5 stars Ellie!
If doubling the recipe, would I need to alter the time? Thanks in advance! I know you are bombarded with questions!
Nope! Keep the same cooking time: https://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/how-to-double-instant-pot-recipes/
THIS!!
So easy and SO delicious!! Packs a ton of flavor and is so, so creamy. Got rave reviews from the family, so this will be added to our dinner rotation! YUM!
★★★★★
WOO HOO!!! So glad you liked it. Thanks for the 5 star review!
We made this last night with Trader Joe’s brand gnocchi. We used canned diced tomatoes (undrained) since fresh are not in season, fresh spinach. It was so delicious and we will definitely be making this again. Thank you!
Have you used frozen spinach instead of fresh?
★★★★★
I also used Brie cheese, because we didn’t have cream cheese.
Brie sounds awesome! I haven’t tried frozen but I think it will work perfectly.
How would you make this ina crockpot??
I haven’t tried the crockpot yet but this is how I would try it:
1. Heat pan over medium high heat. Add in the butter and let melt. Add in the breadcrumbs and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Pour into a small bowl.
2. Melt the remaining 2 Tbsp of butter in the pan. Add in the gnocchi, Italian seasoning, red pepper and toss to coat. Add to the slow cooker.
3. Add in the broth. Dump in the spinach, tomatoes and cream cheese.
4. Cover and cook on low for 2 hours.
5. Stir well so that gnocchi is coated in cream cheese. Stir in the parmesan cheese. Salt and pepper to taste.
6. Scoop onto plates and sprinkle each serving with the breadcrumb topping.
Hi. Just love all the great IP recipes! Thanks Karen for sending us so many great meals to make for our family.
I tried this recipe tonight and it was my first experience making a meal on a zero time in the instant pot. Before the pot came to full pressure, I received the dreaded message “burn” and had to release the pressure early. When I opened the pot there was no smell of food being burnt however when I poured the gnocchi into a bowl I found that there was burn on the bottom of the pot along with a lot of what appeared to be a pieces of stuck on Gnocchi.
I followed the recipe exactly as written and I’m hoping you can provide you some direction on what I can do differently because I would like to make it again.
Thanks very much for all you do, and for all your help on this particular issue.
Maureen
★★★★
Next time I would just use the saute setting instead of pressure cooking for 0 minutes. It will only take a few minutes (maybe 5-10) on saute (LESS) setting. Keep the lid off.
Definitely five stars. Delicious, quick and so easy and I can have the ingredients on hand most of the time. Thanks so much for another wonderful recipe. I am anxiously awaiting your recipe book. I know I’ll love it.
★★★★★
Thanks Judy! I hope you like it!
Love, love, loved this recipe.
★★★★★
Glad you loved it Cindy!
I just made this for company tonight. It was fabulous. I couldn’t believe how great this dish was. It was so creamy and so many flavors. I served it with Focaccia bread and a salad. And of course, a bottle of wine.
Sounds so perfect!
This was so delicious!!! My family devoured it in nothing flat! Next time I may need to triple the recipe because they loved it that much! Thank you for so many delicious recipes. ☺️
★★★★★
You’re welcome Sheri!
Fresh or dried gnocchi? Do you drain the diced tomatoes?
I buy the gnoccchi in the plastic packages in the pasta aisle, I don’t drain tomatoes.
Thank you!
★★★★★
Could you use sun dried tomatoes?
Absolutely. Would be great!
Very tasty. I almost left off the topping but decided at the end to make it. Definitely a keeper.
The topping is so delicious!
I follow this blog a lot, and have gotten so much inspiration from you…. But if you’re going to post a gnocchi recipe, why not actually make gnocchi? Using pre-made defeats the entire purpose.
Is this fresh or dried gnocchi?
https://www.smithsfoodanddrug.com/p/gia-russa-mini-gnocchi-with-potato/0002682500963?&cid=ps_adw_shopg_.smiths_g_pla_shop_eng_evgn_ship_natural+%26+organic&gclid=CjwKCAiArIH_BRB2EiwALfbH1Lj3GCu5D2NnFR5IxbGhAbPnMpckYY4Ts2Psv5wXKu7ZZsewTVFGdhoCXusQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Looks yummy! Did you use fresh gnocchi? What’s your favorite?
★★★★★
I would also like to know if this is fresh or dried!
This is the kind I used: https://www.smithsfoodanddrug.com/p/gia-russa-mini-gnocchi-with-potato/0002682500963?&cid=ps_adw_shopg_.smiths_g_pla_shop_eng_evgn_ship_natural+%26+organic&gclid=CjwKCAiArIH_BRB2EiwALfbH1Lj3GCu5D2NnFR5IxbGhAbPnMpckYY4Ts2Psv5wXKu7ZZsewTVFGdhoCXusQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
I used this https://www.smithsfoodanddrug.com/p/gia-russa-mini-gnocchi-with-potato/0002682500963?&cid=ps_adw_shopg_.smiths_g_pla_shop_eng_evgn_ship_natural+%26+organic&gclid=CjwKCAiArIH_BRB2EiwALfbH1Lj3GCu5D2NnFR5IxbGhAbPnMpckYY4Ts2Psv5wXKu7ZZsewTVFGdhoCXusQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
I’m not fond oh gnochhi. Can I use frozen cheese tortellini or ravioli?
Yes that would be great
Can this be done with gluten free gnocchi
Never tried it! But give it a shot.