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Baked cheesy potato casserole in a white dish, topped with melted cheese and chopped parsley, with a wooden spoon scooping a serving.
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5 from 1 vote

Baked Gnocchi Alfredo

🧀🥔 Tender potato gnocchi, a creamy Alfredo sauce, and a layer of baked cheese on top is the baked gnocchi casserole of your dreams! Homemade Alfredo sauce is quick and easy to make, and this comfort food pasta recipe is ready in 45 minutes. Serve it as either a hearty side dish or as the main course.
⏰ You can prep it in advance, see step 10 below.
🍗 If you want to add chicken, see the Tip in the body of the blog post for making chicken; or use leftover diced chicken or shredded rotisserie chicken.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Dinner, Pasta
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Vegetarian
Keyword: alfredo gnocchi, baked alfredo gnocchi, gnocchi alfredo, gnocchi alfredo casserole
Servings: 6
Calories: 630cal

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 32 ounces gnocchi (two 16-ounce packages or however yours is sold to reach 32 ounces; fresh refrigerated, dry shelf-stable, or frozen and thawed are all fine
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter
  • 2-3 cloves garlic finely minced
  • 1 cup heavy cream do not substitute
  • ½ cup whole milk do not substitute
  • 1 ½ cups Parmesan cheese finely grated or shredded
  • ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
  • 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese shredded (mozzarella cheese may be substituted)
  • Fresh parsley or fresh chives finely minced; optional for garnishing to taste

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375F and spray a 9x13-inch baking or casserole dish with cooking spray; set aside.
  • Gnocchi: Cook according to package directions in a pot of boiling salted water. Drain and set aside. All brands and formats (fresh, dry, frozen) will vary a bit in how long it needs to cook.
    A pot filled with gnocchi boiling in water, surrounded by parsley and shredded cheese on a white countertop.
  • Alfredo Sauce: To a separate large skillet, add the butter, and heat over medium heat to melt; whisk or stir to encourage it to melt.
    Note - I recommend making your own Alfredo sauce but if you absolutely must use a jarred sauce, you can. I'd pick up two large glass jars of it and you'll likely use about 1 1/2 jars.
    A white saucepan with melted butter and cream swirling together sits on a wooden cutting board.
  • Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant; stir constantly.
  • Slowly add the heavy cream, milk, and stir to combine.
  • Add the Parmesan and stir constantly to encourage it to melt.
    Tip - You can turn the heat up to medium-high but make sure the milk doesn't start bubbling or boiling because it's bad for the dairy proteins to boil which can cause them to separate and your sauce will appear broken and unsightly.
    A white saucepan on a wooden board contains a yellow liquid topped with grated cheese and breadcrumbs.
  • Taste the sauce and add the salt and pepper, to taste. You may want to add more than 1/2 teaspoon of each, but you may not, depending on how salty your cheese is and your personal preference for salt.
    White saucepan filled with a light beige liquid, resting on a wooden cutting board viewed from above.
  • Combine: Add the drained gnocchi to the Alfredo sauce (or vice versa depending on which pot is bigger) and stir to combine and coat evenly.
    If you want to add chicken, you can add it now - either freshly made, leftover chicken, or diced or shredded rotisserie chicken.
    A white pot filled with gnocchi cooking in a creamy sauce, resting on a wooden board with parsley and grated cheese nearby.
  • Transfer: Turn the mixture out into the prepared baking dish.
    White baking dish filled with uncooked gnocchi covered in creamy white sauce, photographed from above on a light surface.
  • Topping: Evenly sprinkle the top with the Monterey Jack cheese.
    Make in Advance Tip - If you're making this in advance, stop now, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking it off. Take the casserole dish out of the fridge for 1 hour before baking, set it on your counter, and let it come up to room temp. Do not bake with a fridge-cold baking dish because it could crack and you can end up with unevenly baked food.
    Extra Crispiness Tip - Toss 3/4 to 1 cup breadcrumbs or Panko breadcrumbs with 2 tablespoons melted butter and even sprinkle over the top of the Monterey Jack.
    A white baking dish filled with pasta in a creamy sauce, topped with a layer of shredded cheese, ready to be baked.
  • Bake: Bake uncovered for about 30 mintues, or until the cheese on top has melted and has turned as golden browned as desired. Rotate pan once midway through baking for more even results.
    A baked casserole topped with melted cheese and chopped parsley in a white rectangular dish, shown from above.
  • Broil, optional: For extra crispiness and dark spots on top, you can optionally broil for 2-3 minutes. Make sure to keep a very close eye on it because things can go from underdone to charred in less than 1 minute under the broiler; stand in front of it the whole time and watch it like a hawk!
    A wooden spoon serving cheesy baked macaroni and cheese with a golden, bubbly top and a creamy texture.
  • Garnishing, optional: As desired, evenly sprinkle with freshly minced parsley or chives, to taste.
    A bowl of cheesy baked gnocchi with a spoon, topped with melted cheese and garnished with herbs.
  • Serving: Serve warm and fresh as a hearty side dish or alongside another main course.
    Close-up of cheesy baked gnocchi in a creamy sauce, topped with golden melted cheese and garnished with chopped parsley, served with a wooden spoon.

Notes

Storage: Recipe is best served warm and fresh. Leftovers will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 4-5 days or in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. Reheat gently in the microwave. Add a splash of water or milk to your leftovers before heating them so they don't dry out.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 630cal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 101mg | Sodium: 1240mg | Potassium: 118mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1195IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 524mg | Iron: 6mg
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