I made this on a Tuesday when I had a pound of gnocchi, half a container of ricotta that needed using, and absolutely no desire to do real cooking. Thirty minutes later I had something I’d genuinely make for guests. That’s the pitch.
The thing that makes this work is brown butter. It sounds fancier than it is — you’re just melting butter until it smells like hazelnuts, which takes maybe four minutes. But that nutty, slightly caramel-y fat coats every gnocchi and tomato in a way that plain olive oil just doesn’t. The tomatoes burst and get jammy against the hot pan, the ricotta stays creamy in soft pockets, and the mozzarella on top gets those uneven crispy-and-gooey patches that make people lean over the pan before it’s even served.
You’ll want a decent toaster oven baking pan for this — something that conducts heat well and fits your oven without leaving too much gap around the edges. I use a basic 8×8 metal pan and it’s perfect. If you’re still working with a cramped little machine and thinking about upgrading, a large capacity toaster oven gives you way more flexibility for sheet pan-style meals like this one.
No boiling the gnocchi beforehand. That’s intentional. Going straight into the dry heat of a hot oven means the outside gets some actual texture instead of going soft all the way through. It’s one of my favorite tricks — and it makes this a one-pan meal, which matters on a weeknight.
Toaster Oven Crispy Brown Butter Roasted Tomato and Ricotta Gnocchi Bake
Pillowy gnocchi, blistered cherry tomatoes, and a crispy golden top — all made in your toaster oven in about 30 minutes. It's one of those meals that looks way more impressive than the effort involved.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Preheat your toaster oven to 425°F and set it to bake. Let it run for a full 5 minutes — a properly preheated oven makes the difference between gnocchi that crisps up and gnocchi that just steams through.
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Brown the butter first. Put it in a small oven-safe skillet or saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat. Swirl it occasionally until it smells nutty and the milk solids turn amber, about 3-4 minutes. Pull it off the heat immediately — it goes from perfect to burnt fast.
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In a medium bowl, toss the gnocchi, halved cherry tomatoes, and sliced garlic with the olive oil, red pepper flakes, half the salt, and the black pepper. Pour in the brown butter and toss again to coat everything.
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Spread the gnocchi mixture in a single layer in a toaster oven-safe baking pan. An 8x8 or a 9-inch round pan both work fine. Dot spoonfuls of ricotta across the top — you want uneven pockets of it, not a smooth layer.
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Scatter the shredded mozzarella over everything and hit it with the remaining salt and the Parmesan.
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Bake for 18-22 minutes until the gnocchi edges are golden and a little crispy, the tomatoes have burst and are jammy, and the cheese is bubbling with brown spots. If your toaster oven's broiler kicks in for the last couple minutes naturally, great. If not, you can switch it to broil for 1-2 minutes at the end to get more color on top — watch it closely.
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Let it sit for 2-3 minutes before serving. Scatter the torn basil on top. Eat it while it's hot.
Notes
Shelf-stable gnocchi (the kind in a vacuum-sealed package from the pasta aisle) crisps up better than fresh refrigerated gnocchi, which tends to be stickier. If you only have fresh, pat it dry with paper towels before tossing. Don't skip the brown butter — it's what separates this from a basic dump-and-bake situation. Leftovers reheat well at 375°F for about 8 minutes, though the gnocchi won't be quite as crispy. A small handful of baby spinach stirred in before baking is a good add if you want something green in there.
Nutrition
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Written by
Emma is a home cook who loves coaxing big flavor out of a toaster oven — from crispy roasted vegetables to easy weeknight dinners and sweet treats. She develops and tests Toastera's recipes for small-appliance kitchens.
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