A One-Pan Dinner in 20 Minutes

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Creamy tomato sauce, basil tofu browned to a golden crisp, and tender mini gnocchi—all prepared in a single skillet and on the table in under half an hour. Legumes, Parmesan, and nutritional yeast give the dish a rich flavor and a good dose of protein, but you can easily adapt the recipe to include meat. It’s a simple, hearty dinner that’s a lifesaver on busy days and the whole family will love it.

Finished in 20 minutes

Servings: 4

Difficulty simple

Ingredients

500 g mini gnocchi from Lidl
400 g basil tofu, cut into cubes
1 can of chickpeas or lentils, about 240 g after draining
500 g tomato passata
1 large shallot, finely chopped
1 small clove of garlic, pressed
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons olive oil
150–200 ml of water or vegetable broth
30 g of nutritional yeast
60 g finely grated Parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon dried oregano
salt and freshly ground pepper
a pinch of chili, optional
fresh basil
sprouts for garnish

Method

In a large, deep skillet, heat the olive oil and add the cubes of basil tofu. Sauté them for about 6–8 minutes on all sides until golden brown.
Transfer the browned tofu to a plate. Add the remaining oil and the shallot to the same pan.
Sauté for 2–3 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic, tomato paste, oregano, and chili, if desired. Stir and let the flavors meld for about half a minute.
Pour in the tomato passata and 150 ml of water or broth. Add the drained chickpeas or lentils and the mini gnocchi. Season lightly with salt and pepper, and mix everything thoroughly.
Cover the pan and let the mixture simmer over low to medium heat for about 6–8 minutes. Stir it a few times while it’s cooking. Once the gnocchi are tender but still hold their shape, they’re done.
If the sauce gets too thick, add a little of the remaining water.
Stir the nutritional yeast, half the Parmesan, and the pan-fried tofu into the sauce.
Let everything heat through together for another 1–2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide the finished gnocchi into four portions. Sprinkle them with the remaining Parmesan, fresh basil, and sprouts.

Tips and tricks

You can substitute the lentils for the same amount of cooked or canned chickpeas. Red beans would work as well, but the dish will have a slightly stronger flavor.
If you want a smoother, creamier sauce, add a few tablespoons of cooking cream or a soy-based alternative at the end. In that case, you may need to add a little more salt to the sauce.
The cooking time for gnocchi may vary depending on the specific product. If they are still firm after eight minutes, add a few tablespoons of water and let them finish cooking briefly with the lid on.