This recipe has quickly become one of my favorites. I love salmon, and I have so many salmon recipes. If you’re in the Pacific Northwest and can also find steelhead in your local Costco, that is even better in this recipe. The other day I pulled some from my freezer with no real plan for it for dinner. I was hoping I could make my salmon taco bowls, Mediterranean salmon bowls, or gochujang salmon bowls, but then Kevin found a package of gnocchi in the pantry and asked if I could work out a recipe that used both of them. I saw that I had some tomatoes, fresh basil, heavy cream, and parmesan cheese, which are all the makings of a great recipe! I came up with this recipe for salmon and gnocchi with a burst tomato cream sauce and basically licked the bowl it was so tasty. It was a huge win for all of us and it’s a comforting recipe without being too cozy and it’s great for summer or any time of year.
Ingredients for Salmon and Creamy Tomato Basil Gnocchi
- Salmon! Steelhead is also a great option here but not available everywhere. Both fish options shine in this recipe.
- Gnocchi: I’m using store-bought gnocchi, but you can also make your own if you’re feeling adventurous.
- Olive oil: We need a little to drizzle over the salmon and a little more for the skillet to cook the onions and garlic.
- Onions: Cooking the onions until very soft makes a great base for the sauce.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic adds so much flavor to the sauce. Measure with your heart, but I like to use four large cloves.
- Tomatoes: Grape or cherry tomatoes burst in the olive oil to make a fresh, bright tomato sauce for the gnocchi.
- Chicken broth: Vegetable broth also works; we just need some liquid to help cook down the tomatoes.
- Heavy cream: In a pinch you can use milk or half-and-half, but I like to make it extra creamy.
- Fresh basil: Fresh basil makes all the difference in this recipe and while normally a dried herb is a great substitute, the fresh basil is a must here to keep the flavors bright.
- Red pepper flakes: Optional, but a touch of heat really adds to the sauce.
- Parmesan cheese: For garnish, but really lovely. I read once that fish and cheese don’t go together, but I’m happy to prove them wrong here.
- Spices: onion powder and garlic powder are both used on the fish, and salt and pepper are used throughout the recipe.
How to Make Salmon and Creamy Tomato Basil Gnocchi
- First, heat your olive oil in a large skillet and season the salmon with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Sear the salmon skin side up first before flipping and cooking until it’s opaque almost completely through since it will continue to cook for a bit after removing from the skillet. Once the salmon is done cooking, transfer to a plate.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- While the water is boiling, add some more olive oil to the skillet along with the onions and garlic, cooking until the onions are soft and garlic is fragrant, then add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the tomatoes burst. Add the broth and heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Add the fresh basil and red pepper flakes and simmer for a few minutes before tasting and adding more salt and pepper as needed.
- Add the gnocchi to the sauce and stir to combine. Serve the tomato basil gnocchi in bowls topped with a piece of salmon, additional fresh basil, and parmesan cheese.
I can’t get enough of this flavor combination! The dish is creamy, comforting, and delicious without being too heavy. The perfect bite has a little bit of each component of the recipe in it, and I highly recommend serving it with crusty bread to soak up every bit of the tomato basil sauce.
- 4 salmon fillets
- 2 tbsp. olive oil, divided
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp. salt, divided
- 1 lb. gnocchi
- ½ yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups grape or cherry tomatoes
- 1½ cups chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup fresh basil, sliced into ribbons + more for topping
- ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese, for topping
- Heat 1 tbsp. of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Season the salmon with garlic powder, onion powder, half of the salt, and black pepper.
- Place the salmon, skin side up, in the skillet and cook until the fish is opaque almost halfway through before flipping. When the salmon is opaque almost all the way through the fish, transfer to a plate. The fish will continue to cook as it cools.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook gnocchi according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- While the water is boiling, add some more olive oil to the skillet along with the onions and garlic, cooking until the onions are soft and garlic is fragrant, then add the tomatoes and season with the remaining salt and pepper. Cook until the tomatoes burst. Add the broth and heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Add the fresh basil and red pepper flakes and simmer for a few minutes before tasting and adding more salt and pepper as needed.
- Add the gnocchi to the sauce and stir to combine. Serve the tomato basil gnocchi in bowls topped with a piece of salmon, additional fresh basil, and parmesan cheese.
- Crusty bread on the side is optional but recommended to soak up every bit of the yummy sauce!
This was absolutely delightful! I made one change, which was cooking the gnocchi directly in the sauce instead of boiling it separately. I added the gnocchi right into the sauce and simmered it gently for about 6 minutes. Absolute perfection! It saved me an extra step/dish and the starch from the gnocchi thickened the sauce beautifully. Amazing flavors, will definitely make again!
Oh that’s a helpful tip to share, thanks so much! It’s a little ridiculous how much I make this recipe, but I just love it SO much!