Super Easy & Thrifty Baked Gnocchi

 

Last month I posted how I use super thrifty meals intermittently in our meal plans to help us stretch our extreme grocery budget.  My goal is to serve delicious and nutritious meals my girls want to eat and this baked gnocchi recipe is one of their favorite thrifty meals.

 

Use your favorite pasta sauce, a package of gnocchi and your choice of cheese
It doesn't get much easier than this

Baked Gnocchi 

1 package potato gnocchi

2 cups pasta sauce

1/2 cup grated cheese 

In a large sauce pan cook gnocchi according to package directions, drain and set aside.  In the pan heat pasta sauce and bring to a light bubble.  Remove pan from heat, add gnocchi and stir to combine.  Pour into a one quart baking dish and top with cheese.  "Bake" in microwave on high for five minutes.  Serves 4.

 

Cooking gnocchi is super easy

Stir into boiling water and once it floats to the top and the water
just comes back to the boil it is done

I serve a vegetable or a nice green salad on the side.  The girls love this dish and will easily finish it off in one evening leaving the table absolutely stuffed to their gills.  You can easily double it for more servings or for bulk cooking so you have leftovers.  This is a great meal to use as part of a meal prep.

 

Heat up your sauce

Stir in the gnocchi, then pour into your baking dish and top with cheese

Cost:  Gnocchi $1 (Dollar Tree) + Pasta sauce 89¢ + Cheese 30¢ = $2.19 (I purchased the cheese on sale).  Canned green beans 50¢.  Pasta sauce with meat is usually the same price as without so a meat sauce is still a very affordable option.  My homemade pasta sauce with meat came in at 78¢ per pint once all was said and done.  Substitute pasta purchased on sale for the gnocchi for even greater savings to make a nice baked pasta dish.