Vegan Gnocchi Gratin with Chargrilled Aubergine

This vegan gnocchi gratin hides flavourful chargrilled aubergine slices in a sea of herby tomato sauce topped with a crispy breadcrumb crust.

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Vegan Gnocchi Gratin with Chargrilled Aubergine

This vegan gnocchi gratin hides flavourful chargrilled aubergine slices in a sea of herby tomato sauce topped with a crispy breadcrumb crust.

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This vegan gnocchi gratin is like an aubergine parmigiana in a bowl! It’s a filling, comforting dish that’s as easy to make as it is to enjoy.

If you’re a fan of vegan Italian recipes, this delightfully different dish will make a refreshing change from pasta.

Tender chargrilled aubergine slices are layered, almost like lasagne sheets, with Italian potato dumplings and rich tomato sauce.

The dish is then topped with a mixture of nutritional yeast and breadcrumbs, and grilled until golden, crispy, and bubbling.

How to serve vegan gnocchi gratin

This meal is nourishing and filling all on its own, and is lovely served simply with a garnish of fresh basil leaves.

vegan gnocchi gratin serving suggestion

Elevate your meal with a fresh garden salad, or make it incredibly hearty with thick slices of garlic bread on the side.

Is all gnocchi vegan? 

A traditional gnocchi recipe will contain egg, so don’t assume that gnocchi will be safe for vegans when ordering at restaurants!

Most store-bought gnocchi brands are vegan by default, but it’s always worth checking the label for eggs.

Also be on the lookout for dairy as some brands may use milk derivatives as filler, or could even use cheese for flavouring.

If you can’t get hold of a vegan-friendly gnocchi, why not try making your own home made vegan gnocchi? All you need is potatoes and flour.

Total Time: 1 hour

Calories: 86

Servings: 6

Rating:  

Nutritional information per serving:

Serving size
100g

calories
86

fat
1.5g

saturates
0.3g

carbs
15g

sugars
3.2g

protein
3g

salt
0.14g

Total Time: 1 hour

Calories: 86

Servings: 6

Ingredients

Method

Ingredients

(Servings: 6)

  • For the sauce
  • 66.666666666667 66.666666666667 g tinned, chopped tomatoes
  • 0.16666666666667 0.16666666666667 large red onion, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 1 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
  • 83.333333333333 83.333333333333 g passata
  • 0.33333333333333 0.33333333333333 large sprigs fresh basil, left whole
  • 0.16666666666667 0.16666666666667 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 0.33333333333333 0.33333333333333 tsp sugar
  • 0.16666666666667 0.16666666666667 tsp dried Italian herbs
  • 0.33333333333333 0.33333333333333 Tbsp olive oil
  • Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
  • For the gratin
  • 83.333333333333 83.333333333333 g shop-bought vegan gnocchi
  • 0.16666666666667 0.16666666666667 large aubergine, thinly sliced lengthwise
  • 1 1 Tbsp breadcrumbs
  • 0.66666666666667 0.66666666666667 Tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 2 2 large basil leaves, shredded
  • To serve
  • green salad
  • balsamic glaze

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a large pan and gently sauté the onion and garlic until softened.
  2. Add the balsamic vinegar to the pan and leave to bubble for 30 seconds or so.
  3. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients to the pan, bring to a simmer and leave to cook gently for 20 minutes.
  4. Heat a ridged griddle pan until very hot. Drizzle the aubergine slices with oil and season. Cook, in batches, on the griddle until charred and softened, turning over half way through.
  5. Cook the gnocchi in a large pan of boiling salted water, according to the
pack instructions.
  6. Remove the large basil sprigs from the sauce, taste and adjust the seasoning and sugar if necessary. Mix the cooked gnocchi with the sauce and add the shredded basil.
  7. To assemble the bake, add a single layer of aubergine slices to the bottom of a baking dish. Add a layer of the gnocchi and sauce and repeat this process until all of the ingredients are used up.
  8. Preheat the grill to high. Top the bake with the breadcrumbs and nutritional yeast and place under the grill for a few minutes until golden, crispy and bubbling.
  9. Serve immediately, with a green salad dressed with balsamic glaze.

Fancy something a bit different? Try this vegan sweet potato gnocchi recipe

Written by

Vegan Food & Living

Vegan Food & Living is the UK's only dedicated vegan magazine and website dedicated to celebrating the vegan lifestyle. We keep you up-to-date on all the latest news and events in the world of veganism as they happen, as well as sharing delicious recipes, expert health advice and informative features about all aspects of your vegan lifestyle, from campaigning to vegan fashion.

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