Foil packets are the definition of low-effort, high-reward. Take a few ingredients, wrap ’em up in foil, toss ’em somewhere hot, and eat ’em out straight out of the packet. And because shelf-stable gnocchi works with practically every cooking method (skillets! sheet pans!), I figured it was a good foil packet contender.

I was right 🙂 When wrapped up with garlic, olive oil, and cherry tomatoes, the gnocchi becomes tender and the tomatoes burst, creating a built-in sauce. To work in some protein, I dolloped the gnocchi with my tried-and-true cottage cheese, mozzarella, and Parmesan mixture, which melts in the oven and adds a lovely creamy element.

The only thing stopping me from hitting publish? I hadn’t tried cooking them in a campfire. So it felt serendipitous when Julia Turshen’s foil packet chart landed in my inbox, which includes a “gnocchi night” option. It includes a ton of helpful tips if you are planning on taking these camping, so check it out for further instructions.

do I need to line my foil with parchment?

While this isn’t strictly necessary, I like to line the foil with parchment to a) prevent the ingredients from sticking and b) prevent any aluminum from getting into the food. If you decide to skip it, just be sure to generously grease the foil.

cottage cheese gnocchi foil packets

serves 4

Ingredients

  • nonstick cooking spray
  • 1 pound shelf-stable gnocchi
  • 1 (10 to 12-ounce) pint cherry tomatoes
  • 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper
  • 1 cup full-fat small-curd cottage cheese (I always use Good Culture)
  • 2 ounces low-moisture mozzarella cheese, grated (1/2 cup)
  • 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, finely grated (1/2 cup)
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, plus more for serving
  • Balsamic glaze or fresh pesto, for serving (optional)

Instructions

  • Heat the oven to 425°F or heat an outdoor grill to medium-high (400 to 450°F).
  • Tear off 4 (8×8-inch) sheets of aluminum foil (use heavy-duty foil if grilling). Line each one with a similar size piece of parchment paper. Coat the parchment paper with nonstick cooking spray.
  • In a large bowl, combine the gnocchi, tomatoes, garlic, oil, red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and several grinds black pepper. Divide between the four pieces of parchment-lined foil, arranging the mixture in the center of each piece.
  • In the now empty bowl, stir together the cottage cheese, mozzarella, Parmesan, basil, a pinch of salt, and several grinds black pepper. Dollop onto the gnocchi mixture (about 3 to 4 spoonfuls per packet). At this point, you can sprinkle on a little more mozzarella or Parmesan if you so desire 🙂
  • Bring two ends of each foil packet together and fold to crease. Fold over the remaining two sides. If grilling, make sure that no parchment is exposed (you can also wrap in another layer of foil).
  • Transfer to a sheet pan seam-side up (or place directly on the grill grates and close the lid. Bake/grill until the gnocchi is tender and the tomatoes have softened, 15 to 20 minutes (you can carefully unwrap one to check).
  • Let sit for a few minutes to cool down, then unwrap the packets and smash the tomatoes with the back of a fork to create a sauce. Top each one with more basil and balsamic glaze or pesto, if using. Serve in shallow bowls to catch any drips.