Brown Butter Fried Gnocchi with Broccolini, Spinach and Garlic
A New Years resolution worthy dish that still has all the good stuff.
I use the Trader Joes shelf-stable gnocchi in this recipe because it fries up really nicely, and because who wants to make gnocchi? No one. You don’t need to boil it first, just add it to the pan.
You can also use broccoli here instead of broccolini but chop the stems smaller and add a little water to the pan (about 1 Tbsp) if necessary to get the florets nice and green, even covering the pan for a minute or so to get them more tender.
- olive oil
- 1 head garlic, chopped (not too finely)
- 1/2 lb broccolini, chopped
- 2 big handfuls baby spinach, chopped
- kosher salt
- fresh ground black pepper
- red pepper flakes
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 lb gnocchi (shelf stable is best, I prefer Trader Joes)
- 3 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- grated parmesan cheese to top
-
In a 12 inch cast iron pan, heat about 1-2 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and stir until it starts to brown just slightly and smell nutty.
-
Add chopped broccoli to pan and stir together with the garlic, continuing to stir and move around in the pan until the stems get a little tender and everything gets nice and green. Season with a sprinkle of salt and pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Don't overcook the broccoli- it should still have a crunch to it.
-
Add in the spinach to the pan- about as much as it can handle (add in batches if you need to) and stir together with the broccoli until the spinach wilts a bit.
-
Remove the greens from the pan and put into a bowl. Set aside.
-
Return pan to the stove and over low-medium heat melt the butter, watching it closely and stirring. When the foam begins to die down and the butter smells a little nutty but not burnt, add in the gnocchi to the pan. Move the gnocchi so that they are just in a single layer and then let them cook about 4 minutes on one side or until they are nice and browned, increasing heat if necessary.
-
Season gnocchi with a sprinkle of kosher salt and pepper and turn them to cook 3 minutes or so on the other side.
-
Add the greens back into the pan and stir together, seasoning with salt if necessary and sprinkling with parsley and parmesan cheese. Enjoy immediately while hot.
A large cast iron pan (12 inches or larger) is necessary for this because of the surface area to cook the gnocchi in a single layer, and also to contain all of the spinach.
I like the shelf stable gnocchi for this recipe (Trader Joes makes a great product) because it fries up really nicely and browns easily.
April 6, 2022 @ 3:34 pm
Delicious and easy weekday dinner.
My husband and 4yr old are picky eaters. Both cleared their plates without knowing there was spinach in it. I left out the pepper flakes but added cashews for a bit of protein. Worked really well. Highly recommend this recipe, and will be making this many more times.
April 6, 2022 @ 3:52 pm
I love to hear it! Thanks for letting me know:)