Skillet Gnocchi with Sage Brown Butter Mushrooms
Skip the boiling and pan-fry gnocchi instead for an even more streamlined, and arguably more tasty, dinner.
Serves4
Prep5 minutes
Cook28 minutes to 31 minutes
Boiling water for a package of store-bought gnocchi is a step I pretty much always skip. That’s because it’s just so much easier to roast gnocchi on a sheet pan or toss them into a hot skillet. Utilizing these techniques makes a grocery-store convenience even more convenient, which is a major win in my book — no matter the night of the week. Here, the dumplings are pan-fried until they’re golden and crisp on the outside and chewy and toothsome on the inside before they’re tossed with buttered mushrooms scented with lots of sage. The result is a cold-weather meal that’s oh-so satisfying (even though it’s totally meatless!).
A Splash of Balsamic Makes All the Difference
Combining potato gnocchi with meaty mushrooms is a surefire way to a savory dinner, but keeping things balanced is the secret to a dinner you’ll want to make again and again. Balance comes from balsamic vinegar in this recipe. Drizzling a few tablespoons in at the end, right before serving, brightens each buttery forkful. Try to use a high-quality, aged balsamic, if you can, as its thicker consistency and concentrated sweetness is the ultimate finishing touch.
Welcome to Mediterranean Monday, Sheela Prakash‘s monthly column of Mediterranean recipes. Here, Sheela will teach you all about the Mediterranean diet’s feel-good way of cooking and eating, and share vibrant, easygoing recipes. Cook with us using #mediterraneanmonday, and for even more great recipes, order a copy of Sheela’s cookbook Mediterranean Every Day.
Skillet Gnocchi with Sage Brown Butter Mushrooms Recipe
Skip the boiling and pan-fry gnocchi instead for an even more streamlined, and arguably more tasty, dinner.
Prep time 5 minutes
Cook time 28 minutes to 31 minutes
Serves 4
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 1 pound
fresh mushrooms, such as cremini, shiitake, or oyster mushrooms, or a combination
- 1 small bunch
fresh sage
- 2 tablespoons
olive oil, divided
- 2
(16- to 18-ounce packages) fresh, shelf-stable, or frozen potato gnocchi (do not thaw), divided
- 7 tablespoons
unsalted butter, divided
- 1 teaspoon
kosher salt, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper, divided
- 3 tablespoons
balsamic vinegar
Freshly shaved Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese, for serving
Instructions
Tear 1 pound fresh mushrooms into bite-sized pieces. (If using shiitake mushrooms, remove and discard any woody stems.) Pick the leaves from 1 small bunch fresh sage until you have about 25.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a 12-inch cast iron or other heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Break up 1 (16- to 18-ounce) package potato gnocchi into individual gnocchi and add to the skillet in a single layer. Cover (a baking sheet or the lid of a Dutch oven works well) and cook undisturbed until the bottoms are golden-brown, about 5 minutes.
Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and spread out in a single layer on one side on the baking sheet. Repeat cooking the remaining 1 package gnocchi in the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Transfer to the baking sheet, leaving one side empty for the mushrooms.
Melt 1 tablespoon of the unsalted butter in the same pan. Add half of the mushrooms in a single layer. Cook undisturbed until browned on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of the kosher salt and 1/8 teaspoon of the black pepper and cook, stirring once or twice, until the mushrooms are browned all over and tender, 2 to 3 minutes more.
Transfer to the empty side of the baking sheet. Repeat cooking the remaining mushrooms in 1 tablespoon of the unsalted butter. Transfer to the baking sheet.
Cut the remaining 5 tablespoons unsalted butter into 2 pieces. Add the butter and sage leaves to the same pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter just starts to turn toasty brown and has a nutty, fragrant aroma, and the sage leaves just start to curl up and crisp at the edges, 1 to 2 minutes.
Immediately reduce the heat to low. Return the gnocchi and mushrooms to the pan. Toss to combine, evenly coat in the sauce, and rewarm, about 1 minute more. Remove the pan from the heat. Drizzle 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar over the gnocchi mixture and toss to coat. Serve garnished with shaved Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.