Creamy Tuscan Gnocchi (One-pot & under 20 minutes)
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Crafting a delicious Italian recipe like this Tuscan gnocchi doesn’t need to be a long, tedious task! This recipe only requires five steps and ten ingredients (plus salt and pepper!). It’s filled with fresh ingredients, including Italian herbs, making it perfect for eating in the summer (or whenever you’re missing summertime)!
Table of Contents
Why you need this recipe in your life
I love creating one-pot recipes since it means less cleaning up afterwards! Less clean-up means you can dive right into eating this Tuscan gnocchi.
This is one of my top recipes with gnocchi, as it includes vitamins and minerals from the included veg (fresh baby spinach and sundried tomatoes). Plus, it has protein, carbs, and fibre to help keep you full for longer.
What makes this creamy gnocchi recipe even better is the addition of pork mince. Using pork mince instead of beef mince means you’ll get all the flavour with fewer calories. It’s a great alternative to chicken or turkey mince, which can dry out more easily due to a lower fat content as it cooks.
Turn this into a more filling meal by serving this gnocchi dish alongside garlic bread. Plus, if you have any leftover gnocchi, you can use it to make dishes like Crispy Pan-Fried Gnocchi or Easy Pesto Gnocchi.
Ingredients
Pork Mince
Pork mince is a top choice for this delicious Tuscan gnocchi. However, you can use beef mince instead if you don’t mind the extra calories. Use any extra mince to make this Dorito Taco Salad Recipe.
Sun Dried Tomatoes
If you don’t have sundried tomatoes available, don’t fret! You can use fresh tomatoes, oven-roasted tomatoes, or roasted bell peppers for a similar flavour.
Gnocchi
I prefer using the standard uncooked potato gnocchi for this dish since the gnocchi sauce is flavorful enough. However, you can use any type of gnocchi on hand. Using pumpkin, spinach, or Homemade Pan-Fried Sweet Potato Gnocchi is a great way to boost the nutrients in the dish.
Crème Fraiche
Using crème fraiche helps create the sauce for this creamy gnocchi dish. You can increase this recipe’s protein content by swapping out crème fraiche with Greek yoghurt. Depending on the fat content of the yoghurt, this switch can also decrease the calories of this Tuscan gnocchi with creamy sauce.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make creamy Tuscan gnocchi
- Start by adding 1 tbsp of sun-dried tomato infused oil from the jar to a large frying pan on a medium/high heat. Add the pork mince to the frying pan and break it up slightly using your spatula (Image 1).
- Leave the mince to brown for 5 minutes (Image 2).
3. After 5 minutes, reduce the heat slightly and add the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. Season with a pinch of salt and lots of pepper (Image 3).
4. Continue to fry for around 4 minutes, then remove a few large spoonfuls from the pan (to save for the topping) before adding the chicken stock and gnocchi (Image 4).
5. Reduce to a low simmer for around 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the spinach during the last few minutes of cook time (Image 5).
6. After this period, the starch from the gnocchi should have thickened the sauce slightly and the gnocchi should be ready to eat. At this point, turn off the heat and add the lemon juice and creme fraiche. Stir until combined. Season with lots of black pepper and a pinch of salt. Top with chopped fresh basil and dig in! (Image 6).
Variations
Turn this Tuscan gnocchi dish into a gluten-free recipe by swapping standard gnocchi with a gluten-free alternative. The other ingredients are typically gluten-free already, so you should only need to make one switch to create gluten-free gnocchi with cream sauce.
Changing this into a vegan/vegetarian dish requires a few additional steps. You’ll need to swap the pork mince for a meat-free plant based mince.
Creating vegan gnocchi sauce recipes means using coconut cream (or a similar non-animal derived cream) instead of crème fraiche for the gnocchi cream sauce. Instead of chicken broth, use vegetable broth for this gnocchi recipe sauce.
Tips for the best results
- Ensure you brown the pork mince first in sundried tomato oil or olive oil. This step ensures the meat becomes extra flavoursome and leaves some fond in the bottom of the pan.
- Don’t overcook the gnocchi. If you overcook the gnocchi in this Tuscan gnocchi dish, you’ll likely encounter mushy pasta.
- Make the sauce flavourful, the creamy sauce is what gives Tuscan gnocchi its distinctive taste. The sautéd minced garlic and sun-dried tomatoes with spinach, chicken stock and the creme fraiche added makes that delicious sauce.
How to meal prep
Luckily, this recipe can last up to 4 – 5 days in the fridge, making it easier to meal prep the Tuscan gnocchi. Gather five airtight containers and separate the creamy Tuscan gnocchi equally into each container once it has completely cooled. Then, you can bring a container to work for lunch or heat it up for a quick dinner during the week.
FAQs
Yes, you can freeze this recipe with gnocchi. Ensure you put the leftovers in an airtight container before putting it in the freezer. It should be good for a few months in the freezer.
This gnocchi sauce recipe reheats well, unlike some other creamy gnocchi recipes. If reheating from the fridge, warm it up in the pan if possible. When reheating frozen Tuscan gnocchi, let it thaw in the fridge first. Once thawed, reheat on the stove. If the sauce is dry, you may need to add some stock or crème fraiche.
If you tried this Creamy Tuscan Gnocchi recipe, it would be mean so much to me if you could leave a review & a star rating to let me know how you found it! I love hearing about your experiences – it motivates me to keep creating more and more recipes for you guys 💛 Let’s get cooking! – Mimi x
Creamy Tuscan Gnocchi (One-pot & under 20 minutes)
Ingredients
- 500 g 5% fat pork mince (£2.65)
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced (£0.39)
- 100 g sun-dried tomatoes, chopped into quarters (£1.60/2)=(£0.80)
- 150 g fresh spinach (£1.00/2)=(£0.50)
- 1000 g (2 packs )of gnocchi (£1.25)=(£2.50)
- Juice of half a lemon + zests (£0.30)
- 100 ml creme fraiche (£1.20/2)=(£0.60)
- Bunch of fresh basil, finely chopped (£0.55)
Cupboard Essentials
- 1 tbsp sun-dried tomato oil
- 800 ml chicken stock
- Black pepper
- Salt
Method
- Start by adding 1 tbsp of sun-dried tomato infused oil from the jar to a large frying pan on a medium/high heat. Add the pork mince to the frying pan and break it up slightly using your spatula. Leave the mince to brown for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, reduce the heat slightly and add the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. Season with a pinch of salt and lots of pepper. Continue to fry for around 4 minutes, then remove a few large spoonfuls from the pan before adding the chicken stock and gnocchi.
- Reduce to a low simmer for around 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the spinach during the last few minutes of cook time.
- After this period, the starch from the gnocchi should have thickened the sauce slightly and the gnocchi should be ready to eat. At this point, turn off the heat and add the lemon juice and creme fraiche. Stir until combined.
- Season with lots of black pepper and a pinch of salt. Top with chopped fresh basil and dig in!
Notes
- Brown the pork mince in sundried tomato oil or olive oil for added flavour and to create fond in the pan.
- Avoid overcooking the gnocchi to prevent it from becoming mushy.
- Create a flavourful sauce by sautéing minced garlic and sun-dried tomatoes, adding spinach, chicken stock, and creme fraiche for a delicious Tuscan gnocchi dish.
Nutrition
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