Spring Pea & Asparagus Gnocchi

Gnocchi is one of those ingredients I often forget how versatile and easy it is to prepare. (That is, if you are not making it from scratch, of course). Like pasta though, gnocchi cooks up in minutes and can be mixed with pretty much any mix-ins and a variety of sauces to create lots of fun meals!

Spring calls for peas and asparagus! This Spring Pea & Asparagus Gnocchi comes together in under 30 minutes. It has a light creamy and lemony sauce that’s full of flavor that will keep you coming back for more! This is the perfect weeknight dinner to enjoy with a glass of crisp and cool white wine.

I love it as pictured, but you can add chicken and additional veggies to make it an even heartier meal. Check out the recipe tips below for suggestions on how to change up this versatile dish!

Recipe Tips and Suggestions:

• If gnocchi isn’t your thing, you can swap it out for your favorite type of pasta. Penne, cavatappi, fusilli, or orecchiette would work well.
• If you want to make this a heartier meal, add grilled or rotisserie chicken, crumbled bacon, or even ground sausage would all work well with this recipe!
• Want to add more veggies or make some swaps? Go with broccoli, mushrooms, or spinach!
• Make sure to reserve some of that starchy water after cooking the gnocchi. You will need a bit to thin out the sauce at the end. It helps thicken the sauce a bit, but if you forget and forget to reserve some of the water (which I probably do 1/2 the time truthfully), you can use regular water or chicken broth if you have it.

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Yield: 3-4 servings

Spring Pea & Asparagus Gnocchi

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Spring Pea & Asparagus Gnocchi - A light and simple spring dinner made with peas, asparagus, and gnocchi tossed in a lemony sauce!

Ingredients

• 16 ounces potato gnocchi
• 1 1/2 cups chopped asparagus
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 shallot, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup half and half
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (plus more for serving)
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• splash of white wine (optional)
• 1 cup frozen peas
• fresh basil

Instructions

1. Fill a pot with water and heat to bring to a boil over medium high heat. Cook according to package directions. Drain, but reserve 1 cup of the water from the pan, and set gnocchi aside when done.
2. Fill a deep skillet with water about 1/2 full. Bring to a simmer and add the asparagus. Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes. Drain and set asparagus aside.
3. Place skillet back onto the heat. Add olive oil and add the shallots. Cook for 3 minutes until translucent. Stir in garlic. Lower heat to medium low. Pour in the half and half, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice and zest (and a splash or two of white wine). Stir and then add the gnocchi and asparagus to the skillet. Toss to coat in the sauce. Add some of the reserved water as needed to thin sauce. Season with salt to taste. Stir in peas.
4. Serve with additional grated Parmesan cheese, chopped basil, and lemon wedges.

Notes

The servings in a 16 ounce package of gnocchi say 3 servings per package. Since there are veggies added in here, you can stretch it a bit, but if you need to feed 4 hungry people (or more) consider doubling the recipe all around!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1/4th
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 445Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 60mgSodium: 206mgCarbohydrates: 61gFiber: 6gSugar: 7gProtein: 15g

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