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This Creamy Spinach Gnocchi is an easy one-pot dish made from pantry and freezer staples that’s perfect for a meatless weeknight dinner. Ready in about 30 minutes!
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This quick and easy recipe features store-bought gnocchi pan fried until golden brown then covered in a rich, creamy sauce. It tastes decadent, but it’s loaded with nutritious spinach.
This Spinach Gnocchi is a satisfying, comfort food dish perfect for any night of the week!
Ingredients you need
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Gnocchi ~ I used shelf-stable packaged gnocchi from Trader Joe’s, which is vegan, but not gluten-free. DeLallo makes a gnocchi that is both plant-based and gluten-free.
I have not tried this recipe with homemade gnocchi, but I think it would work just fine.
- Don’t have gnocchi? Ladle the creamy spinach sauce over cooked pasta or baked potatoes. Or try throwing a bag of frozen mixed vegetables and cooked rice into the sauce and cook until heated through. Yum!
- Spinach ~ I used frozen spinach in this creamy sauce. Despite what you’ve probably been told your whole life, for this Spinach Gnocchi recipe you do not need to defrost the spinach first, just throw it in frozen. It will break down quickly in the skillet and any excess moisture will evaporate as the sauce thickens.
You may use fresh spinach if you prefer. Cook the sauce down first and then stir through the fresh spinach just enough to soften it.
Substitutions for the spinach: fresh or frozen kale or swiss chard.
- Aromatics ~ Onion and garlic for flavor.
- Spices ~ I use Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
If you don’t have Italian seasoning, you can use dried basil, oregano, or thyme either in combination or just one of them.
I love the mild spicy kick from the red pepper flakes, but if you don’t like spicy heat, you can leave it out.
Nutmeg has long been used to add flavor to cream sauces. It’s adds a subtle warm depth that balances the flavors of the rich sauce.
- Milk ~ Typical cream sauces use heavy cream, but for this recipe I just use a basic vegan milk and thicken it with a roux. Choose an unsweetened plain variety of dairy-free milk. I used almond milk, but oat milk, cashew milk, or light coconut milk will all work.
- Nutritional yeast ~ “Nooch” has a nutty, savory flavor that works really well in a dairy-free cream sauce. If you don’t have or don’t want to use nutritional yeast, try adding a tablespoon or two of miso into the sauce instead.
You can use homemade vegan parmesan cheese or your favorite store-bought brand if you prefer.
- Thickener ~ Unlike my Vegan Spinach Artichoke Pasta where I use a cashews to make a thick, creamy sauce, in this Spinach Gnocchi recipe, I use a simple roux. A roux is made from equal parts fat, in this case vegan butter, and flour. Use a gluten-free flour, if needed.
- Extras ~ Feel free to finished with some fresh basil or parsley right before serving.
How to make the recipe
Please scroll down to the recipe card for exact ingredient measurements and instructions.
- Heat oil in a nonstick skillet. Add the gnocchi and spread out into one even layer. Cook until golden brown on one side. Stir and continuing cooking, stirring occasionally, until golden brown on all sides.
Transfer to plate and set aside.
- Sauté the onion until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and spices and stir to incorporate.
- Add the vegan butter and whisk until the butter melts. Add the flour and whisk until incorporated and smooth.
- Slowly add the non-dairy milk, whisking continuously to avoid lumps. Add the spinach and nutritional yeast, stir.
- Bring to a boil, then decrease the heat and simmer the sauce until thickened. Add the lemon juice and pan fried gnocchi.
- Stir to coat the gnocchi. Serve immediately.
Serving suggestions
Gnocchi is filling on its own, but here are some options for making this Creamy Spinach Gnocchi into a heartier meal.
- Add some protein: Serve the gnocchi as a side for vegan chicken cutlets, baked tofu, seasoned black beans, or BBQ lentils. Or add some vegan ground beef to the sauce like I do in this creamy Vegan Beef Pasta with Peppers.
- Add some veggies: Add some mushrooms, green peas, broccoli, or halved cherry tomatoes to the dairy-free cream sauce. Or serve it with a side of lemon roasted asparagus, roasted rainbow carrots, or garlic green beans.
- Serve it with a side salad: This massaged kale salad, butter lettuce salad, or butternut squash quinoa salad would be a good choices.
- Serve it with some bread: You can’t go wrong with a crusty slice of baguette or sourdough. Or try some vegan garlic bread.
Storage and freezing
Make ahead: While leftovers are delicious, the texture of this dish is best served fresh.
Fridge: Store leftovers of this Creamy Spinach Gnocchi in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Freezer: I do not recommend freezing this recipe.
Reheat: The sauce will thicken upon sitting. You may need to add a splash of milk or broth when reheating. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Pro tips and tricks
~ Pan fry the gnocchi, as opposed to boiling it in water, for best texture.
~ If your sauce is too thin, keep simmering until it reduces and thickens up.
~ If your sauce is too thick, add an extra splash of non-dairy milk or vegetable broth.
~ Add extra veggies, like mushrooms, green peas or halved cherry tomatoes, to bulk up the sauce if desired.
~ For a gluten-free option, look for certified gluten-free gnocchi.
FAQs
Gnocchi is a dumpling type of pasta popular in Italian cuisine. It’s typically made from mashed potatoes and wheat flour. Sometimes it can contain egg, so if you’re looking for a store-bought vegan option, make sure to read labels. Gluten-free varieties of gnocchi are out there, as well, which generally contain rice flour instead of wheat flour. You’ll also find cauliflower gnocchi available.
No, packaged gnocchi does not need to be boiled. I much prefer the texture of panfried gnocchi instead. Boiled gnocchi tends to be gluey in the center. This pan fried version has crispy edges and creamy insides.
If you don’t have gnocchi, you can use a medium pasta shape, like penne, rotini, or bow ties. You will have to boil the noodles first according to package directions before adding them to the creamy sauce.
More creamy pasta recipes
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you tried it, please use the star rating system in the recipe card and leave a comment with your feedback. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
For even more easy family recipes, be sure to check out my cookbook, The Meatless Monday Family Cookbook!
Creamy Spinach Gnoochi
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 16 ounces shelf-stable packaged gnocchi
- 1 small onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flackes
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg optional
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups unsweetened, plain non-dairy milk almond, oat, cashew, or light coconut milk
- 8 ounces frozen spinach
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- juice of ½ lemon or to taste
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the gnocchi and spread it out into one even layer. Cook, stirring occasionally (about every 2 minutes), until it's golden brown on all sides, about 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the gnocchi to a bowl or plate and set aside.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the same skillet. Sauté the onion until soft and translucent, about 4 minutes.
- Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and nutmeg. Stir and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the butter. Stir to incorporate until melted. Sprinkle the flour over the top of the onion mixture. Stir until no white flour remains visible, about 1 minute.
- Slowly add the non-dairy milk, whisking continuously to prevent lumps.
- Add the frozen spinach and nutritional yeast and stir to combine. Increase the heat to bring to a boil, then decrease the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce is thickened, about 10 minutes. Use a wooden spoon to break up any clumps of spinach as it's simmering.
- Return the gnocchi to the skillet, add the lemon juice, and stir until it is completely coated in the creamy spinach sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are calculated using online calculators and are estimates only. Please verify using your own data.
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