Description
A quick, indulgent, and creamy gnocchi dish perfect for a cozy date night, featuring a luscious garlic cream sauce with Parmesan and fresh thyme.
Ingredients
- 1 pound (450g) store-bought potato gnocchi
- 3 tablespoons (45g) unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream, full-fat
- 1 cup (100g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
- ½ cup (120ml) low-sodium chicken broth
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) olive oil
- Lemon zest from ½ lemon (optional)
- Optional add-ins:
- ½ cup sliced mushrooms
- 2 cups baby spinach
- ¼ cup crispy pancetta or bacon, cooked and crumbled
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add gnocchi and cook until they float plus 1-2 minutes (about 3-4 minutes total). Scoop out with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate, reserving about ½ cup of cooking water.
- Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic (and mushrooms if using) and sauté gently until fragrant and mushrooms are golden, about 2-3 minutes. Avoid browning the garlic.
- Pour in chicken broth and reduce slightly for 2 minutes. Add heavy cream and fresh thyme, simmer gently for 3-4 minutes until sauce thickens to coat the back of a spoon. Add reserved gnocchi water if sauce is too thick.
- Remove pan from heat and stir in freshly grated Parmesan gradually. Season with salt, pepper, and optional lemon zest.
- Add cooked gnocchi back to skillet and toss gently to coat with sauce. Add more cooking water if needed. Serve immediately topped with extra Parmesan and fresh thyme sprigs.
- Optional: Stir in 1 tablespoon cold butter at the end for extra shine and richness.
Notes
[‘Reserve some gnocchi cooking water to loosen the sauce if needed.’, ‘Simmer cream gently to avoid sauce separation.’, ‘Use freshly grated Parmesan for a smooth sauce.’, ‘Sauté garlic just until fragrant to avoid bitterness.’, ‘Use unsalted butter and broth to control saltiness.’, ‘Sauce can be made ahead and reheated gently; cook gnocchi fresh before serving.’, ‘Add optional ingredients like mushrooms, spinach, or bacon for variations.’, ‘For dairy-free, substitute heavy cream with coconut cream and Parmesan with nutritional yeast.’, ‘Use gluten-free gnocchi for a gluten-free version.’]
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approxima
- Calories: 460
- Sodium: 380
- Fat: 22
- Saturated Fat: 13
- Carbohydrates: 50
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 14
Keywords: gnocchi, creamy gnocchi, date night recipe, easy dinner, comfort food, garlic cream sauce, Parmesan, quick meal