Creamy Mushroom Gnocchi

These Creamy Mushroom Gnocchi come together in less than 30 minutes, pack a ton of flavor, and they're extra delicious! If you're looking for a quick weeknight dinner that's easy to make or a fuss-free date night meal, give this dish a try!

Jump to:

• Why This Recipe Works
• Ingredients
• Variations and Substitutions
• Step-by-Step Instructions
• Serving Suggestions
• Storing and Reheating
• FAQs
• Similar Pasta Recipes
• 📖 Recipe

Why This Recipe Works

Creamy and rich - The sauce is made with soft goat cheese instead of heavy cream which gives it a different flavor and makes it more even richer and creamier. The delicious sauce, mushroom, and pillowy gnocchi make the perfect comfort food.  The recipe also calls for pecorino cheese which has a stronger, saltier flavor than parmesan cheese and it's also traditionally made with either sheep or goat cheese.

Easy to make - There are no complicated steps in this recipe and the whole meal comes together in just about 30 minutes. You'll need a large pot to cook the gnocchi and a large skillet to cook the mushrooms and toss everything together.

Versatile - You serve this gnocchi with a side of protein for a more filling meal or to stretch it into more portions. I like serving it with roasted chicken or salmon. You can also add some pesto into the screamy sauce for some freshness and color.

Always a hit - Whether you're looking for a date night dinner or something the whole family will enjoy, you can't miss with this gnocchi dish!

Ingredients

• Gnocchi - You can use any gnocchi you prefer. I like regular refrigerated potato gnocchi but gluten-free gnocchi, cauliflower, or sweet potato gnocchi also work.
• Mushroom - Brown cremini mushrooms or button mushrooms are always my go-to but any small mushrooms you have work great. Oyster mushrooms or porcini mushrooms are also delicious.
• Soft goat cheese - The sauce is made with soft goat cheese (chevre) instead of the typical heavy cream. I tend to stay away from cow's milk and I prefer the flavor of goat cheese but you can use either or.
• Onion and garlic - Sauteed red onion and garlic give the dish a ton of flavor. Yellow onion or shallots also work great.
• Dried herbs - You'll need oregano, thyme, and marjoram. I used dried herbs because they're much easier to get all year round but you can also use fresh if you have them. Keep in mind you'll have to double the amounts because dried herbs are much more concentrated.
• Cooking oil - My go-to is always 100% avocado oil but you can use any cooking oil you have on hand.
• Garnish - This is optional but I highly recommend topping the finished gnocchi with toasted pine nuts, fresh herbs (chives or parsley), a squeeze of lemon, and ground sumac if you have it. Sumac is a ground, dried dark red berry. It's a popular spice in Middle Eastern cooking and has a slightly tangy flavor that goes really well with the creamy sauce and adds umami depth to the dish.

Variations and Substitutions

• Gluten-free or cauliflower gnocchi - You can use homemade gnocchi or store-bought. Gluten-free, cauliflower, or even sweet potato gnocchi all work in this recipe.
• Heavy cream - If you don't want to use goat cheese, you can use heavy cream instead. Keep in mind it has a much looser consistency so you'll need less of the cooking water.
• Sage - This gnocchi would also be delicious garnished with fresh sage fried in butter. Just melt butter over medium-high heat, add sage leaves, and cook for a minute or two until golden and crispy.
• Add greens - You can toss some baby spinach or chopped kale into the sauce and allow it to wilt down before you add the gnocchi.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Heat a large pan over medium-high heat.
2. Add avocado oil and chopped red onion. Cook for about 5 minutes until translucent.
3. Add garlic and cook for another minute.

4. Add mushroom and a little more cooking oil if needed.
5. Season with sea salt, dried oregano, thyme, and marjoram.
6. Cook the mushroom for 15-18 minutes stirring every few minutes. They start to release water after 3-5 minutes which helps them from sticking to the pan.

7. At the end, add soft goat cheese and stir it in allowing it to melt. Lower the heat to low so it doesn’t burn. Add a splash of water to deglaze the pan if needed.
8. While the mushrooms are cooking, boil your gnocchi in a large pot of salted water according to package instructions. Most will take 2-3 minutes to cook.
9. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water and strain the gnocchi.

10. Add the gnocchi with ½ cup of the cooking water to the mushroom sauce.
11. Gently toss everything together and season with black pepper, and sumac, and add fresh chives, and a squeeze of lemon.
12. Toss again and adjust the seasoning to your liking.
13. Serve garnished with toasted pine nuts, sumac, a lemon wedge, and more chives.

Serving Suggestions

You can serve the gnocchi on their own, with a side of a small salad like this Greek Beet Salad, or a protein of choice. Roasted chicken or salmon would be perfect here.

If you're a wine drinker, try it with some dry white wine or if you're like me and love a good cocktail, give this Campari Margarita a try!

Storing and Reheating

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. When the gnocchi get cold in the fridge, they'll become really tough but once you reheat them, they'll soften again.

I recommend reheating them in a skillet or a saucepan on the stove over medium heat with a splash of water until warmed through.

FAQs

Similar Pasta Recipes

You can find two more gnocchi recipes below but there are also lots of creamy pasta recipes to choose from similar to these gnocchis! Some are vegan-friendly, some have fish and seafood - a little bit of everything for everyone to choose from. Head over to Pasta Recipes to see all the latest ones!

• Creamy Pesto Gnocchi
• Sheet Pan Asparagus Gnocchi
• Creamy Tomato Shrimp Pasta
• Creamy Broccoli Pasta
• Creme Fraiche Salmon Pasta

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