Shrimp gnocchi is the ultimate Summer meal made in just 30 minutes in one pan! Store-bought gnocchi is pan-fried in the skillet until crispy and dressed up with lots of veggies (cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, and asparagus). This delicious restaurant-quality meal might become a new family favorite weeknight dinner! It's high in fiber and protein, dairy-free, low-fat, and Pescatarian.
Shrimp gnocchi - a perfect combination!
This easy and colorful meal takes only 30 minutes to make and everything is cooked in one pan. You need only 5 main ingredients: shrimp, gnocchi, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, and sun-dried tomatoes. Plus, of course, olive oil and seasonings (Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper). This simple main course makes a beautiful presentation and will be an instant hit with your family and friends! It's perfect for meal prep and busy family weeknights. For other gnocchi dinner recipe ideas, take a look at reader-favorite chicken gnocchi and very popular sausage gnocchi.
Healthy dinner
Shrimp gnocchi is a well-balanced meal that combines protein (shrimp), veggies (asparagus, sun-dried tomatoes, and cherry tomatoes) with a moderate amount of carbs (gnocchi). This recipe is packed with fiber, it's high in protein, dairy-free, low-fat, and Pescatarian (appropriate for a vegetarian diet that includes seafood).
Why you'll love it
- Simple meal. The recipe features only 5 main ingredients, such as shrimp, gnocchi, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, and sun-dried tomatoes.
- 30-Minute, One-Pan Meal. Who doesn't love quick and easy dinners with minimal cleanup? After you're done cooking and enjoying this delicious meal, there is only one pan to clean! And the whole recipe takes only 30 minutes!
- Stunning presentation. Shrimp gnocchi is one of those recipes that make an effortless beautiful presentation thanks to the vibrancy and colorfulness of the vegetables.
Is gnocchi pasta?
Gnocchi originated in Italy and is basically dumplings made of small lumps of dough. The gnocchi dough is usually made by combining wheat flour, potatoes, eggs, and seasonings. Technically, gnocchi is not pasta (since they are made as dumplings), however, gnocchi is often categorized as pasta.
What kind of gnocchi to use?
- Shelf-stable gnocchi (dry, packaged) is what I used. I fried them in the skillet until they got really crispy and tasty! You can usually find dry packaged gnocchi in many grocery stores in the same aisle as pasta. I used store-bought potato gnocchi, Delallo brand, made with 85% potatoes.
- Refrigerated gnocchi - you can find those, you guessed it, in the refrigerated pasta section of some grocery stores!
- Cauliflower gnocchi sold by Trader Joe's can also be used in this recipe without making any changes.
- Can you use homemade gnocchi? Since, in this recipe, gnocchi is pan-seared, homemade kind will work great!
Do you need to precook the gnocchi?
No, you don't! You can pan-sear gnocchi with olive oil and spices in a large skillet right out of the package. It takes only 5 to 10 minutes to get them crispy and cooked through. There is no need to boil the gnocchi like pasta. The best thing about this recipe is that everything is cooked in one pan (including shrimp and gnocchi). The clean-up is a breeze!
Substitutions and variations
- Seafood. This recipe works great with shrimp, scallops, cooked lobster meat, and lump crab meat.
- Gnocchi can be replaced with store-made ravioli, tortellini, or short-cut pasta, such as farfalle (bow tie), penne, or rigatoni.
- Vegetables. The recipe uses asparagus, cherry tomatoes, and sun-dried tomatoes. Broccoli, green beans, bell peppers, mushrooms, and cauliflower will work great, too!
Delicious additions
- Add a splash of cream to the shrimp gnocchi to create a luscious and delicious cream sauce texture. Use heavy cream or half-and-half.
- Add cheese. You can sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan, Asiago, or Romano cheese on top of the shrimp gnocchi.
- Add basil pesto. This Summer sauce will add great flavor!
- Add heat by adding more red pepper flakes.
- Pine nuts add nutty flavor and texture. I recommend briefly toasting them in the preheated oven at 350 F for just 5 minutes until lightly browned. They taste so much better when toasted!
Tips for Success
- Use pre-cooked shrimp. It saves so much time, and this shrimp gnocchi recipe is a great way to dress up the store-bought pre-cooked shrimp.
- Any size of shrimp works. I do prefer to use large, but smaller cooked shrimp will work great.
- When using raw shrimp, make sure it's peeled and deveined.
- Do not overcrowd shrimp. Make sure to space out the shrimp in the skillet when searing. This will ensure that shrimp actually gets seared and not steamed. You might have to work in batches. Also, watch the cooking times closely not to overcook the shrimp.
- Use a high-sided, heavy-bottomed cooking pan such as a cast-iron skillet or a good-quality stainless steel pan. This will help avoid the burn spots and will ensure even cooking without food getting stuck to the bottom of the pan.
- Can you make it gluten-free? Yes! There is gluten-free gnocchi available online or in some grocery stores. Just make sure to check the label.
Storage and reheating tips
- Refrigerate the leftover cooked shrimp gnocchi in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat it in the microwave in 30 seconds increments until completely heated through.
- Reheat it on the stovetop in a large, high-sided skillet on medium heat for about 10 or 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a small amount of olive oil when reheating.
- Freezer-friendly. Shrimp gnocchi freezes well - freeze it in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
What to serve with shrimp gnocchi
- Fresh salad. I would suggest a basic spinach, arugula, or mixed greens salad, sprinkled with toasted nuts (almonds or pine nuts), a small amount of shredded Parmesan or crumbled Feta cheese, and dressed with your favorite salad dressing! Or, take a look at my salad recommendations here:
- Tomato Cucumber Avocado Salad with Mozzarella and Basil Pesto
- Italian Salad
- Tomato Cucumber Lettuce Salad with Bacon and Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing
- Mango Salad with Spinach and Blueberries
Other shrimp recipes you might like
- Shrimp Pesto Pasta
- Shrimp Risotto
- Creamy Shrimp Orzo with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Spinach
- Garlic Butter Shrimp
- Pesto Shrimp with Mushrooms
Other gnocchi recipes you might like
- Creamy Sausage Gnocchi
- Creamy Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Sausage
- Creamy Pumpkin Gnocchi with Spinach and Sausage
- Creamy Chicken and Gnocchi
Shrimp Gnocchi
Ingredients
Shrimp
- 1 pound raw shrimp peeled, deveined
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (you can use oil from sun-dried tomatoes in a jar)
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon salt to taste
Veggies and gnocchi
- 1 lb asparagus ends trimmed, cut in half
- ⅓ cup sun-dried tomatoes drained of oil, chopped
- 16 oz potato gnocchi
- 1 cup red cherry tomatoes sliced in half
Instructions
Cook shrimp
- Heat a large high-sided skillet until hot on medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil (you can use oil from sun-dried tomatoes) - it should run easily but not sizzle or burn.
- Add raw shrimp (peeled and deveined), without overcrowding (you might have to cook in 2 batches). Sprinkle Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and salt over the shrimp.
- Cook shrimp, flipping it once or twice, on medium heat, about 3-4 minutes total, until pink in color. Do not overcook.
- Remove shrimp from the skillet.
Cook veggies
- Add asparagus (ends trimmed), seasoned generously with salt, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes to the same skillet. Add a small amount of olive oil (from sun-dried tomatoes), if needed.
- Cook on medium heat for 5-10 minutes until the asparagus is cooked through. Remove the asparagus and sun-dried tomatoes to a plate.
Cook gnocchi
- To the same skillet, add gnocchi. If they are stuck to each other, break them up. Add 1 more tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet if there is not enough oil left from cooking the asparagus. Season with salt and red pepper flakes, to taste.
- Cook on medium heat and stir gnocchi until all are well coated with olive oil and not stuck together for about 1 minute. Close with the lid, and cook gnocchi on medium heat for about 5 more minutes until crispy.
Assembly
- Add cooked shrimp, asparagus, sun-dried tomatoes, and cherry tomatoes to the skillet with the crispy gnocchi.
- Stir to coat and cook on low-medium heat until the shrimp is reheated, 1 or 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Season with more salt and pepper if needed.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I have fixed this dish twice since I first saw it. My wife and I like it a lot. I find that if I fix a half a dozen dishes that I haven't tried before there may be one that I like well enough to repeat. This is one of them.
That's a huge compliment to me, Charles! Thank you for taking the time to share your review! 🙂
This sounds wonderful. I have a question, Is the gnocchi fresh from the refrigerated section or the dried type in a box? I assume it is the fresh type. Could you confirm.
Anne, I've used shelf-stable gnocchi in this recipe, Dellalo Brand (made with 85% potatoes).
I made this for dinner tonight, and thought I had asparagus, but didn’t! I substituted spinach since that goes well with sundried tomatoes and adds some bright green to the dish. My husband loved it , but I thought it needed a little more seasoning. Not sure what, but something else, or maybe a little more of the Italian seasoning and pepper flakes. I love all your recipes and will definitely make it again. This is the first time I fried gnocchi, and I love it!(I usually think it’s too chewy).
Thank you, Christine, for your thoughtful review! 🙂 To make it more flavorful, you can also sprinkle some smoked paprika, or top the dish with grated Parmesan.
I have tried so many of your recipes, and each time my husband and I say "oh this is amazing and it is my favorite" and then we try the next, and here we go again, our next favorite. Your recipes make me enjoy cooking again, great homemade meals that are a breeze to make but oh the favour is pure awesomeness. Thank you!
Wow, Audrey, I am so flattered by your review! 🙂 So glad you find my recipes delicious AND practical! 🙂
Holy yummy. This is a wonderful, delicious dish exactly as written. Julia, you are a genius.
Wow, Tracey, thank you so much for such a great comment!! 🙂
What a wonderful recipe! I added some fresh spinach as someone suggested, and it was delicious! I’ll be making this often! Thank you from another Colorado gal!
Hello, Anne! 🙂 I am so happy you enjoyed this dish, spinach is a great addition!
Loved this so much. Added fresh spinach also. Will definitely make this again and thanks so much for all your recipes. They are outstanding!
Tracey, so glad you're enjoying my recipes. Thank you for your review! ❤️
Sooo delicious! I was out of some things so I had to substitute some but the dish turned out great and I am just waiting for a reasonable amount of time to pass before making it again
Megan, wow, thank you for your wonderful review! 🙂 So glad you tried this recipe and loved it! 🙂
Just made this dish and it is delicious! I added Slivered red onion to it.
Michelle, thank you for trying this recipe - glad you liked it! 🙂 🙂
Just cooked it. Love the gnocchi this way. Next time I might add mushrooms. I didn’t have sun dried tomatoes. Just left them out. Will definitely make this again.
What would you recommend instead of sun-dried tomatoes? I used them in a recipe recently and found that there were vary hard parts that you couldn’t chew and I didn’t care for that. Thank you! Happy to have found you and looking forward to making some of your recipes.