Creamy Spinach and Mushroom Gnocchi is the ultimate comfort food made in just 20 minutes entirely in one pan! Store-bought gnocchi is dressed up with lots of veggies and creamy garlic sauce. It's a perfect meatless meal on its own or a nice side dish to go along with your favorite protein.
One-pan spinach and mushroom gnocchi
If you want an easy, tasty, filling, and meatless dinner, give this recipe a try! This one-pan meal takes only 20 minutes and is sure to become a family favorite. This recipe is packed with vegetables and uses shelf-stable store-bought gnocchi. Everything is cooked in one pan, including the gnocchi! The simplicity of the creamy spinach and mushroom gnocchi makes it a perfect choice for a busy weeknight. This creamy restaurant-quality comfort food dish is meatless, yet satisfying. If you want to add some protein, check out this delicious chicken gnocchi for some ideas.
What kind of gnocchi to use?
- Shelf-stable gnocchi (dry, packaged) is the best kind of gnocchi that will work with this creamy sauce. 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? Probably not, as they are likely to fall apart or turn into mush in a sauce-based recipe like this one.
Do you have to precook gnocchi?
No, the gnocchi takes only 5 minutes to cook and you cook them right in the sauce (heavy cream + broth). Also, the starch released from gnocchi helps to thicken the sauce as well. I use heavy cream in this recipe, but half-and-half can be used instead. Cooking the gnocchi in the same pan as the other ingredients saves you one more pan to clean and minimizes the cleanup.
Ingredients
- Gnocchi. I used store-bought potato gnocchi, Delallo brand, made with 85% potatoes.
- Spinach. I use fresh spinach and wilted it right in the sauce. You can also use frozen spinach - thawed and drained of any liquid. Or, use kale instead.
- Mushrooms. I used fresh crimini mushrooms. You can also use portobello mushrooms or shiitake.
- Heavy cream provides the desired creaminess. You can also use half-and-half.
- Olive oil is used for sauteeing mushrooms.
- Chicken broth is combined together with heavy cream to cook the gnocchi. You can also use vegetable or beef broth (or stock). Or, even water if don't have chicken stock available.
- Italian seasoning adds a ton of flavor to creamy spinach and mushroom gnocchi.
- Smoked paprika is another spice that adds both color and lots of flavor to this dish.
- Garlic. I used fresh minced garlic. It adds aroma and pungency to any dish.
- Salt and pepper. Use those to taste. I recommend using freshly ground or coarse black pepper.
- Red pepper flakes will add heat. Use these sparingly, to taste, so that they don't overwhelm the dish.
How to cook one-pan gnocchi
This easy recipe is done in 4 simple steps.
1) Cook mushrooms. Start by cooking the sliced mushrooms seasoned with salt and pepper in olive oil in a large high-sided skillet. Remove half of them to the plate.
2) Make the creamy sauce and cook the gnocchi. Next, to the same skillet with the half of cooked mushrooms, add uncooked potato gnocchi, chicken broth, heavy cream, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and smoked paprika. Bring to a boil on medium heat and cook for about 5 minutes on medium heat, while the sauce boils.
3) Add fresh spinach, and cook on medium heat until the spinach wilts to your liking.
4) Assembly. Finally, assemble the dish by seasoning the creamy gnocchi with salt and pepper, as well as red pepper flakes and more smoked paprika. Top with the remaining half of the cooked mushrooms. Your dinner is ready!
Cooking tips
- Use shelf-stable packaged gnocchi for best results. Your next best choice is refrigerated gnocchi or cauliflower gnocchi. Homemade gnocchi can be fragile and fall apart in the sauce or turn into mush, so be careful if using homemade stuff.
- The sauce will thicken as this dish cools. In this case, add a splash of extra heavy cream, half-and-half, milk, or chicken broth to thin it out before serving.
- 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
- Fridge. Store spinach and mushroom gnocchi in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezer. I don't recommend freezing this as I am not a fan of freezing cream-based sauces.
- Reheat on the stovetop. I recommend reheating this dish on the stovetop for the best results. After being refrigerated, the creamy gnocchi sauce will thicken. Reheat it slowly, over low-medium heat in a large, high-sided skillet on the stovetop. When using this method, add a small amount of heavy cream, half-and-half, milk, or broth to thin out the sauce when reheating.
What to serve with it
Because the spinach and mushroom gnocchi is made with a rich and luscious cream sauce, a fresh salad is a great choice. I would suggest a basic spinach or arugula salad, sprinkled with toasted nuts, a small amount of grated Parmesan or crumbled goat cheese, and dressed with your favorite salad dressing! Here are some ideas for fresh salads:
- Arugula Salad with Apples, Cranberries, Pecans, and Balsamic Dressing
- Cranberry Spinach Salad with Cashews and Goat Cheese and Lemon-Honey Poppy Seed Dressing
- Simple Spinach Salad with Pine Nuts, Parmesan Cheese
- Arugula Salad with Pears, Apples, and Cashews
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
Creamy Spinach and Mushroom Gnocchi (One-Pan, 20 Minutes)
Ingredients
Mushrooms
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 oz mushrooms crimini
- salt and pepper
Gnocchi
- 16 oz potato gnocchi
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning or Herbs from Provence
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika or more
- 5 oz fresh spinach
- ¼ teaspoon salt to taste
- coarsely ground black pepper to taste
- red pepper flakes to taste
Instructions
Cook mushrooms
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large, high-sided, heavy-bottomed skillet. Cook sliced mushrooms (seasoned with salt and pepper), sprinkled with salt and pepper, on high heat for about 1 or 2 minutes, until lightly browned and softened. Remove half of the cooked mushrooms from the skillet to a plate.
Make creamy sauce
- To the same skillet with the half of cooked mushrooms, add uncooked potato gnocchi, chicken broth, heavy cream, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, and ¼ teaspoon salt.
- Bring to a boil on medium heat and stir everything well. Cover with lid, and allow the gnocchi to cook for about 5 minutes on medium heat, while the sauce boils.
- Add fresh spinach, and cook on medium heat, stirring frequently for 5 minutes until the spinach wilts to your liking. Cook longer if you would like a thicker sauce.
Assembly
- Season with more salt, freshly ground coarse black pepper, red pepper flakes, and smoked paprika, if you like.
- Top with the remaining half of the cooked mushrooms.
Nutrition
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.
This was amazing and so perfect on a cold stormy day! I added a bit more spinich and also used locally grown mushrooms. i would like to lower the fat in this though. any suggestions? more stock and less cream maybe?
Brandi, I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Yes, using more stock and less cream is one option. Another one is to make a roux with olive oil and flour and gradually add milk to thicken it.
Brandi,for years I've successfully replaced cream in savory dishes with Evaporated Milk. It's a perfect substitute for several reasons. I always keep it on hand, and leftovers last quite a while in the fridge. It subs equally for cream but with lower fat. If you feel you'll need to you can add a pat of butter for flavor. It's much cheaper. Sometimes I freeze leftovers in ice cube tray to toss directly into future recipes to make it creamier. It's especially nice in a tomato based sauce to lighten it up. I hope you'll try it.
Kj, thank you so much for this super-helpful and thoughtful comment! ❤️
Made this tonight; so simple but so tasty! Great weeknight dinner.
Nora, thank you for trying this recipe and so happy you loved it! 🙂
What can I use to make it dairy free?
Unsweetened coconut milk (cream) should work well!
This look amazing! What meat do you recommend to go with this?
Spicy Italian sausage would be good. Or sliced skinless boneless chicken thighs cooked with smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
Can we use frozen gnocchi?
Leanne, yes, you can! Don't thaw them. Just throw them frozen into the sauce and cook them in the same manner as the recipe instructs but a bit longer - frozen gnocchi will take a longer time to cook. Enjoy!