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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) 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
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.
Can I substitue non dairy milk? Like oat milk for the cream.
Yes, you can use oat, almond, or cashew milk instead of cream in equal quantities.
I subbed cashew sour cream to make it extra creamy! So goooood!
Danielle, thank you for your feedback about using cashew sour cream! 🙂
Looks amazing and would love to try it, unfortunately the advertising is covering up the majority of the ingredients and instructions, and nowhere to close it.
Susan, I will be reviewing my ad setup this month.
I am planning on making this very soon. Was wondering if using fat free half and half would be a good substitute in place of heavy cream.
Hillary, it should work just fine. Use 1 cup of half-and-half and 1/4 cup of chicken stock, and then add the remaining 1/4 cup of chicken stock if needed. It's OK if gnocchi are half covered with liquid. When you close the lid and let everything simmer, the gnocchi will cook in the steam, too. I've made this enough times to know that the sauce thickens a lot just from gnocchi releasing starch, so fat-free half-and-half should work.
I used GF shelf stable Gnocchi, added 1/4C Pinot Grigio along with Beef tips & used the herbs de Provence and OMG!!! it was absolutely amazing.
Tonya, I love your changes, especially the addition of wine and beef tips - so delicious! ❤️ Thank you for your review!
Julia, thank you for sharing this recipe. It was so delicious and much too easy! I felt like I was cheating! I wonder if one could use a lighter cream or milk instead of heavy cream?
Elena, you can definitely use half-and-half here or even whole milk. Gnocchi releases so much starch as it cooks, so the sauce will have a nice creamy, thickened texture regardless of whether you use whole milk, half-and-half, or heavy cream.
This was really good. I topped mine with parmesan cheese and it really elevated it. I wish I had sun-dried tomatoes on hand because they would have cut the richness of the sauce. I will definitely make it again.
Sydney, I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe. The sun-dried tomatoes and Parmesan cheese are definitely great additions!
I’m excited to make this tonight for meatless Monday. The gnocchi I have is kinda large and filled with truffle flavoring (idk, I got it at Aldi, but I’m thinking it might be good). I’m wondering about maybe adding cannellini beans as a good addition of protein and stretch the meal a little more? Or is that going to be weird? Just curious if I’m going to ruin it, lol.
Nobli, I don't think adding cannellini beans would be wierd - they will go well with the gnocchi texture. I would rinse them really well and add them last so that they don't get mushy.
I made this last night. It was wonderful. I would say less salt but I don't use much salt in anything I make. I would use just a little less of the smoked paprika or just regular. It was a bit strong but over all tastes amazing the so easy and quick to prepare. Will be making it again and thinking maybe shrimp would be good in it. Thank you and looking forward to checking out more recipes.
Kathy, I am so happy you enjoyed this recipe! ❤️ Thank you for your feedback! This would be delicious with shrimp. I've made this with chicken, too:
https://juliasalbum.com/creamy-chicken-gnocchi/
This was so fast and easy to make! A perfect rainy day comfort dish. My husband and I were just thinking of proteins we could add either chicken or some sliced sausage!
Jessica, so glad this recipe was perfect for a rainy day! This will go well with chicken, sausage, steak, or pork chops.
Made this for dinner tonight! It was SO GOOD and easy, easy, easy to make! I opted to add blackened chicken tender shredded to it and it took it up a whole other level! Thank you so much for this recipe!!
Aisha, yes, this is delicious with chicken - a great addition! Thank you for taking the time to share your rave review - it means a lot to me! ❤️❤️
Hi Julia,
I made this as a side dish to accompany grilled steak. I doubled the sauce
using half & half ( I had it on hand ), I added halved cherry tomatoes and thickened the sauce with corn starch. I had Trader Joe’s cauliflower gnocchi in the freezer
My husband loved it!!
Thanks for an easy winner
Angie, this recipe makes a great side dish to steak - love it! ❤️❤️❤️ Thank you so much for your detailed feedback!
Soooo good! We used baby bellas because there weren’t any cremini mushrooms at the store, and also I threw some more broth in because my sauce was already too thick with the gnocchi cooking, but other than followed exactly and it was so so good! So much flavor! Will definitely be making again!
Mande, thank you for your feedback - so glad you loved this! ❤️
Hi Julia, This looks amazing, I am excited to try it! Can you sub Coconut milk for the cream? I'm trying to stay as plant based as possible.
Shaye, yes, unsweetened coconut milk (full-fat or lite version) works great in this recipe! 🙂 Enjoy! 🙂
This dish is delicious, luxurious, and so easy to prepare. It was a big hit with my husband tonight. I may reduce the salt just slightly next time. Otherwise, we loved it just as is. It’s going in our regular rotation!
Lauren, I am so happy you both enjoyed this dish! Thank you for your rave review and the 5-star rating! 🙂
Agree with Lauren…delicious but use less salt.
Karen, thank you for your feedback! 🙂
Oh my goodness, Julia! This dish is DELICIOUS!! I can't believe it only takes 20 minutes to make something so elegant. It's got wonderful mouth feel. I added a splash of white wine as the spinach cooked. I'll be making this again and again. Thank you SO much. ❤️
Skye, your comment really made my day! ❤️ Thank you for taking the time to share your rave review - it means so much to me! I am wishing you and your family a very Happy New Year! ❤️