Gnocchi with Spinach and Red Pepper Sauce

Cook up some gnocchi with spinach to enjoy with an easy homemade red pepper sauce. It has many health benefits and is a delicious meal.

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Gnocchi are little pillows of potato deliciousness! I just love gnocchi and I’ll eat them in almost any way. We have tried a few different types of gnocchi recipes including chicken and gnocchi soup and gnocchi sauteed in a pan for crispy gnocchi.

This time, I boiled them and made a sauce to put over the gnocchi. It’s similar to making a regular pasta meal, only using gnocchi instead of noodles. Then I prepared a sauce from red peppers to put over the gnocchi.

The roasted red pepper sauce has a bit of tang to it and pairs well with the cooked spinach that gets mixed in with the gnocchi.

Since you are already using cheese, and there’s a sauce to dip it in, I served our gnocchi with spinach and red pepper sauce with a side of homemade cheesy garlic bread.

Serving Suggestions & Tips

• Garnish the dish with shredded Manchego cheese or Parmesan cheese, golden brown toasted pine nuts, fresh basil, more red pepper flakes, nutritional yeast, or a pinch of salt and black pepper. 
• For a more creamy sauce, whisk in some heavy cream or whole milk.
• If you want to add meat to the red pepper gnocchi recipe, try adding shredded grilled chicken, cooked Italian sausage or chicken sausage, or browned ground beef. 
• Serve this dish with a side of fresh bread, a salad with fresh olives, or whole tomatoes sprinkled with kosher salt. 
• Substitutes for Manchego cheese include white cheddar cheese, Fontina, Gouda, Havarti, Parmesan, or Pecorino Romano cheese. 
• Add in some more vegetables like diced bell peppers (preferably red bell pepper), diced onion, roasted cauliflower, or Italian tomatoes. 
• Homemade gnocchi would be great for this recipe if you have time to make it. Otherwise, store-bought gnocchi is my favorite way to make this a quick recipe for a busy weeknight. 

Gnocchi with Spinach and Red Pepper Sauce Step by Step

Ingredients

• 4 cups water
• 16 oz potato gnocchi
• 5 oz baby spinach leaves
• 6 tbsp Manchego cheese, shredded
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 4 oz roasted red peppers, chopped
• 5 grape tomatoes
• 2 slices French bread, torn
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

Preparation

Boil the gnocchi in a large pot of salted water for about 2-3 minutes, until they float, according to the package directions. 

Drain the gnocchi and return them to the pan. Reduce to medium heat and add the spinach, 4 tbsp of cheese, and 1 tbsp of olive oil.

Cover and let stand until the spinach wilts slightly, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and gently stir to combine.

Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender, pulse the red peppers, grape tomatoes, french bread, white wine vinegar, garlic, paprika, crushed red pepper, and the remaining 2 tbsp of oil until smooth.

Divide the gnocchi among 4 serving bowls and top evenly with the sauce and remaining cheese.

Gnocchi with Spinach and Red Peper Sauce Leftovers

Storage: Store the gnocchi separately from the red pepper sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. 

Reheating: Reheat the gnocchi with spinach and red pepper sauce in a large skillet or medium saucepan until warmed through. If the sauce has thickened, add a little bit of chicken broth, vegetable broth, milk, or water as it cooks. 

Recipe

Gnocchi with Spinach and Red Pepper Sauce

Cook up some gnocchi with spinach to enjoy with an easy homemade red pepper sauce. It has many health benefits and is a delicious meal.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Course:

Main Dish

Cuisine:

American

Keyword:

gnocchi

|

red peppers

|

sauce

|

spinach

Dietary Needs:

Egg-Free

|

Nut-Free

Cooking Method:

One-Pan Meals

Servings: 4

5 from 5 votes

Ingredients

• 4 cups water
• 16 oz gnocchi
• 5 oz spinach leaves
• 6 tbsp Manchego cheese (shredded)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 4 oz roasted red peppers (chopped)
• 5 grape tomatoes
• 2 slices French bread (torn)
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

Recommended Equipment

• Stockpot
• Food Processor
• Blender

Instructions

• Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a large stockpot
• Boil the gnocchi for about 2-3 minutes, until they float
• Drain the gnocchi and return them to the pan
• Reduce to medium heat and add the spinach, 4 tbsp of cheese, and 1 tbsp of olive oil
• Cover and let stand until the spinach wilts slightly, about 2-3 minutes
• Remove from the heat and gently stir to combine
• Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender, pulse the red peppers, grape tomatoes, french bread, white wine vinegar, garlic, paprika, crushed red pepper, and remaining 2 tbsp of oil until smooth
• Divide the gnocchi among 4 serving bowls and top evenly with the sauce and remaining cheese

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Nutrition Facts

Gnocchi with Spinach and Red Pepper Sauce

Amount Per Serving (0.75 cups)

Calories 485 Calories from Fat 180

% Daily Value*

Fat 20g31%

Saturated Fat 8g40%

Cholesterol 24mg8%

Sodium 1115mg46%

Potassium 345mg10%

Carbohydrates 62g21%

Fiber 5g20%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 15g30%

Vitamin A 3930IU79%

Vitamin C 26mg32%

Calcium 333mg33%

Iron 7mg39%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutrition content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.

Gnocchi with Spinach and Red Pepper Sauce FAQs

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