Good Enough

Crispy Gnocchi with Brussles Sprouts and Brown Butter

Here’s an easy vegetarian weeknight recipe that I found on NYT Cooking: Crispy Gnocchi with Brussels Sprouts and Brown Butter.  It’s not currently behind a paywall, but it does ask for you to register with your email in order to access the recipe. For what it’s worth, this is the one recipe source that I happily pay for, and I find the app really easy to use.  The good news is you don’t really need a recipe to make this one-pan meal, and it’s infinitely customizable based on your family’s preferences and what you have on hand.

 

1. Prep your brussels, season with salt, pepper and (if you like) some lemon zest. You could switch it up with a different veggie: cauliflower, broccoli or perhaps sweet potatoes, or whatever bits and bobs need used up--but why would you, these brussels are so good!  Sautee for a total of 8 minutes, until they are crisp-tender, then set aside in a bowl.

 

1. Using the same skillet, add some more olive oil and add your gnocchi (not frozen) and cook 2-4 minutes. Be sure to watch them here, as mine burned a bit.  Now add 4 tablespoons of butter (I did less and it still tasted great) and a generous spoonful of honey. Let it cook for 1-2 more minutes until the butter smells delicious and is a bit foamy.  Add your brussels back in and serve with grated parmesan.

 

Note: To take this dish up a notch, I added some pre-cut pancetta (I usually get mine at Trader Joe’s),

which I cooked before the brussels, and cooked the brussels in the extra fat. It was a nice addition

to an already delicious dish.Pros: my kids loved it, it only takes about 20 minutes to cook, and

you only have one pan to wash at the end of the night, and it makes great leftovers to take to

work the next day. In fact, maybe you should double the recipe? Bonus points if you can find

gnocchi in a fun color (I found green and orange at my grocery store) because it will make the

dish even prettier.

 

Variation: I have also tried this sheet pan gnocchi recipe from The Kitchn when we had friends

drop in for a quick lunch and it was perhaps even easier, really colorful, used one sheet pan,

and turned out great as well.
 

Both of these recipes are easily customizable based on what you have in your fridge and can be a great weeknight meal. Let me know if you give it a try.