Healthy Smoked Salmon Gnocchi (Printable version)
Pillowy gnocchi with smoked salmon, creamy sauce, fresh greens, and herbs in an easy Italian-style dish.
# Ingredient list:
→ Gnocchi
01 - 1.1 pounds whole wheat or potato gnocchi, store-bought or homemade
→ Sauce & Vegetables
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 small shallot, finely chopped
05 - 3.5 ounces baby spinach, roughly chopped
06 - 0.4 cup low-fat crème fraîche or Greek yogurt
07 - Zest and juice of 1 lemon
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Smoked Salmon
10 - 5.3 ounces smoked salmon, sliced into strips
→ Garnish
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped
12 - Extra lemon wedges
# Directions:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the gnocchi and cook according to package instructions until they float to the surface, about 2–3 minutes. Drain and set aside.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and shallot, sauté for 1–2 minutes until fragrant and translucent.
03 - Add spinach and cook, stirring, until just wilted, about 1 minute.
04 - Reduce heat to low. Stir in crème fraîche or Greek yogurt, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Season with salt, pepper, and half the dill.
05 - Add cooked gnocchi to the skillet, tossing gently to coat in the sauce. Warm through for 1–2 minutes.
06 - Remove from heat. Fold in smoked salmon strips and let residual heat warm the salmon without overcooking.
07 - Divide among plates. Sprinkle with remaining dill and chives. Serve with lemon wedges.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sauce comes together in minutes but tastes like something from a bistro
- Smoked salmon transforms simple gnocchi into something luxurious
02 -
- Never cook the smoked salmon directly or it becomes tough and loses that luxurious melt-in-your-mouth quality
- The residual heat from the pasta is enough to warm the salmon through perfectly
03 -
- Pat the spinach dry before adding it to prevent the sauce from becoming watery
- Room temperature ingredients blend more smoothly into the sauce