Mushroom gnocchi

This mushroom gnocchi is a comforting, tasty way to serve store bought or homemade gnocchi with minimal effort. It doesn't take long to make, is great for making a few gnocchi go further and is packed with earthy flavors. A tasty vegetarian meal that will win over anyone.

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Gnocchi have long been a favorite food in our household. They were one of the first foods my elder son could out-eat us on from quite a young age. We started having them a little less for a while when my younger son was less a fan. These days, they still appear relatively often and both boys love helping to make them.

Though we don't often manage to have any leftover, if we do, I sometimes let them have some as a packed lunch for school. Or occasionally sneak some for myself, as was the case with this dish.

Since they also eat so many these days, to save me making quite so many I might make them as gnocchi with pork and fennel to stretch them out a bit more.

This recipe is perfect for both leftovers or stretching out what you have. Plus you don't by any means need to have homemade gnocchi for this. Store bought will work perfectly well. 

This dish is really all about the mushrooms, in many ways, which are wonderfully earthy and flavorful. The gnocchi pair wonderfully to give a really comforting, hearty but not too heavy meal. And best of all, it all comes together in no time.

What kind of mushrooms are best?

I used crimini mushrooms (brown) but others would definitely work as well. Different varieties add different flavors and textures and some portobello, shitake and/or chanterelles would all be good in here, as examples.

I'd suggest using at least some crimini or regular white mushrooms as they have a good balance of flavor, texture and moisture level which gives a good base to add to.

Tips for cooking the mushrooms

Mushrooms are not difficult to cook, but there are a couple things to keep in mind. First and most importantly, you don't want to overcrowd the pan as if you do, they won't brown and get lightly crispy. At most two layers of mushroom slices, but ideally not all over, is good.

Mushrooms hold a relatively large amount of liquid and as they cook, they release this into the pan. If they don't have space, this extra liquid won't evaporate to let you get to the next step where you start to brown them. I often find it's best to cook part then add the rest, or else use a larger pan than you think you need.

In contrast, when you first start cooking you might be tempted to add a lot of fat as they absorb it all. Don't, you probably don't need it. Only add any extra at the end once liquid evaporated to help them brown, if needed.

Once they are lightly browned, add the gnocchi then the stock to make more of a sauce now that you've built up all that tasty flavor.

These mushroom gnocchi are a delicious combination of earthy mushrooms and comforting gnocchi that are quick and easy to make. They're a great way to help gnocchi go further as well as make them more interesting, too. A vegetarian meal even hardened carnivores should enjoy.

Try these other tasty vegetarian meals:

• Mushroom galette
• Pumpkin risotto
• Ricotta and spinach gnudi (similar to gnocchi but without potato and packed with cheese!)
• Plus get more vegetarian meals in the archives.

See some of my favorite cooking tools and ingredients in the Caroline's Cooking Amazon store. 

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