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Browned Butter Gnocchi with Broccoli and Pine Nuts

Browned Butter Gnocchi with Broccoli and Pine Nuts is a simple meal of soft gnocchi, crisp broccoli with a brown butter sauce and topped with toasted pine nuts and fresh parmesan cheese. This meals comes together in under 15 minutes. 

Butter Gnocchi with Broccoli and Pine Nuts - delicious

BROWN BUTTER GNOCCHI WITH BROCCOLI AND PINE NUTS

Browned butter is the best.

I love the nutty smell it gives off as it cooks and the taste it adds to dishes like these Green Beans with Brown Butter and Toasted Almonds and today’s Browned Butter Gnocchi with Broccoli and Pine Nuts.

This dish brings together soft gnocchi, crispy broccoli that pairs really nice with the brown butter sauce and the toasted pine nuts and parmesan cheese.

One of my favorite things about today’s dish is that it comes together in under 15 minutes.

You can’t beat that on a night when you are exhausted and can’t get the energy to cook a complicated recipe.

I love gnocchi and so does my family. 

I add it to soups like this Easy Gnocchi Soup as well as other meal like this One Pot French Onion Gnocchi and this Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Browned Butter Gnocchi with Broccoli and Pine Nuts - So simple to make

Lets talk about gnocchi for a second.

Does anyone else love those little soft, pillowy potato dumplings as much as I do?

When Mike and I traveled to Italy a few years ago we saw how gnocchi is made using flour, potatoes and eggs.

It really is simple to make. If you want to try yourself you can follow this step-by-step guide or for an easier option check out your local store {I buy the pre-made gnocchi from Trader Joes}.

We also ate some amazing gnocchi dishes in Italy including a gnocchi, gorgonzola and pine nut dish.

While I don’t make gnocchi all of the time, it is a great dish to make on occasion when you are craving a little comfort food, especially considering how easily it comes together.

Browned Butter Gnocchi with Broccoli and Pine Nuts - my favorite gnocchi dish

This Browned Butter Gnocchi with Broccoli and Pine Nuts is a three step recipe.

First, you will want to toast the pine nuts in a small skillet.

Second, you will boil the gnocchi and then add the broccoli.

This should take a quick 4 or 5 minutes, depending on the gnocchi you buy.

Lastly, you brown the butter with the olive oil and then toss everything together and top the dish with the toasted pine nuts and the parmesan cheese. It is as easy as 1-2-3!

Browned Butter Gnocchi with Broccoli and Pine Nuts - a quick dinner

Butter Gnocchi with Broccoli and Pine Nuts - delicious

Browned Butter Gnocchi with Broccoli and Pine Nuts

Yield: 4
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

Browned Butter Gnocchi with Broccoli and Pine Nuts is a simple meal of soft gnocchi, crisp broccoli with a brown butter sauce and topped with toasted pine nuts and fresh parmesan cheese. This meals comes together in under 15 minutes.

Ingredients

  • 2 - 16 ounce packages prepared gnocchi
  • 5 cups chopped broccoli {about 1 large head of broccoli}
  • 4 tbsps. unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsps. olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. black pepper
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
  • 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper {or more for spice--optional}
  • 1/4 cup freshly shaved parmesan cheese {or cheese of your choice}

Instructions

  1. Heat a dry large skillet over medium-low heat and toast pine nuts, stirring frequently, until pine nuts are golden in spots, about 3 minutes. Remove and set aside.
  2. Heat water in a large pot until boiling. Add the gnocchi and cook according to the package directions. Add the broccoli to the boiling water during the last 3 minutes of cooking {for me the gnocchi took 4 minutes so I added the broccoli in after 1 minute of cooking}.
  3. In a large skillet heat the 4 Tablespoons of butter and olive oil over medium heat and cook for 7-8 minutes, until the butter is browned. Add the gnocchi and broccoli, salt and pepper and toss to coat the gnocchi with the butter.
  4. Add the shaved parmesan cheese to the warm gnocchi and let side to allow the cheese to melt.
  5. Serve the gnocchi warm with a sprinkle of crushed red pepper {optional}, the toasted pine nuts and additional cheese for garnish.

Notes

This recipe makes 8 cups.

Try other cheese including pecorino Romano or mozzarella.

You can easily use a different vegetable in place of the broccoli. Try peas, green beans or broccolini.

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Easy Gnocchi Soup - A Cedar Spoon

Sunday 5th of April 2020

[…] you but there is something so comforting about gnocchi. I love using it in a one pot meal like this Browned Butter Gnocchi with Broccoli or as a pairing for tender short ribs like in this Slow Cooker Balsamic Short Ribs recipe. […]

Catherine

Thursday 24th of March 2016

Dear Julia, this looks like a fabulous meal. I love gnocci and this is my idea of a perfect week night meal. xo, Catherine

Julia

Friday 25th of March 2016

Thanks! We love it during the week.

Medha @ WhIsk & Shout

Tuesday 22nd of March 2016

Gnocchi are like little pillows- I"m so obsessed with yours! Delicious :)

Julia

Wednesday 23rd of March 2016

I love them too! Thanks!

Vivian | stayaliveandcooking

Tuesday 22nd of March 2016

Just when I thought gnocchi couldn't get any better... Wow! That brown butter sauce sounds amazing. And we all love meals that are both tasty and fast!

Julia

Tuesday 22nd of March 2016

Thanks! Yes, the brown butter takes this dish to the next level!

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