Balsamic Mushroom Gnocchi
I’ve got a great weeknight dinner meal for you today, balsamic mushroom gnocchi! This dish is so easy to put together, yet fancy enough for a date-night in. Make a sauce of mushrooms, butter (non-dairy or regular) and balsamic vinegar then toss the whole thing with cooked gnocchi. It’s rich, tangy and bursting with flavor.
I don’t know how other working parent’s feel, but overwhelmed is my state of normal these days. Time is public enemy #1. I don’t have enough time to get my work done, I don’t have enough time to make meals and I definitely don’t have enough time to spend with Vander. I end most days exhausted and feeling like I’m just barely getting by on the things that matter most to me.
I know I’m lucky. I feel very fortunate that I’m able to be my own boss and make my own schedule, and I’m working hard at uncoupling the desire to be successful in my career with being successful as a mom. Is this what they mean when they say, ‘having it all?’ Somedays I feel like I do and other days… well, I most definitely don’t. I’m trying to define what that balance looks like for me and my family, not what I think it should look like.
That’s all to say that I know what a struggle getting dinner on the table each night can be. Even for someone who literally does this as her job, it’s hard. I play fast and loose with my own recipes, subbing in already cut produce or frozen vegetables where I can to save time. We order in pizza more than I’d like. I’m OK that I don’t make every spice blend or sauce from scratch anymore. This is my life as a new mom.
While I won’t promise that this gnocchi dish is super fast, it’s pretty easy. Besides slicing the mushrooms, overall prep is very minimal. The mushrooms take some time to cook down and brown, so let them do their thing while you play with your kids, clean up the kitchen or do whatever you want to do.
Gnocchi are one of my favorite pastas and I laugh that I used to make them for weeknight meals. Back in the day where I would happily open a bottle of wine and spend two hours on a Tuesday night. I hope when I told you that I did this regularly, you smiled and thought ‘just you wait.’ I get it now.
Single friends, you can absolutely make your own gnocchi. For everyone else, there’s the packaged kind which is delicious. I’m partial to the delallo brand if you can find it.
Add the cooked gnocchi to the skillet and spoon the yummy balsamic sauce over the little potato pillows so that they are coated in saucy goodness. I call for butter here and you can use whatever kind you’d like, but don’t omit it. It’s what makes the sauce and taking it out will leave you with a dry dish. You can add more, but not less!
That’s it. For my non-vegan friends, I think this dish tastes great with grated parmesan cheese or grated manchego tossed in. Either way, it’s a good one. Hope you enjoy it. xo
Balsamic Mushroom Gnocchi
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- 1 pound mixed mushrooms, I used cremini and shiitake, cleaned and sliced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 pound gnocchi
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons butter, or vegan butter, I like Earth Balance
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil leaves
- Red pepper flakes, optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and season with a large pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until browned and reduced, about 10-15 minutes.
- While the mushrooms are cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the gnocchi and cook according to package directions until just al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water and drain the gnocchi.
- Reduce the heat to medium, then add in the thyme, sage and cook another minute or so until fragrant. Add in the butter, balsamic vinegar and 1/4 cup reserved pasta water and cook to form a sauce. Add in the cooked gnocchi and stir until combined. Add in the basil and stir until combined. Season to taste as needed with salt/pepper and red pepper flakes, if using, then serve.