Creamy Spinach Gnocchi Recipe

Name: Creamy Spinach Gnocchi Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 lbs potato gnocchi (Note 1); 2 tablespoons pine nuts; 2 tablespoons butter (divided); 1 small onion (finely chopped); 3 garlic cloves (minced); 7 - 9 oz fresh baby spinach (Note 2); 1 cup heavy cream; a few gratings of nutmeg; fine sea salt and ground black pepper; 2 tablespoons Parmesan (freshly grated or to taste)

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This creamy spinach gnocchi recipe is impossible to resist. It's a delicious one-pot meal ready in about 15 minutes, the perfect weeknight dish for the family yet fancy enough for guests.

golden fried gnocchi with creamy sauce in a cast-iron skillet.

This creamy spinach gnocchi recipe is like a secret weapon: it’s simple, quick, and cheap enough to cook for the family on busy weeknights but also elegant and sophisticated enough for entertaining.

The tender, pillowy gnocchi are pan-fried (not boiled) and then smothered in a comforting spinach sauce made with garlic and cream.

It’s meatless yet incredibly satisfying without meat, perfect for serving both vegetarian and non-vegetarian guests (provided you sprinkle the dish with vegetarian hard cheese and not with Parmesan, which is not vegetarian). And that’s always great when you don’t want to cook two separate dishes to satisfy both parties.

Looking for more gnocchi recipes? Check out the Creamy Gnocchi Bake Recipe or the Simple Gnocchi Gorgonzola.

Ingredients: 8 + seasoning

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

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Recipe ingredients and substitutions
How to cook spinach gnocchi?
Remember
Recipe FAQs
What to serve with them?
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💬 Comments

Recipe ingredients and substitutions

listed ingredients for making gnocchi with spinach sauce and pine nuts.

Refrigerated gnocchi: You can find them in the refrigerated pasta section of most grocery stores.

Alternatively, you can use shelf-stable potato gnocchi. Although I prefer the refrigerated kind (their texture and taste are better), I agree that shelf-stable gnocchi is a great pantry staple and that I often use them.

Homemade gnocchi would also be a great choice.

Fresh spinach: I used baby spinach. If you have more, try this Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad, too. Alternatively, you can use arugula, Swiss chard, or kale.

Mature spinach is also great; in this case, remove its stems and chop the leaves roughly.
Frozen spinach: Thaw, drain, and squeeze it with your hands to remove the excess water before adding it to the pan. If using frozen spinach, the dish will look a bit different, but it will still taste delicious.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to cook spinach gnocchi?

collage of two pictures of frying pine nuts and then gnocchi in a skillet.

Step #1: Roast the pine nuts until golden and fragrant. Transfer them to a plate.
Step #2: Pan-fry gnocchi for about 8 minutes, often stirring, until soft, puffed, and slightly crispy on the outside. Remove them from the pan.

collage of two pictures of cooking onions and then spinach in a skillet.

Steps #3: Sauté onion, add garlic
Step #4: Add the spinach leaves.

collage of two picture sof wilted spinach and then spinach with cream in a pan.

Step #5: Let them wilt for 1-2 minutes.
Step #6: Add cream and heat the spinach sauce for about 1 minute on medium-low heat.

collage of two pictures of adding gnocchi to sauce and mixing everything.

Step #6: Carefully stir in the fried gnocchi.
Step #7: Adjust the taste with salt (½ - ¾ tsp), plenty of ground black pepper, and a few generous grindings of nutmeg.
Serve immediately, sprinkled with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. You can also sprinkle the gnocchi in a creamy sauce with fresh herbs like parsley, basil, or fresh thyme.

Remember

The pan: Use a large high-sided, heavy-bottomed skillet. The pan will be quite full after adding all the ingredients, and if you use a regular shallow frying pan, you won’t be able to combine the ingredients without spilling some all over the stovetop.

Vegetarian version: Use vegetarian hard cheese instead of Parmesan, made with animal rennet.

Vegan or dairy-free version: Replace butter with a vegan alternative or olive oil and the cream with coconut milk, soy, or oat cream. Leave out the Parmesan. To make the sauce a bit cheesy, add 1-2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast to the cream sauce and stir it well before adding the gnocchi.

Recipe FAQs

Can I replace the gnocchi?

Sure, if you don’t have any, you can serve the same creamy spinach sauce with any kind of pasta. The sauce is also great served over rice, polenta, bulgur, or quinoa. All these ingredients must be boiled in a different pot before mixing with the spinach sauce.

How to store leftover gnocchi with spinach?

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Reheat: Add a splash of milk to loosen the sauce and reheat gently on the stovetop. Stir often.
Reheat in the microwave: Add a splash of milk and stir well. Reheat for 1 minute and stir again. If not hot enough, reheat for another 30-60 seconds.
Freeze: I don’t recommend freezing this dish; I tried it once, and it was not great. You can still eat it, but you will probably not enjoy it much; the texture of both gnocchi and sauce changes too much.

close up puffy golden gnocchi with spinach on a spoon and in a pan.

What to serve with them?

Serve the creamy spinach gnocchi with a fresh green salad with vinaigrette dressing.
Roasted vegetables like broccoli, asparagus, green beans, or cauliflower are also a good match.
Check out What to Serve with Gnocchi? (25 Ideas).

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