The Secret To A Quick And Healthy Lunch

This pan-seared gnocchi dish means crispy pillows of deliciousness.

Ever have one of those moments where you see something you’ve been doing in a completely new light? That’s what happened when the test kitchen came across this recipe from the NYT about a new way to prep and eat shelf stable gnocchi. And by ‘new,’ we had been a traditionally frozen gnocchi house. Gnocchi was always good for a quick meal, but you had to boil a pot of water to cook it. That waiting time could add an extra 10-15 minutes to your cooking time. Not the end of the world, but not exactly the quickest of meals. 

To make this lunch come together even faster, I roast the butternut squash the night before. That way, when the gnocchi is done cooking on one side in the pan, I’ll add the squash for reheating. 

What’s also so satisfying about this meal is how quick and tasty it turns out. When served for lunch on a WFH day, you’ll feel ready to take on anything in the afternoon. 

INGREDIENTS

1 butternut squash

1/4 cup olive oil, divided 

3 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 (18-ounce) package shelf stable or refrigerated potato gnocchi 

Freshly grated Parmesan for serving

HOW TO

THE NIGHT BEFORE: Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Peel, de-seed, and chop butternut squash. On a rimmed baking sheet, scatter butternut squash and toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil and salt. Roast for 40 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes until squash is caramelized. Once cooled, store in a glass container in the refrigerator. 

FOR CRISPY GNOCCI: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shelf stable gnocchi to pan. Check that most of your gnocchi is lying flat (as opposed to on the side). This way you’ll have more browning. Leave the gnocchi undisturbed to brown on one side for 5-7 minutes. Once the gnocchi has caramelized, turn over. Add the butternut squash that was roasted the night before and red pepper flakes. Continue to cook all ingredients for 7 minutes. Remove from heat. Plate and serve with grated Parmesan. 

PRO TIP

Once the gnocchi is done browning on one side, add cooked squash to the pan.