Most frozen packages of cauliflower gnocchi include chunks of sauce that break down as the dumplings cook. This recipe is for plain gnocchi; look for it at Trader Joe’s or online. Be sure to choose a package with a clear window to see only gnocchi inside; otherwise, it probably contains a sauce.
- 12-16 oz cauliflower gnocchi without sauce
- 1/2 Cup olive oil, divided use: 2 Tablespoons to brown the gnocchi, 2 Tablespoons to coat broccoli, 1/4 Cup for pesto-style sauce
- 1/4 Cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed for sauce
- 1 Cup tightly packed fresh basil leaves for sauce
- 4 small garlic cloves, minced for sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt for pesto-style sauce
- 12-16 oz arugula
- 1-1/2 – 2 pounds broccoli crowns
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
Roast the broccoli
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Rinse the broccoli and break the florets into small bite-size pieces. Discard the thick stems or save for Broccoli Soup. Toss the broccoli with 2 Tablespoons olive oil and 1 teaspoon Kosher salt. Line a shallow cookie or sheet cake pan with foil and spread the broccoli across the foil. Bake at 400°F for 15-20 minutes until some of the pieces are lightly browned. Remove from oven.
Make the sauce
Place the fresh basil leaves in a food processor and break down to smaller pieces. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients and process to a bright green ‘soupy’ consistency.
Start the gnocchi
Add 2 Tablespoons olive oil to a large non-stick pan with a lid. Turn heat to medium (5 on a scale of 0-9) and warm oil, uncovered. Add frozen gnocchi to hot oil, cover, and forget for three minutes. The bottoms will turn a nice brown and the dumplings will be mostly cooked through.
Uncover the gnocchi and use tongs to flip gnocchi to opposite side to begin browning. Recover and see if broccoli is ready to remove from oven.
Add arugula to gnocchi and toss to wilt. Add hot broccoli and sauce. Continue tossing to ensure the sauce covers all the ingredients in the pan. Serve straight from pan.
Makes 2-4 servings