Crispy Gnocchi Piccata is a quick and delicious gluten-free side dish or light main that’s full of fresh, zesty flavor. Ready in under 10 minutes, too!
So much to catch up on!
First, I’ve officially been (personal) social media-free for 9 days and counting. Talk about self care – this is the best thing I’ve done for myself in such a long time. The first 36 hours were the hardest as I twiddled by thumbs wondering what my friends (and more importantly, their cute kids!) were doing, and there were more then a few times that I found myself on Instagram with no recollection of actually opening the app. Issue alert!! The good news is the longer I stay off social media the less I care, and the more I find myself actually – gasp! – reaching out to my friends to see what they’re up to. It’s tough as a digital business owner because I know IGE needs to maintain a presence on popular social media platforms, but I do plan on keeping things going for as long as possible on the personal front because I am the proud new owner of gobs of extra time, less distractions, and a clearer head.
Plus I’ve been reading! Instead of opening up Facebook or Instagram over the past week and a half, I’ve been turning to my Kindle app. I read Kristin Hannah’s The Great Alone in a day and a half, which was one of the best books I’ve read in years. Highly recommend! I also started The Woman in the Window and The Tuscan Child, both of which are ok but just can’t compare to The Great Alone. That said, do you have a fab book recommendation?
I think we’ve finally turned the corner into spring – HALLELUJAH! After a snow day last weekend, there is nothing but 50s and 60s in the forecast. The boys and I have gotten out for a couple walks and oh my word, its been so good for the soul. I’m going to be revisiting our Summer Bucket List here shortly – what’s at the top of yours?
Lincoln and I made a pan of Gluten-Free Fudgy Brownies earlier this week and I’ve been on a brownie-bender ever since. Send help…or vanilla ice cream and hot fudge sauce. Maybe some whipped cream too?
OH my gosh, last thing, we had an electrician out to the house earlier this week for a few issues and the kind gentleman (I’m being sarcastic) asked me three times if there was “anyone else that needed to be present” to go over the information he had for me. Any “phone calls” I needed to make – aka, could he just speak to my husband because I, a woman, couldn’t possibly wrap my mind around what a whole house surge protector does. I thought my head was going to explode. Ladies, I just can’t!!
Ok random ramblings aside, let’s talk Crispy Gnocchi Piccata, aka the side dish slash light supper you’ll be making for the rest of your days!
As I’ve mentioned, I’m currently obsessed with crispy gnocchi AND lemon so when the idea to marry the two came to me a couple weeks ago I was pleased as punch to find the combo turned out even better then I imagined.
Crispy Gnocchi Piccata is store-bought, packaged gnocchi that’s sauteed in extra virgin olive oil until crispy (no need to boil first) then tossed with capers, a modest amount of butter, fresh lemon juice, and a ton of fresh baby spinach. Piccata usually calls for a mixing lemon, butter, and capers, but the spinach not only bulks up the recipe but gives it a healthy punch too. Ridiculously good!
Now that the weather is finally cooperating, and we’re going to be spending as much time outside as possible, I’ll be turning to quick and easy meals like this one more and more. Crispy Gnocchi Piccata is ready in about 10 minutes and the light, fresh flavor is perfect for warm nights. I can’t get enough!
Start by heating 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large, 12″ skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add 12oz shelf-stable gnocchi straight from the package (don’t boil first) then shake the pan to get the gnocchi into an even layer. Saute for 2-3 minutes or until the bottoms are golden brown.
I use these Delallo Gluten-Free Gnocchi for all my crispy gnocchi skillets and just love them! FYI – if you don’t have to eat gluten-free, regular gnocchi usually come in 16oz packages (vs 12oz) so bump up all the remaining ingredients a touch if using a whole package of regular gnocchi.
Continue to saute the gnocchi until fork tender and golden brown all over, 2-3 more minutes, then scoot them off to the side and add 2 Tablespoons butter (or vegan butter) and 1-1/2 Tablespoons drained capers to the cleared side of the skillet. Allow the butter to melt then toss everything together to combine.
Last step is to add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice into the skillet, followed by 4 cups baby spinach that have been roughly chopped. Saute until the spinach has just wilted, 1-2 minutes.
Give the dish a taste then add more lemon juice and/or salt if necessary.
That’s all she wrote! Absolutely DELICIOUS – so much so that it really doesn’t matter what you serve alongside this delectable little side dish, but sauteed chicken breasts and/or shrimp would round out the meal. However you serve it, I hope you love this fresh and tasty recipe – ENJOY!!
Berries in a Cloud
Italian Guacamole SaladCrispy Gnocchi Piccata
Description
Crispy Gnocchi Piccata is a quick and delicious gluten-free side dish or light main that's full of fresh, zesty flavor. Ready in under 10 minutes, too!
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 12oz shelf-stable gluten-free gnocchi (I use Delallo)
- 2 Tablespoons butter or vegan butter
- 1-1/2 Tablespoon drained capers (or more!)
- 4 packed cups fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 1/2 lemon
Directions
- Heat extra virgin olive oil in a large, 12" skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add gnocchi then arrange into a single layer and saute until the bottoms are golden brown and crispy, 2-3 minutes. Stir then continue to saute until the gnocchi are fork-tender and golden brown all over, 2-3 additional minutes, stirring often. Push gnocchi to one side of the skillet then add the butter and capers to the cleared side of the skillet and allow butter to melt. Once melted, toss everything to combine.
- Add a drizzle of fresh lemon juice and chopped spinach then saute until spinach wilts, 1-2 minutes. Taste then add more lemon juice and/or salt if necessary. Serve immediately.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
That looks amazingly tasty and easy and I have some gnocchi in my pantry. Time to get some spinach! Thanks for a great recipe!
That looks delicious! Also… I applaud you for not completely losing your cool with that awful mansplainer electrician. (Can you imagine talking to a client that way?!) I fear if I’d been in your shoes, I would’ve put on a bimbo act, cocked my head to one side, and said “gee, do you think I need someone else here? Like, my lawyer? Yeah, let me see how quickly she can get here.”
(Either that or “gosh, you’re right, we need a male present for this! BRB! Don’t you go anywhere!” and then returning with my two year old rocking bed hair and his Mickey diaper. “Ok! He’s ready to weigh in on this.”) Grumble. :)
Literally lol’d! Totally using the lawyer line next time this happens to me.
LOVE. IT. Oh my gosh, it was so bad. I had to check the calendar to make sure I was still living in 2018. 🙄
Ugh, I hate when men do that. I’m an engineer and I get that on occasion when meeting with clients, drives me crazy. Top of our summer to do list is going to the water park. They had a crazy good deal on season tickets so we jumped on them. With a 2 year old and 7 month old we never wanted to go with a day pass b/c they are so expensive and the kids only last like 3 hours. With a season pass we can go every weekend for a few hours. I’m counting down the days until opening day!
Totally feel you on the season passes – sometimes hard to swallow paying so much up front but so, so worth it when the kids are young and you have no idea how long they’ll last each trip. Have FUN!
I just finished Lilac Girls at your recommendation, and loved it! Recently I read Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine and really like it – quirky, but def not fluffy. Or if you like to read thrillers, the book My Husbands Wife was great.
Side note – last night we made your crunchy taco skillet – all of my kids love that one!
I feel like I need a thriller in my life – I’ve been reading WW2 fiction for years, it feels like – time for a change. Thanks for the rec, KD!
We had your crispy gnocchi with bacon/chicken last night…one of my faves. Will have to try this one as well!
It’s a tie between how much I love both of them! Hope you enjoy this version too, Beth!
This will be a side for dinner next week. The IGE recipes I make most often are Mongolian Beef Noodle Bowls, Honey and Balsamic Onions Chicken Skillet and Chicken Bacon Rice Bowls except I add toasted pine nuts to it.
I read Lilac Girls and thought it was outstanding. If you like historical fiction, I just finished I Was Anastasia which was very good too. I felt let down at the ending of The Tuscan Child. Now I am about midway through Hurricane Season by Lauren K. Denton. So far so good.
Thanks for sharing so many yummy recipes.
Oh you made my day! I’m so glad you are enjoying the recipes so much! Ben put a little spin on this Bacon Chicken Rice Bowls earlier this week – seasoned the chicken with homemade lemon pepper seasoning then added butter to the rice. YUM. :) I just finished Lilac Girls last month – so, so good. WW2 fiction is a huge favorite of mine. I will check out Hurricane Season – than you for the rec!
I went a car dealership once to pre-look for a new car. The guy just kept saying that he’d rather my husband be with me for all the information and test drive. Said that he didn’t want to have to go through it with me alone even after telling him I usually pick the car for us!!! Arghh…. On another note, thanks for including the picture of the gnocchi that you use! It’s so helpful to see what to look for in the gluten-free section that is ok to cook with for celiac!
So obnoxious! Hope you were able to find a different sales person!!
Have you read The Nightingale by this same author? Fantastic. And I feel like I’m 3 years behind the rest of the world here, but I read ‘Big Little Lies’ recently and it was great – super fast read and a great story without being really heavy.
Yes, ugh, one of my very favorites!! I haven’t read Big Little Lies as I watched the TV series last year. Have you seen? AMAZING!
Sounds yummy, Kristin! We have some gnocchi here, and look forward to making this recipe soon!
I hope you love it, Nancy!
If you like WW2 fiction, I highly recommend “We Were the Lucky Ones”. Tough read, but so so good, especially since it’s based on a true story. I also recently enjoyed “A Man Called Ove”, about a crusty old man who forms some unlikely friendships.
Wow, just read the summary for We Were the Lucky Ones – sounds like a good one. Thank you for the recommendation, Melani!
Good lord this looks delicious. I can’t get enough lemon lately so this is going to be a total win at my house.
ALSO. That ding-dong electrician can take a SEAT. *insert eye roll*
HA, yes, ding dong indeed!!! ;) Goodbye, sir.
Ummm. Did anyone else see that Trader Joes now has a cauliflower gnocchi product now?! Buying ASAP.
WOAH! Report back and let us know what you think, if you get a a chance!
Looks amazing! And please read The Alice Network! It is one of the best books I have read in a long time!
Ooo, ok! Will go check that out now – thanks Smitha!
I loved the Nightingale so I’ll definitely be downloading The Great Alone! I highly recommend “Mudbound.” It’s not an easy read in some parts but it’s so good. Then you can watch the movie (currently on Netflix).
Awesome! I’ll check it out, Cari – thanks for the recommendation! I hope you love The Great Alone.
Yummy! Also, I have to say that I’m all about the social media cleanse as well and was doing well this winter not doing mindless “thumbing” throughout the day but lately I’ve gotten bad, especially before bed which is the worst time all of all to do it for sleep reasons. I need to get back on track and between you and another site I’ve read just this afternoon I’m motivated to do just that! Have a great weekend Kristin!
Yes, same Val! I’d prolong sleep so I could swipe through social media for 30 minutes first? Dumb. I feel so much better now. Hope you’re doing well and are enjoying the gorgeous weather this week!
Hi! I remember that you said that you studied in Japan – with that in mind, you should read Pachinko by Min Jin Lee. It’s a historical fiction novel set against the backdrop of WWII-era Korea and Japan. So sweeping and emotional – by the second page I could tell that I was in the hands of an incredible storyteller. Please check it out!
Amazing! And yes, great memory, S. I will definitely check it out. Thanks for your recommendation!
Try reading the essays posted daily on coffee and crumbs blog. I LOVE this motherhood blog and the stories the women share. So beautiful. I started listening to their podcast which you can find on their site as well and it’s such a breath of fresh air! When I don’t feel like reading that’s what I’ve been turning to. Also the book long days of small things which I heard about through them bc they guest invited the author on their podcast (drawing a blank on her name) is beautiful so far. Look it up to see if it’s down your alley. It is faith based. The second chapter literally had me in tears… it was that beautifully thought provoked and well written and another aspect of motherhood I just never even had thought about.
Thanks for the recommendation, Holly! I follow C&C on Instagram but don’t think I’ve ever actually visited the blog. I’ll so do that. Thank you again!
This looks so yummy… I can’t wait to try it! Yes, I totally agree on the social media thing. One of my favorite recent reads was The Breakdown; I’ve added two of the books you recommended..The Woman in the Window and The Great Alone look awesome.
Thanks Angie! Hope you love the new books!
So loved your gnocchi recipe with chicken and bacon. Husband who has cancer and now doesn’t like many foods ate 2 helpings! Looking forward to trying this one. Thanks for the book recommendation. Also great suggestions from your blog followers. Love your blog.
I’m so sorry to hear about your husband, Adrienne, and am so glad he found something to enjoy eating. My very best wishes to you both! <3
I love your site! Curious about using EVOO and high heat? I thought extra virgin olive oil wasn’t suppose to be used to saute? Thoughts?
Hi Rachel! You are right – when cooking a stir fry for example, on high heat, you’d want to use canola, coconut, grapeseed, avocado or another cooking oil that’s specifically made for cooking at high temperatures. These gnocchi are pan fried on medium-high at the hottest so extra virgin olive oil is just fine to use!
Yummy! I love the addition of spinach!
It’s one of my favorite parts about the dish – hope you love it, Kelli!
Read The Great Alone last week – have such a book hangover from the incredible story. Also highly recommend her book called The Nightingale if you haven’t read!
Seriously – I wanted the book to keep going and going and going. The Nightingale is another favorite of mine from Kristin Hannah – maybe I’ll just take it upon myself to read everything she’s ever written. ;)
OMG, we just tried your crispy gnocchi preparation method last night for a side dish – no capers or spinach, just garlic – and we are dying! It’s a game-changer! I always thought you had to boil them first and ended up with a soggy mess. This is so much faster and easier, and it tastes better! Thank you so much for sharing.
Right? Such a time saver and the texture is SO much better. I’m so, so glad you loved the method, Kelly! :)
That looks delicious
I made this dish last night. It is so good!! Great flavor and texture. And it was simple to put together (high on my list for recipes!). Thank you for another great recipe!
I’m thrilled you loved it, Kristine! Thank you so much for your feedback and star rating! :)
I’ve been enjoying your recipes for awhile now and just wanted to say thanks! Went out a picked the last lemon off the tree for this gnocchi – yum!!
Oh my gosh – doesn’t get fresher then that. Heavenly! So glad you enjoyed the dish, Melissa!
I tried this recipe and it was delicious! I find it easier to cook it in the pan and loved having the crispy brown outside and soft inside. Great idea!
I’m so glad you loved it, Lynda! Thank you so much for your feedback!