Creamy Mushroom Gnocchi

This easy, creamy mushroom gnocchi is ready in 30 minutes with a simple garlic, parmesan, and white wine sauce. No heavy cream required! Add your favorite veggies or use our substitutions guide to adapt this mushroom sauce for whatever you have on hand.

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We looooove a good mushroom cream sauce around here. Rich, earthy mushrooms? Swirled up in a cheesy parmesan white wine sauce? On top of CARBS? Swoon. Done. We're 100% in.

This creamy gnocchi recipe is a riff on our favorite easy mushroom sauce, and we're dialing up the flavor with a bit of dry white wine, diced shallot, and a pinch of nutmeg. It's easy enough for a weeknight, but elegant enough for entertaining. We used baby portobello mushrooms here, but you can use any mushroom variety you like!

We're using store-bought potato gnocchi in this recipe to keep things simple, but it would be amazing with homemade gnocchi too! (We like this quick and easy homemade gnocchi with leftover mashed potatoes, or you can try your hand at an authentic Italian gnocchi recipe.)

Basic order of operations

Put a pot of water on to boil, then make the sauce!

Sauté the mushrooms

Start by cooking sliced mushrooms in plenty of butter. Spread them out in an even layer and try not to stir them too much: We want them to spend some time sitting still in that hot pan so they brown and crisp up a bit!

Once the mushrooms have cooked down and browned a little, stir in some shallot and garlic (and a pinch of salt!)

Make a roux

Melt a bit more butter into the pan, then stir in a bit of flour to form a roux (this paste-like mixture will thicken our sauce later!)

Add the liquid

Add white wine a little at a time, and stir it well to break up any lumps of flour. Make sure to scrape up any browned bits that have formed on the bottom of the pan (browned bits = flavor!)

Then, stir in some milk, bring the sauce to a simmer, and let it thicken.

Add the parmesan

When the sauce is thick, turn off the heat and stir in your parmesan cheese along with some nutmeg and fresh cracked black pepper.

Pro tip: Buy a block of parmesan and shred it yourself for best results! Pre-shredded cheeses are often coated with preservatives that prevent them from melting smoothly, which can cause a clumpy, separated sauce (no fun).

Cook the gnocchi

When the sauce is just about done, it's time to cook the gnocchi! Give your boiling water a generous pinch (or two!) of salt, then add the gnocchi and boil until they float to the surface (this usually only takes a few minutes, but check the package directions for specific timing if you're using store bought gnocchi!)

When the gnocchi is cooked, use a large slotted spoon or spider strainer to lift it out of the water and transfer it to the sauce. We love using our spider spoon (pictured below) for pasta - it makes the transfer quick and easy (no need for a big colander or strainer!) and it lets a bit of that starchy pasta water drip into the sauce, which helps it adhere better to the gnocchi and makes it extra silky.

Riffs and Substitutions

This recipe is very forgiving, and it's a great blank canvas for any extra vegetables you have on hand! Some of our favorite swaps and additions:

• Add your favorite veggies. Broccoli, peas, kale, spinach, tomatoes, cauliflower, and corn are all delicious here! Stir tender veggies (like peas or greens) into the sauce towards the end of cooking; for heartier veggies (like broccoli or asparagus) we recommend roasting them separately or adding them to the boiling water with the gnocchi. Roasted zucchini or butternut squash is great in this recipe, too!
• Lighten up this sauce (and sneak in some extra veggies) by using our Magic Cauliflower Cream Sauce in place of the flour and milk in this recipe!
• Add some protein. Make this recipe a bit heartier by stirring in some meal prep chicken, shrimp, Italian sausage, or crispy bacon.
• Give it a flavor boost by stirring in a few teaspoons of fresh chopped herbs (sage, rosemary, and thyme are all excellent here). Dried herbs or a few scoops of your favorite pesto work well too! Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce for a bit of heat. You can also brighten this sauce up with a squeeze of lemon juice or a dash of fish sauce. A drizzle of truffle oil is great here too!
• Swap the cheese. Use goat cheese, white cheddar, asiago, or gruyere in place of some or all of the parmesan if you like. 
• No gnocchi? No problem. Make the sauce as instructed and serve over any pasta you have on hand! Grilled chicken, zucchini noodles, or your favorite grains (think rice, quinoa, and farro) are also great with this sauce.
• Use your favorite mushroom variety. We call for baby portobellos, but you can also swap for white button mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, cremini mushrooms, or do a combination of whatever you have on hand.

A few FAQs

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📖 Recipe

Creamy Mushroom Gnocchi

★★★ 3 from 4 reviews

• Author: Jessie
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: Serves 2-4 1x
• Category: Pasta
• Cuisine: Italian Inspired

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Description

This easy mushroom gnocchi is ready in 30 minutes with a creamy parmesan sauce.

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Ingredients

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• 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 8 ounces baby portobello mushrooms, cleaned and sliced (about 3 heaping cups)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 shallot, diced (about ¼ cup)
• Kosher salt to taste
• 2 Tablespoons flour
• ½ cup dry white wine (we used a Chardonnay)
• 1 cup milk
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
• ⅔ cup shredded parmesan cheese (plus extra for garnish)
• Chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)
• 16 ounces (1 pound) potato gnocchi

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Instructions

Boil water for the gnocchi 

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil on the stovetop. 

Make the sauce while the water heats up

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Set aside 1 Tablespoon of butter, then melt remaining butter in the hot skillet. 
2. Add mushrooms and sauté for 5-6 minutes, stirring only occasionally, until mushrooms have reduced in size and begun to brown.
3. Add shallot and garlic to skillet; stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes until shallot is soft and translucent. Add a generous pinch of kosher salt; stir to combine. 
4. Add remaining butter to skillet and let it melt, then add flour and stir to combine. The flour will soak up any liquid in the pan and clump together in a rough paste (this is your roux, which will thicken the sauce). Cook for 30 seconds or so, until fragrant. 
5. Add white wine a little at a time, stirring constantly to break up any lumps of flour. 
6. Add milk, nutmeg, and a few turns of fresh cracked black pepper; stir to combine. Bring sauce to a low simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thick and creamy, about 5-8 minutes.
7. Turn off the heat, add parmesan cheese, and stir until the cheese is melted into the sauce.

Cook the gnocchi and add it to the sauce 

1. Add plenty of salt to your boiling water, then cook gnocchi according to package directions (this usually takes just a few minutes - you’ll know the gnocchi are done when they float to the top). 
2. Use a spider or slotted spoon to transfer cooked gnocchi to the skillet with the mushroom sauce. Stir to combine, then taste and add salt or pepper as necessary. 
3. Garnish with parsley, more parmesan cheese, or fresh cracked black pepper (optional) and serve immediately.

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Notes

Substitutions. Use olive oil or avocado oil instead of butter. Use any mushroom variety you like (we love portobello, white button, oyster, or cremini mushrooms). Use chicken or vegetable stock instead of white wine. Use goat cheese, white cheddar, asiago, or gruyere in place of the parmesan if you like. Swap the gnocchi for your favorite pasta. You can use half and half or heavy cream instead of the milk here - just know the sauce will be much richer (if you go that route, you can also halve the flour). You can also swap our favorite vegan cauliflower cream sauce for the milk and flour here!

Additions. Add your favorite veggies (broccoli, peas, kale, spinach, etc.) or protein (chicken, shrimp, Italian sausage) to make this sauce a little heartier. Add fresh or dried herbs (we like sage, rosemary, and thyme) for a flavor boost. Finish the sauce with a squeeze of lemon or a dash of fish sauce for extra brightness.

Adjusting the sauce. If your sauce is too thick, add a splash of milk to thin it out. Sauce too thin? Let it simmer on medium-low heat for another 5-15 minutes until it thickens up. Depending on the size of your gnocchi, you may have a little more sauce than you need. 

Shred your own parmesan. Pre-shredded cheeses are often coated with preservatives that prevent them from melting smoothly. For best results, use a good parmigiano-reggiano cheese, and shred it yourself.

Don't skip the salt! This is a simple sauce, so seasoning is especially important. Taste the sauce as you go and add salt to help the flavors pop. If you don't want to add salt, you can also add white wine, herbs, lemon, or a dash of fish sauce for extra flavor. (See the post above for a full walkthrough of additions & substitutions).

Strict vegetarians should look for a parmesan cheese made without rennet. 

Nutrition

• Serving Size:
• Calories: 410
• Sugar: 5 g
• Sodium: 965.1 mg
• Fat: 12.5 g
• Carbohydrates: 56.1 g
• Protein: 14.4 g
• Cholesterol: 33.7 mg

Keywords: gnocchi, pasta, comfort food