How to Make Gnocchi With Spicy Tomato and Spinach Sauce, Vegan/Vegetarian-Friendly
Gnocchi with Spicy Sauce
Italian Dumplings. Gnocchi.
Gnocchi is Italian in origin, they are small, dense soft dumplings made using semolina, potato or plain flour. Gnocchi has been popular in Italy since the Roman times, it seems likely that the recipe for making gnocchi originated somewhere in the middle east and was imported into the Roman empire by returning Romans.
Gnocchi originally contained eggs but most of today’s varieties don’t and so they are vegan-friendly as well as being suitable for vegetarians.
Remember to check the label as you never know when a company are going to sneak in something like an egg. I have been shopping for vegetarians and a vegan for years now and I still have to check all the labels every single time I go to the stores.
This recipe for gnocchi with spicy tomato and spinach sauce is quick and easy to make and tastes delicious. If you don’t want such a spicy sauce just leave out some, or all, of the chillies. You can use frozen spinach, just allow a little more time for the sauce to cook through. The quantity given here will make enough gnocchi with a spicy sauce to serve four people as a main meal or six as a starter.
If you eat cheese then you can always add a little to the dish before serving.
Gnocchi doesn't look very promising in its natural state but add a spicy tomato and spinach sauce and taste the difference.
Cook Time
Instructions
- Heat some lightly salted water in a large saucepan, the best pans for cooking pasta are actual pasta pans. When the water is boiling tip in the gnocchi. Turn down the heat and simmer for two minutes.
- Remove the cooked gnocchi from the heat, drain and set aside. Keep a little of the water that you used to boil the gnocchi in a cup or jug as this is very good for thickening the sauce if it turns out a bit too runny.
- To prepare the sauce fry the sliced button mushrooms in the extra virgin olive oil in the same pan that you cooked the gnocchi.
- Add the tomatoes, water, chilli, spinach, and half of the fresh basil leaves. Season well and cook for three or four minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining fresh basil leaves.
Ingredients
- 700g gnocchi
- 200g spinach, chopped
- 300g tomatoes, chopped
- 300g button mushrooms, sliced
- handful fresh basil leaves
- 2 chillies, de-seeded and chopped
- 2tsb extra virgin olive oil
- 2floz water
- salt and pepper, to taste
Serving suggestions and variations.
Serve immediately with a tossed green salad. You can serve this gnocchi with some grated cheese for extra protein, vegetarian parmesan or cheddar work well. I have also tried grating a small amount of vegan hard cheese over the gnocchi and it works really well too.
You can use tinned chopped tomatoes to make this dish, I have also tried adding a few chopped bell peppers to the sauce, adding a few sliced olives also tastes great. Enjoy.
© 2010 Galaxy Harvey
