A dish so rich and buttery that no one would guess it’s vegan!
For years, gnocchi was one of those foods that seemed out of reach to me as a home cook. The thought of making any pasta intimidates me, and gnocchi especially so—but I had never seen a grocery store version, so gnocchi was reserved for special occasion restaurant meals.
Then, on an otherwise commonplace trip to the market a few years ago, while comparing items in the small specialty pasta section, I looked up and there it was: a vacuum-sealed block of gnocchi. Without any notion of what to do with it, I grabbed one of the three packages on the shelf and tossed it in my cart.
We’ve only had gnocchi a few times since then, because even though it’s accessible to me now, I still think of it as a special occasion treat—and as such, it deserves special treatment. This recipe certainly fits that bill. With its combination of tender Brussels sprouts, soft pillows of gnocchi and crispy strips of vegan ham coated in a decadent mixture of butter, lemon and wine, this dish is suitable for any holiday menu.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. fresh Brussels sprouts
- 16 oz. package of gnocchi
- 3-4 slices vegan ham, cut into approximately 2 mm strips
- 1/4 onion, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 cup white wine
- 1/3 cup vegan buttery spread (such as Earth Balance)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Vegan parmesan (optional)
Directions
- Steam the Brussels sprouts for 4 minutes and immediately put into ice water. Remove to a bowl when cool.
- Cook gnocchi in boiling water for 2 minutes and immediately put into ice water. Remove to a bowl when cool.
- Prepare ingredients:
– Trim and halve the parcooked and cooled Brussels sprouts
– Thinly slice the onion
– Mince the garlic
– Cut the vegan ham into strips
– With a microplane or fine edge of a grater, zest a lemon
– Juice the lemon into a small bowl, removing the seeds - Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Melt 2-3 tablespoons of buttery spread and add the Brussels sprouts, cut side down.
- Once the sprouts have just started to brown, add the onion, garlic and ham and stir, adding buttery spread as necessary.
- When the onion is tender, add the gnocchi, lemon zest and remaining buttery spread. Sauté until the gnocchi begins to brown.
- Add the lemon juice and wine. Heat through while stirring. The liquids will cook down a bit and mix with the starch of the gnocchi to create a sauce.
- Top with vegan parmesan if desired.
Notes
- For a gluten-free dish, be sure to use gluten-free gnocchi, and omit the vegan ham.
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