Potato Gnocchi With Bacon

Is it a side dish? An entrée? An appetizer perhaps? Yes, yes and yes! This Potato Gnocchi with Bacon is paired with pan fried cherry tomatoes, a fresh olive oil herb sauce and, of course, crispy bacon, for a beautiful dish, no matter when you serve it!

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It feels like gnocchi is one of those ingredients that just scare most people. Unless you're from an Italian family, most of us didn't grow up eating it, so we don't know how to cook it either. But the truth is, gnocchi is incredibly easy to make—and it's delicious!

Most grocery stores carry a selection of pre made gnocchi in the refrigerated section. Our favorite store offers sweet potato gnocchi, cheese stuffed gnocchi and traditional gnocchi, which is what we'll be using in this recipe.

If you have some extra time on your hands, you can even make your own gnocchi from scratch. Here's a video we've used, with a beginner-friendly homemade gnocchi recipe that's made with simple ingredients and turns out amazing every time.

As mentioned above, we'll use the store-bought gnocchi in this recipe for simplicity (and efficiency) on a busy weeknight. Start by bringing a large pot of water to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of salt to the water, then cook the gnocchi according to the package instructions. Drain the water and set the cooked gnocchi aside.

Next, we'll prepare the cherry tomato sauce. Start by chopping 1 small yellow onion and 2 cloves of fresh garlic. Add them to a skillet with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, until the onions soften and turn translucent.

Add 1 cup of quartered cherry tomatoes to the skillet with salt and pepper (to taste) as well as some fresh oregano. Cover the skillet and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes until the tomatoes soften. Pour the tomato sauce into a bowl and set aside.

In the same pan, add 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil and 1 cup of diced bacon. Cook the bacon until crispy and golden brown, usually 4-5 minutes.

Now it's time to prepare the olive oil herb sauce. In a food processor, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1/4 cup of fresh dill, 1/4 cup of fresh basil and 1/4 cup of fresh parsley and 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese. Blend briefly until the herbs and cheese are finely chopped.

All that's left is the assembly. In a large bowl combine the cooked gnocchi, the cherry tomato sauce, the bacon mixture and the olive oil herb sauce. Mix well ensuring all the gnocchi is coated. Now, simply plate the gnocchi, garnish with parmesan cheese, and enjoy!

What we like about this Potato Gnocchi with Bacon Recipe!

Potato Gnocchi with Bacon Ingredients

• 8 ounces of potato gnocchi

• 1 cup bacon, cut into small pieces

• 1 small yellow onion, diced

• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese

• Fresh oregano (or ½ tbsp dried oregano if fresh is unavailable)

• 6 1/2 tbsp olive oil, divided

• ¼ cup fresh dill

• ¼ cup fresh parsley

• ¼ cup fresh basil

• Salt and pepper to taste

  
  

How to make Potato Gnocchi with Bacon

1. Prepare the Gnocchi:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

• Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of salt.

• Once boiling, add the potato gnocchi and cook according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.

2. Prepare the Tomato Sauce:

• Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan over medium heat.

• Add the diced onion and chopped garlic, cooking for 2-3 minutes until the onion softens.

• Add the quartered cherry tomatoes, salt, pepper to taste, and fresh oregano. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 3-4 minutes until the tomatoes are soft.

3. Fry the Bacon:

• In the same pan, add ½ tablespoon of olive oil.

• Brown the bacon pieces, frying until golden, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

4. Prepare the Fresh Herb Mixture:

• In a food processor, combine the dill, parsley, fresh basil, the remaining olive oil, a pinch of salt, and the remaining clove of garlic. Blend briefly until the herbs are finely chopped.

5. Assemble the Dish:

• Mix the cooked gnocchi with the tomato sauce in the pot.

• Stir in the fresh herb mixture, ensuring everything is well combined.

• Add the fried bacon to the gnocchi and mix thoroughly.

6. Serve:

• Plate the gnocchi on a serving dish and sprinkle generously with Parmesan cheese. Enjoy immediately!

Tips and Tricks

• We typically use store-bought potato gnocchi from the refrigerated section or shelf-stable gnocchi from the pasta aisle. Both simple and easy to cook. But, you can always make your own gnocchi from scratch. Click here for a great explainer video on how to make homemade gnocchi.

• Potato gnocchi is typically cooked by boiling in water. However, if you prefer your gnocchi with a crunchy exterior and a soft interior, try pan frying it in the rendered fat, after you cook the bacon.

• Trying to stay on a low carb diet? Potato Gnocchi with Bacon might be the right fit for you. It typically has about HALF the carbs of traditional pasta. Plus, it's more filling, so you tend to eat less of it.

FAQs

• How long do I cook pre-made potato gnocchi? Most store-bought gnocchi cooks in under 5 minutes. If you're buying shelf-stable gnocchi, that number might go up to around 10-12 minutes. Whatever you do, don't overcook either variety or your gnocchi will me mushy.

• What should I serve with my gnocchi? Almost any, protein works beautifully with gnocchi. Besides bacon, some of our favorites are Italian meatballs, roasted chicken and grilled pork chops.

• My gnocchi always turns out soggy. What should I do? We'd recommend pan frying it. If your gnocchi is consistently soggy, try cooking it in a skillet with a couple tablespoons of olive oil. You'll still get the soft center, but you'll also have a nice, crispy texture on the exterior.

• Can I cook gnocchi in the oven? Absolutely! Sheet pan roasting is another great way to cook gnocchi. Simply arrange your gnocchi on a baking sheet and add cherry tomatoes onions, olive oil and the spices of your choice. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees and bake for 20-25 minutes.