Gnocchi with Tomato Cream Sauce

Yield: 2-4 servings

Time: ~45 minutes

*This recipe is meant to be vegetarian, but you can add meat if you would like. I prefer chicken and sausage, but you can also use bacon or steak. Ground beef is not my thing, but you could add it if you like it.

Ingredients:

• 5-6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 white onion, diced
• 4 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 2 oz. spinach, chopped
• 2 tbsp. olive oil, split
• salt
• black pepper
• oregano
• parsley
• 4.5 oz. tomato paste
• 1 tbsp. butter
• ~1/2 c. starchy water (from gnocchi)
• 1/4 c. shredded parmesan cheese
• 1/4 c. cream
• 1 pkg. gnocchi (17.6 oz.) [Can be Gluten-Free gnocchi or sub for GF noodles]

Optional:

• 1 cooked chicken breast, cubed
• 1 cooked Italian sausage, chopped

Instructions:

1. Start by cutting all of the vegetables and cooking and chopping the meat (if you are using meat). Set aside.
2. Fill a medium-sized pot with water, add a teaspoon of salt, and put it over a medium-high heat. When the water comes to a rolling boil, add the gnocchi. When the gnocchi floats to the top, it is finished cooking. Scoop out the cooked gnocchi into a bowl. Set aside, but keep the starchy water for the sauce. (Naturally, you'll cook the gnocchi the same time you're making the sauce. Make sure to keep at least 1/2 c. of starchy water).
3. In a large sauce pan, add the garlic, onion, and 1 tbsp of olive oil. Set over a medium-high heat and lightly sauté.
4. When the garlic and onion are just beginning to brown, add the tomatoes and the remaining olive oil and turn the heat down to medium. Cook the until the tomatoes have mostly broken down (about 10 minutes). The sauce will be chunky so the tomatoes don't need to break down entirely.
5. Add the spinach and continue cooking until the spinach wilts and turns dark green (about 5 minutes).
6. This is when I add the salt, pepper, oregano, and parsley. I don't usually measure my spices so I can't give you exact amounts. Go with your gut, but undershoot it so you can add more to taste once the sauce is finished.
7. Keeping the temperature on medium, stir in the tomato paste. Add the butter, starchy water, and parmesan and stir to combine.
8. Once the parmesan has melted, stir in the cream. If your sauce is too thick, you can add more starchy water.
9. Taste your sauce and add more salt, pepper, oregano, and parsley as desired.
10. Add the gnocchi and stir to coat it in the sauce. If you are adding meats, mix them in now.
11. Serve the gnocchi and top with parmesan and parsley.

Ingredients

Sauté the onions and garlic
 

Add the tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes are somewhat broken down.

Add the spinach and cook until the spinach wilts and turns dark green.

Add the tomato paste and stir.

Stir in the starchy water, cream, and butter.