Vegan Gnocchi with Kale & Broccoli
Four ingredients, filling, delicious, and saucy. All characteristics of this perfect Vegan Gnocchi with pan-fried kale and broccoli, tossed in your favourite pasta sauce for a perfect dinner.
Skip to any part of the recipe by clicking on the links below:
Introduction
This recipe was a bit tricky. Gnocchi typically relies on eggs to give it its classic doughy, pillow-like quality - they’re what allow it to maintain its shape without breaking apart in the pot of water. A combination of flour and potato, as well as oil and a bit of dairy-free milk made for the perfect gnocchi mixture.
It can be tough to get gnocchi right - I’m sure you’ve hand gnocchi that made your tongue stick to the top of your mouth. Not to mention, the food coma that follows could potentially last days, months, even years (ask your doctor for more information). But not this gnocchi.
It’s filling, without being too filling; satisfying, without being too difficult; and healthy, without feeling healthy. Can you ask for any more? This recipe takes just over an hour, but the majority of that time is spent baking the potatoes - so toss them in the oven, and you’ll be able to squeeze in a 42 minute episode of any show if you really put your mind to it.
When scooping your gnocchi, try to make them as even as possible. Use a 1/2 tbsp. measure to get the right quantity, and then try to make the shape of each gnocchi identical to the last. This’ll ensure they cook at the same rate, and none of them will become chewy, or come out under-cooked.
The secret to this dish is to spend the time to perfect your potato mixture before your begin to scoop out your gnocchi. As you incorporate your flour, oil, and milk, use your hands to knead the mixture so that it becomes stretchy and elasticky. If it’s too dry, add some more oil. If it’s too wet, add some more flour.
Check out the Spruce it Up section for ideas on how to take this recipe to the next level.
Before we Get Started
Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Cook Time: 50 Minutes
Total Time: 1 Hour, 15 Minutes
Yield: 100 Gnocchi
Ingredients
Pasta Sauce
Of Choice
2 lb Potatoes
I used Russet.
1/4 cup Oil
1.5 cups Flour
1/3 cup Dairy-Free Milk
I used Unsweetened Almond Milk
1 Head of Broccoli
2 cups Kale
Method
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Poke holes in your potatoes with a fork, then place them on a baking tray and throw them into the oven for 45 minutes once it has preheated.
After the potatoes have finished baking, peel them.
They’ll be really hot so watch your fingers, but the faster you peel and mash them, the better. It’ll be much easier to mash them while they’re still warm.
Put the potatoes into a bowl, and mash them until there are no chunks of potato left.
Once the flour is added, any chunks of whole potato will become unusable, so do the best you can to mash them up all the way.
Add the oil, flour, and milk to the bowl with the potatoes, and mix thoroughly with your hands to incorporate. Add two good pinches of salt, and knead your potato mixture well.
The potatoes should become elasticky. Add some more oil and flour if necessary to achieve that slightly stretchy consistency.
Fill a pot with water, and salt heavily. Bring it to a light boil.
Using a 1/2 tsp. measure, scoop a bit of your potato mixture and mold it into a gnocchi shape in your hands.
They should kinda look like garlic cloves.
Place half of your gnocchi into the boiling water, and let them cook for 4-5 minutes. After the float to the top of the water, cook for another minute. Scoop out with a slotted spoon and place aside. Repeat the process with the other half of your gnocchi.
While the gnocchi are cooking, preheat a pan over medium-high heat, with oil. Cut your broccoli into florets, and roughly chop your kale. Add them to the pan once it has come to temperature, with a good pinch of salt. Fry for approximately 3-4 minutes, tossing often.
Pour just over half of your jar of pasta sauce into the pan with the broccoli. Once all of your gnocchi has finished cooking, add it to the pan with the broccoli, kale, and sauce. Heavily pepper.
Allow the sauce to reduce until it just coats the gnocchi, broccoli, and kale. Give it a taste, and add more salt or pepper as needed.
Enjoy.
Spruce it Up
This recipe works especially well with a spicy pasta sauce. If you don’t have any on hand, sprinkle with red chili flakes, or add a dash of your go-to hot sauce.
Make this gluten-free by using a GF flour.
Switch out your the broccoli and kale with your favourite vegetables.