Gnocchi Mushroom Marsala

By
Chef Natalie Marble
-
A large saute pan with gnocchi and mushrooms inside.
Photo by Natalie Marble.

Happy Holidays, friends!

This month’s recipe is long on comfort and short on time. And when I say short on time, I’m talking about 20 minutes here! And…it’s all in one pan! This is my holiday gift to you. 

One pan gnocchi marsala takes the delicious flavor profile of the chicken marsala classic and spins it into a quick vegetable-forward weeknight dish.

Gnocchi Mushroom Marsala

Serves 4-6

2 Tbsp. Olive oil

1 lb. assorted mushrooms, sliced

1 lb. shelf-stable gnocchi

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 shallots, finely chopped

3 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, chopped and divided (reserve 1 tsp for garnish)

3 tsp. rresh rosemary leaves, chopped

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided in half

1 tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp. black pepper, or to taste

½ c. dry marsala

1 c. chicken (or vegetable) stock

¼ c. heavy cream

Kosher salt & black pepper

¼ c. fresh parsley, chopped for garnish (optional)

Preparation

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. When really hot, add the mushrooms and leave them alone for 3-4 minutes to start browning.
  2. Toss the mushrooms around and then leave them for another 3-4 minutes. Repeat that one more time. You should be seeing nice golden brown color on the mushrooms.
  3. Next, reduce the heat to medium/medium-low and add 1 tablespoon of the butter, along with the shallots, garlic, thyme (2 tsp), rosemary (3 tsp), 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper, and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Add the Marsala and scrape up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan, then let it reduce and simmer until only about 2 tablespoons of liquid are left – this won’t take long!
  5. Add the chicken stock and gnocchi and stir to coat everything well – breaking up any gnocchi that are stuck together. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce to a simmer – cover with a lid and cook for 3 minutes.
  6. After 3 minutes, remove the lid. Add the heavy cream and simmer for 1-2 minutes to reduce a little and thicken.
  7. Turn off the heat and sprinkle with remaining thyme and fresh parsley.
  8. Bring the pan to the table and ENJOY!

Notes:

  • Do I have to use all of those herbs? No, you don’t have to. If you were to only use one, my choice would be thyme. But if you can, try to use all 3.
  • I don’t have Marsala – can I substitute something else?  You can substitute another wine, but I wouldn’t recommend it. The dish will have an entirely different flavor profile.  Splurge for the bottle of Marsala and then you’ll have it for cooking in the future. It doesn’t need to be refrigerated once open – you can just store it in a cool, dark cupboard.
  • Do I have to use heavy cream? No, you can use half-n-half or omit altogether. Just know that the texture and flavor profile will not be the same. I would not recommend substituting with coconut milk.

Hello, I’m Natalie!  I’m a professionally-trained chef, culinary instructor and recipe developer living in Ann Arbor. A career change, a trip through culinary school 20 years ago, and being a lifelong Julia Child enthusiast has led me to a career doing my very favorite thing: making food and cooking approachable to home cooks of all ages!   

My passion for creating great food experiences and getting people excited about learning and having fun in the kitchen is always at the heart of what I do. You can find me at NatalieMarbleCooks.com. And on social media you can find me at @NatalieMarbleCooks.  Sign up for my bi-weekly email newsletter here, where I share family-friendly recipes, tips & tricks, new class information, and hopefully a little inspiration!

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR