Gnocchi in Broth with Swiss Chard

By: Gill Renée

#Vegetarian

Can’t get enough gnocchi? This gnocchi recipe is a little different than the rest such as my recipe, Brown Butter Gnocchi with Butternut Squash, Sage, and Walnuts, because it showcases gnocchi in a soup rather than in a pasta-like dish. If you want a warm and simple dish with lots of flavor, then try this recipe out!

• For this recipe you can use Parmesan cheese as a topping or in the broth itself. If you use the Parmesan in the broth, do keep in mind that if it cools down it will stick to your bowl or serving dish. I would recommend if you put it in the broth to serve it immediately to avoid this. If you want to forego the Parmesan cheese, you may as well. I have done so before and although it does alter the taste slightly, it still tastes good. The Parmesan cheese that I use is vegetarian and contains no animal derived rennet.

• This recipe calls for heavy cream, however, if you don’t have it on hand then no problem! Just leave it out. The heavy cream makes the broth have more body, but it isn’t necessary. I have made it before without heavy cream and it doesn’t affect the flavor in my opinion.

• The red pepper flakes in this recipe are optional, but they do provide a little bit of heat that complements the dish nicely. If you are a little more sensitive to spice, then you can reduce the amount of red pepper flakes or not include them. As with all my recipes, you may tailor them to fit your needs, so do what is best for you!

• Since most households use broth, I suggested that you use vegetable broth in this recipe. However, if you prefer to use concentrated broth such as bouillon cubes or paste, please don’t hesitate to substitute that in following the instructions provided for your specific concentrate.

• The Parmesan cheese that I use, Belgioioso Freshly Shredded Parmesan Cheese, is vegetarian. It is difficult to find at the normal grocery store, but I get mine from Imperfect Foods. They have a variety of affordable and sustainable groceries that can be delivered right to your door. Here’s $80 to shop ($20 off your first four orders) and create your Imperfect box: http://imprfct.us/v/andrea_24906

*This is a referral link that any customer can give out. My experiences with Imperfect Foods are from being a customer myself.

Prep Time: 10 mins.

Cook Time: 20 mins.

Total Time: 30 mins.

Servings: 2

Ingredients

• 1 bunch of rainbow Swiss chard

• 1 yellow or white onion

• 2 cloves garlic

• 2 cups or 16 oz of vegetable broth

• 1 lb of gnocchi

• 2 Tbsp. of unsalted butter

• ¼ cup or 2 oz of heavy cream

• ¼ cup or 2 oz of Parmesan cheese

• Optional: ¼ tsp of crushed red pepper

Cooking Steps

Prep Swiss Chard

Rinse and pick Swiss chard leaves from the stems. Keep the leaves and stems separate. Stack the chard leaves and cut leaves crosswise into ½ inch slices. Roughly chop stems.  

Prep Onion and Garlic

Finely dice onion and mince garlic.

Sauté Ingredients

In a large pot, add 1.5 Tbsp. of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and Swiss chard stems into pot. Sauté and stir until ingredients are very soft, about 4-6 mins.  

Make Broth

Add in 2 cups (16 oz.) of vegetable broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium high and let simmer until slightly reduced, about 5 mins.

Sear Gnocchi

While the broth simmers, heat 2 Tbsp. of unsalted butter in a large pan over medium-high heat. When the butter looks foamy, add gnocchi and stir to coat. Arrange the gnocchi in a single layer and cook, without stirring, until they start to brown, about 3-4 mins. Next, stir and cook gnocchi until lightly browned on all sides, about 3-5 mins.

Add Swiss Chard Leaves

Once broth has reduced, add in chard leaves and reduce heat to medium. Cook, while stirring, until wilted, about 2 mins. Stir in ¼ cup (2oz.) of heavy cream and stir to combine. *At this point you can stir in half of the Parmesan cheese if desired.

Serve

Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Serve broth in serving bowls and top with seared gnocchi. Top off with ¼ tsp of crushed red pepper and Parmesan. Enjoy!

Want more gnocchi? Try out my Brown Butter Gnocchi with Butternut Squash, Sage, and Walnuts recipe for a different take on this classic ingredient.

Nutrition Facts

(Per Serving)

Calories: 708

Fat: 44g

Net Carbs: 50g

Total Carbs: 58g

Fiber: 8g

Protein: 23g

The above nutrition facts are only estimates and may not be representative of your final product.