This is a creamy gnocchi recipe that features colourful Italian chickory: gnocchi with radicchio and cream. It may sound surprising, but cream is actually a simple but popular sauce option for gnocchi. To make things a little more interesting, in this gnocchi recipe we’re pairing cream and radicchio.
Radicchio is known for its distinctively bitter flavour. And this dish is all about celebrating its unique flavour. Cooking radicchio tones its bitterness down quite a bit. But if radicchio is to be main ingredient, you can expect its peculiar taste will shine through. And in this gnocchi recipe it does.
Of all my radicchio recipes, I think this one is the one where radicchio truly is the star. When I pair radicchio with other ingredients, like radicchio and blue cheese tart, radicchio and sausage risotto or radicchio and walnut risotto, there is always another flavourful element that counterbalances the bitterness. But in this recipe the cream is merely there for texture. This gnocchi recipe is all about putting radicchio’s delicious bitterness forward!
The ingredients
Please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for detailed quantities.
(Yes I forgot the salt in the picture, may I be forgiven.)
How to make gnocchi with radicchio
- Cut the radicchio in half, then proceed to finely slice it. Set a skillet on medium-high heat and add the butter. When melted add the radicchio and sauté for 3-4 minutes until wilted. Add a sprinkle of salt then pour in the red wine. When evaporated lower the heat, stir in the cream and the parmesan. Keep the sauce on low heat until the gnocchi are cooked.
- Set a pot of water on high heat and bring to the boil. When it boils, add salt and pour in the gnocchi. Cook according to package instructions – fresh gnocchi should only take a few minutes.
- When done, lift gnocchi with a skimmer gently shaking off as much water as possible and transfer to the sauce. Toss and serve. Top with more parmesan if desired.
Gnocchi with radicchio recipe tips
You can skip the wine if you don’t have any, or sub with white. I like to pair radicchio with red, but white will also deglaze the pan while leaving its aroma behind. However, if you choose to omit the wine, you may want to use sour cream to get that tiny hint of acidity.
Gnocchi don’t microwave well. There is a high chance they will harden as they warm. While the dish will still be edible, missing out on gnocchi’s wonderful texture is a bummer. I don’t recommend microwaving leftovers.
For a better alternative to microwaving, store leftover gnocchi with radicchio in an oven-safe container. Add a splash of cream, top with lots of grated cheese and reheat in the oven switching to broil towards the end to brown that top cheese layer. Leftover gnocchi casserole is happiness.
You may also like
- Risotto with radicchio and walnuts
- Radicchio and blue cheese tart
- Risotto with radicchio and salsiccia
- Ravioli with hazelnut butter
- Sweet potato gnocchi with brown butter
- Creamy walnut pasta
If you enjoyed this gnocchi recipe please leave a comment below. Wanna make this recipe the next time you take home a radicchio? Pin the recipe to Pinterest so you can come back to it!
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Creamy Gnocchi with Radicchio
Ingredients
- 500 g gnocchi homemade or fresh
- 1 radicchio 1 small or half an oblong one
- 200 ml cream
- 100 ml red wine
- 1 tbsp butter
- 40 g parmesan grated
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Cut the radicchio in half, then proceed to finely slice it. Set a skillet on medium heat and add the butter. When melted add the radicchio and cook for 3-4 minutes until wilted. Pour in the red wine and when evaporated stir in the cream and salt to taste, then lower the heat and stir in the parmesan. Keep the sauce on low heat until the gnocchi are cooked.
- Set a pot of water on high heat and bring to the boil. When it boils, add salt and pour in the gnocchi. Cook according to package instructions - fresh gnocchi should only take a few minutes. When done, lift gnocchi with a skimmer gently shaking off as much water as possible and transfer to the sauce. Toss and serve. Top with more parmesan if desired.
