Crispy Gnocchi with Brussels Sprouts and Bacon

One skillet, 4 ingredients and ready in 30 minutes. Crispy gnocchi with sautéed Brussels sprouts, bacon and a splash of balsamic vinegar is the perfect weeknight meal or side dish for busy nights.

This recipe is sponsored by my friends at Olivieri. As always, all opinions are my own.

Who isn’t a fan of recipes that have short ingredient lists, and are big on flavour? Add in quick prep and cook time and you have a real winner of a recipe. This recipe for crispy gnocchi with Brussels sprouts and bacon fits the bill. The gnocchi doesn’t need to be boiled, just crisped up in a skillet. I used Olivieri Skillet Gnocchi for this recipe, as they are made specifically for frying and not boiling. My husband is not a potato fan at all (aside from French fries), but he ate and enjoyed every flavour we tired. Our standout favourites were Pesto Mozzarella and Cheddar Bacon.

Boiled vs Fried Gnocchi

I adore the flavour and texture of homemade gnocchi, however the time to make them homemade keeps me from it. And boiled store-bought gnocchi doesn’t always hit the mark for me, and my husband won’t even touch them. Then, we started frying them and our whole world changed.

So, what is the difference between boiled and fried gnocchi? Boiled gnocchi always seem to come out dense and chewy and dare I say slimey. It is certainly the fasted method to prepare gnocchi, but my lease favourite way to eat it. When you sauté or fry it in a skillet, it will take longer to cook through compared to boiling, but the texture is unmatched. The exterior will get crispy, and the interior should come out soft and almost pillowy. If my potato-hating husband will eat and enjoy them sautéed, you know they’re good.

Let’s Talk Ingredients

• Gnocchi: Anyone familiar with gnocchi knows its traditionally boiled. But frying them in a skillet instead is, in my opinion, the superior way to go, especially when you’re using store bought gnocchi. I use Olivieri Skillet Gnocchi, which comes in a variety of flavours (Pesto Mozzarella is my favourite) but any variety should do the trick. Olivieri gnocchi takes about 5 minutes to crisp up and heat through and the results are magical. The texture is far better than the dense gnocchi that you get when you boil them. Instead, they are crispy on the outside and pillowy and soft on the inside.
• Brussels Sprouts: If my parents cooked Brussels sprouts this way when I was a kid, I would have ate them without fussing. The key to a quick meal is to slice them thinly, instead of keeping them whole or cutting in half. With a little butter or bacon fat, these delicious little cruciferous veggies are the perfect tender-crisp texture after cooking for only 5 minutes. Alternatively, you can roast them in the oven, which will take a little longer.
• Balsamic Vinegar: A splash of balsamic vinegar at the end is the perfect way to brighten up this dish. The bacon and the gnocchi are heavy and rich flavours, but with the addition of a little balsamic, everything is brightened and lightened up.
• Bacon: I much prefer the texture of thick-cut bacon to the thinner cuts. In dishes like this, and in salads, it’s important that the bacon does crumble away or shatter into oblivion. Thick cut bacon will hold its shape and the texture is superior.

How to Make Crispy Gnocchi with Brussels sprouts and Bacon

1. Chop 1/2 lb of thick cut bacon and fry until the desired level of crispiness is achieved. Remove the bacon from the pan and reserve the bacon fat.
2. While the bacon is frying, trim the Brussel sprouts and slice them thinly. This will help them cook faster.
3. Once the bacon and fat have been removed from the skilled, add a little bacon fat back to the pan. Alternatively, you can use some salted butter. Add in the sliced Brussels sprouts and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until they are tender-crisp. If you want them to brown up a bit more, you can continue to sauté until they change colour. You can also roast the Brussels sprouts in the oven, however this will take a while longer.
4. Remove the Brussels sprouts from the skillet, and add the gnocchi. The Olivieri Skillet Gnocchi only takes about 5 minute to crisp up and heat through. Other traditional forms fo gnocchi may take a while longer, upwards of 10-15 minutes.
5. Once the gnocchi is crisp and cooked through, add the Brussels sprouts and bacon back to the skillet. Toss to coat, and then add in a few splashes of balsamic vinegar.

Looking for other Brussels sprouts recipes?

• Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Kimchi and Bacon
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Lemon Tahini Sauce
• Brussels Sprouts, Bacon and Kale Salad

Crispy Gnocchi with Bacon and Brussels Sprouts

A quick and easy side dish made in one skillet. Crispy gnocchi (no need to boil), sautéed Brussels sprouts, bacon and a splash of balsamic vinegar come together in 30 minutes!

5 from 9 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Bacon, Balsamic Vinegar, Brussels Sprouts, Gnocchi

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 405kcal

Equipment

• 1 Non-stick skillet

Ingredients

• ½ lb thick cut bacon chopped
• 1 Tbsp butter or reserved bacon fat
• 1 lb Brussels sprouts trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1 280- gram bag of Olivieri Real Cheese Filled Skillet Gnocchi or other desired flavour, such as Pesto Mozzarella
• 1-2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

Instructions

• Add the chopped bacon to a non-stick skillet over medium heat and fry until crispy. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Drain the bacon fat from the pan and set aside.
• Add 1 Tbsp of butter (or reserved bacon fat) to the skillet. Add the sliced brussels sprouts. Sauté the Brussels sprouts for about 5 minutes, or until tender-crisp (sauté for about 8 minutes if you want them to start browning).
• Remove the Brussels sprouts from the skillet.
• Add the gnocchi to the skillet and arrange in a single layer. Cook undisturbed for about 3 minutes, then flip and cook for another 2 minutes, or until heated through, brown and crisp.
• Add the bacon and Brussels sprouts back to the pan with the gnocchi and stir to combine.
• Add the balsamic vinegar and stir to coat.
• Serve immediately

Nutrition

Calories: 405kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 647mg | Potassium: 563mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 882IU | Vitamin C: 96mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutritional calculation was provided by WP Recipe Maker and is an estimation only. For special diets or medical issues please use your preferred calculator

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