If you're wondering what to serve with gnocchi, here are my 16 best gnocchi side dishes you can pick from. Whether you fancy a salad, bread, meat dishes, or veggies, I've got an array of options for you!
I absolutely love gnocchi, it's such a comforting and hearty dish. However, I regularly look for a side to have alongside my gnocchi dish. Whether it's a no-mayo chicken salad, roasted vegetables, or easy chicken piccata, there are so many options to eat with gnocchi.
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What is Gnocchi?
Gnocchi is a traditional Italian dish that consists of small, soft dumplings typically made from potatoes, flour, and eggs. Originating from Italy, gnocchi comes in various regional variations, such as the classic potato gnocchi, ricotta gnocchi, and even spinach or pumpkin gnocchi. This versatile dish can be served with a variety of sauces, including tomato-based sauces like my gnocchi lasagne, creamy Alfredo, or simple butter and sage. Gnocchi is not only delicious but also quick and easy to cook, making it a favourite in many households.
How to Prepare Gnocchi?
Traditional:
Preparing gnocchi at home is a straightforward process that can be mastered with a few simple steps. Start by boiling potatoes until tender, then peel and mash them. Combine the mashed potatoes with flour and an egg to form a dough. Roll the dough into long ropes and cut it into small pieces, each about the size of a marble. To give the gnocchi their characteristic ridged texture, gently roll each piece over the back of a fork or a gnocchi board. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the gnocchi until they float to the surface, which takes just a few minutes. Drain the gnocchi and toss them with your favourite sauce.
Quick:
Although making gnocchi from scratch is a lovely activity, sometimes you just don't have time for it. So, if you buy pre-made gnocchi from your local supermarket, you simply blanch the gnocchi in salted boiling water for a few minutes and then pair it with your sauce of choice!
Recipes using Gnocchi
This is my friend Zena's Cheesy Gnocchi Bake and it is truly delicious.
This rich, indulgent gnocchi number is comfort food at its finest. It starts with a simple homemade béchamel, which is loaded with lots and lots of cheese. Add gnocchi, bake to golden brown perfection and you’ve got yourself a belter of a meal.
Mimi's Tomato & Mascarpone Sauce with Gnocchi is to die for.
This tomato gnocchi recipe is great for many reasons. The tomato and mascarpone sauce is made with minimal ingredients and little effort. The roasted veggies provide nutrients and flavour, with half of the veg being blended in the sauce. So it’s healthy, easy to make and so so flavourful.
My Gochujang Gnocchi Lasagne which is always a crowd-pleaser.
Veggie Side Dishes to Serve with Gnocchi
1. Slow Cooked Zucchinis
These delicious slow cooked courgettes (zucchini) are topped with creamy burrata and a chilli-spike vinaigrette. It's a summery dish to serve with gnocchi and adds a lovely green crunch and spice.
2. Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables
They’re quick and easy to make, and you can add Italian seasonings like thyme, oregano, basil, and lemon. The beautiful caramelization of the veggies is complimented by the aromatics, which help make this easy side dish light and bright. This is such a great recipe to have with gnocchi, it's so versatile and goes with so many different flavour profiles!
3. Ratatouille
Full of delicious vegetables, a ratatouille is a brilliant option to pair with gnocchi. This takes around 1h30 to make so make sure to prep it in advance before serving it with your gnocchi recipe!
4. Chili Lime Corn on the Cob
If you're looking for a vegetarian gnocchi side dish, then the chili lime corn is such a good one. It will require you to have a more spicy, tangy gnocchi recipe, but will go so well with the squidgy dumplings.
Salads to Serve with Gnocchi
5. Chicken Salad (without mayo)
Gnocchi is delicious, but it can be quite filling. So I always think it's really nice to have a green salad on the side. If you've not got any meat in your gnocchi recipe, then this chicken salad (without mayo) is a really great option to add in that extra protein and those greens.
6. Simple Southwest Salad with Creamy Chipotle Dressing
If you've already got tonnes of protein in your gnocchi recipe and just fancy something light and refreshing, then this green southwestern style salad will be perfect as a gnocchi side dish.
7. Goat Cheese Salad with Arugula (Rocket)
One thing I love about salads is their ability to pair so well with fruit. This delightfully fresh and fruity salad sides so well with gnocchi. It's the perfect pairing for a summer's day.
8. Cucumber Radish Salad
If you're looking for a crunchy, slightly pickled salad, then this cucumber and radish salad is perfect for your gnocchi main dish.
Bread Dishes to Serve with Gnocchi
9. Cheese Boat Pies
This Cheese Boat Pie is inspired by Georgian Khachapuri, a cheese boat style bread that is filled with several types of cheese and absolutely delicious. My take on this dish is a simpler and easier version. This recipe only requires two ingredients for the dough and is ready in 45 minutes. It's a delicious bread recipe to serve with gnocchi, especially if you have a lighter gnocchi dish that would go well with the stodginess of this cheese boat pie.
10. 2 Ingredient Bread Bites
If you've got a saucy gnocchi recipe that needs bread to soak up all the juices, then these 2 ingredient bread bites are the perfect side dish. They are super simple to make and are ready in no time.
11. Easy Garlic Bread
In my personal opinion, not a lot goes better with pasta than a gorgeous garlic bread. So when you're next cooking gnocchi, make sure to cook this garlic bread side to go with it!
12. Cheesy 'Nduja Slider
If you're wanting to go up a level on the garlic bread, then this Cheesy 'Nduja Slider is a game changer as a gnocchi side dish. This follows Italian-inspired ingredients and flavours so make sure to match it with the flavour of your gnocchi!
Meat Side Dishes for Gnocchi
13. Greek Meatballs
Making a gnocchi recipe that is mediterranean but don't know what to serve with it? Why not make my Greek-inspired meatballs? They're simple to make and easy to cook. They'd go really well with a light gnocchi recipe!
14. Chicken Piccata
Chicken piccata is a brilliant gnocchi side dish because it's simple to make and tastes delicious. Picture a silky lemon, capers, and butter sauce, with a little bit of chicken stock and parmesan all soaked into succulent pieces of fried chicken cutlets. It would go well with any kind of mediterranean-inspired gnocchi recipe that pairs well with lemony flavours!
15. Stuffed Salmon in the Airfryer
Adding seafood to this category, this air fryer stuffed salmon is a great side dish for gnocchi when you're looking for something simple, light, and packed full of flavour. It's stuffed with a ricotta, spinach, and harissa filling that melts in your mouth. If you don't think the harissa paste will go with the flavours of your gnocchi recipe, then feel free to omit that and just add in paprika.
16. Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs
Let's say you're making a gnocchi with tomato sauce, then these air fryer turkey meatballs would be a fantastic side. They're simple to make, healthy, and delicious. They are herby with no overpowering flavour or spice, so go well with any kind of sauce!
Here are some more recipes from my blog that I love!
What to Serve with Gnocchi (16 BEST Gnocchi Side Dishes)
Ingredients
- 300g gnocchi with whatever sauce you fancy!
Instructions
- Choose what kind of gnocchi recipe you'd like.
- Don't know what to serve with gnocchi? Then pick from the 16 best gnocchi side dishes further up in this blog post.
- You can choose from salads, meat side dishes, veggie dishes, or bread recipes. Enjoy!
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