A lot of people tell me that they can't cook and I don't think that's true--the problem is that a lot of people never give themselves the opportunity to cook without recipes or guidance. That's how you develop your instincts when it comes to cooking--by playing with different ingredients and flavors. As you gain experience doing that, you gain confidence. Your instincts get better. Cooking is not a skill you're born with; it's something that can only come with practice. If you've only cooked by following recipes, try putting together one meal a week without a recipe. It doesn't have to be anything elaborate--in fact, it's probably best to keep it simple. It might be disastrous at first, but I promise you, you'll get better and better with each meal.
Gnocchi is an easy ingredient to experiment with. And while I have a recipe for gnocchi on my blog, I don't have a recipe using gnocchi. It was clearly time, right? Because gnocchi are little pillows of deliciousness. Since I'm on a Brussels sprouts kick, I added those too, along with fresh lemon zest, Parmesan cheese, toasted pine nuts, and olive oil. I knew all of these things went together because I've used them in my cooking before. Even though this was the first time I put all the ingredients together in a recipe, my experience told me it would work out. Which it did! You can serve this with a salad for a light meal or divide it into two or three servings if your appetite is a little bigger. It's a delicious, easy fall dinner.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts trimmed and quartered
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 pound gnocchi cooked according to package instructions and drained
- Zest from 1 lemon
- ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
- ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400ºF.
- Toss the Brussels sprouts with 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large bowl. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and roast in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until tender and beginning to brown, stirring occasionally.
- Transfer the gnocchi and Brussels sprouts to the large bowl. Toss with the lemon zest, pine nuts, and cheese, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
Kathryn says
I'm totally craving gnocchi after reading this post - it's so light and bright and full of flavour.
Miss Tangy says
I love gnocchi! this is such a healthy and delightful recipe.
Alex Caspero MA,RD (@delishknowledge) says
Love gnocci! This version looks delicious with roasted brussels sprouts- the perfect fall dinner!
Erica {Coffee & Quinoa} says
Hard to go wrong with these delicious ingredients! Gnocchi are one of my favorite foods, and I definitely don't eat them often enough. The combo with brussels sprouts + pine nuts sounds delicious!
Kiersten says
I need to make gnocchi more often too! I always forget about it. 🙂
Grace @ Earthy Feast says
What a lovely meal Kiersten! I totally share your cooking philosophy - just get in the kitchen and play and make mistakes and learn from them. 🙂
Kiersten says
Yup, I experiment a lot and rarely is something so bad that it's inedible. 🙂
Colleen @ Culinary Colleen says
Brussels sprouts and pine nuts is such a good combination, but I've never tried it with gnocchi. Sounds perfect together!
Maria Kollision says
Looks great! I love gnocchi so much. 🙂 And I agree -- while cooking is a learned skill, it is also an art form. Trying new recipes and ingredients can help to hone the "culinary instincts", but flying in the kitchen without a safety net -- ah, now that is freedom.
Kiersten says
Yes, that's definitely how you learn!
Rebecca says
Wow! Brussel sprouts are one of my favorite veggies to roast, and I normally just roast them on their own and serve them as a side because I'm never really sure what else to do with them. This sounds delicious and so easy, I will have to try it. Thanks for sharing!
Kiersten says
They are great with any pasta! 🙂
Alexis @ Hummusapien says
How simple and perfect for a weeknight meal! Gnocchi is one of those things that I love but never buy for some reason...weird. Let's change that!
Kiersten says
I buy or make it a few times a year. I should make it more often too! 🙂
Maria Tadic says
Love gnocchi! And you're right - as long as you like the flavor of all the ingredients, they probably work well together!!
Amanda says
Perfect timing - I just posted two gnocchi recipes on my blog this morning and haven't had my fill yet. One thing I haven't had success with is making gnocchi from scratch, so I'm off to read your recipe for homemade gnocchi. It would be nice to stop buying the frozen kind!
Kiersten says
Gnocchi is SUCH a pain to make. I buy mine most of the time, but once in a while I'll make it from scratch on a weekend when I have a little time. 🙂
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
I love gnocchi, this sounds like a great variation for fall!
Katy says
Mmmm, gnocchi, brussels sprouts, everything! I agree with the whole trusting your instincts thing. Sometimes I forget about my instincts when I'm cooking and regret it later, but when I follow them I'm always happy. This looks like a great quick dinner. Pinned!
Kiersten says
Yes, I do the same! Sometimes I'll be making a recipe and I know something doesn't seem right, but I follow the directions instead and I always regret it.
Cassie | Bake Your Day says
Gorgeous photos, Kiersten. I love everything about this dish!
[email protected]'s Recipes says
A simple and delicious wintery dish. I love the flavours.
Caitlin says
i always loved gnocchi. it's so dough and hearty and delicious. this looks so comforting and delicious!
Deb Vozniak says
I hate brussels sprouts and this looks fantastic to me! I can't wait to try it.
Kiersten says
I always tell people if they hate Brussels sprouts to try them roasted. And if you don't like them roasted, then you really don't like Brussels sprouts. 🙂
Ash-foodfashionparty says
There's something about roasting brussel sprouts, make it delicious. this is such a comforting hearty meal.
Kiersten says
Yes, roasting them is definitely the way to go!
Grace @ FoodFitnessFreshAir says
Ah, I try to tell people all the time cooking is simple! Especially with a good recipe in hand. All you need is the right ingredients and a little patience...
I have some pumpkin gnocchi waiting in the freezer. I bet it'd pair perfectly with brussels sprouts!
Kiersten says
Ooh yes, pumpkin gnocchi would work really well in this recipe!
Ali @ Inspiralized says
I'm on a brussel sprout kick right now, thanks for fueling that fire! Love this recipe and your blog. Oh my... 🙂
Kiersten says
Sprouts are totally my thing this fall too. 🙂
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says
Two of my comfort foods into one?! Genius and delicious 😀
Lena says
I remember those early days of trying to improvise in the kitchen so well. Especially that one time I tried recreating a dish I had in a Moroccan restaurant in Spain. I just couldn't stop myself from adding more and more ingredients and while the end result was still edible, I really learnt that day that one has to learn to know when enough is enough.
The quick pasta, or here gnocchi meals never ever failed me, though. And right now I am thinking of actually making gnocchi myself this coming weekend. Thanks for the inspiration!
Kiersten says
Yes, less is always more. When I first started developing recipes, I always thought recipes had to have a long list of ingredients in order to be good. Which definitely isn't true!
Cindy says
This looks so yummy. I have some Italian Sausage from Field Roast- it cam highly recommended. Have you ever tried it? I was thinking of skipping the gnocchi (low carb!) and substituting with the sausage. What do you think?
Kiersten says
Field Roast Italian Sausage is my favorite! I don't buy any other brand because theirs is the only one made with real ingredients. 🙂 If you substitute sausage for gnocchi, it's going to be a completely different dish, but Italian sausage + roasted Brussels sprouts will still be delicious!
Jennie @themessybakerblog says
My instincts are telling me to make this gnocchi. I love brussel sprouts more than words can say.
Kiersten says
Definitely trust your instincts. 🙂
Puja @ Indiaphile.info says
I so love brussels sprouts! This looks like an amazing simple meal. Yum! 🙂