I like to have shelf stable packaged gnocchi in my pantry alongside other dry pasta. And while I will sometimes boil it or add it to a soup or stew, my favorite way to prepare it is by sautéing it in some flavorful oil to help it plump up before giving it some delicious company - like beans and spinach - and making a sauce fitting for such a fantastic combination of flavors. This is not news to longtime readers. I've covered this concept before with dishes like Greek Style Fried Gnocchi and Pan-Fried Gnocchi with Roasted Tomato Sauce (search for "gnocchi" for more ideas).

If you want to switch up the kind of beans and greens, go for it. I would stick with the sun dried tomatoes because it's hard to get the same flavor and texture with other ingredients. If you would like to lighten the dish a bit, you can use half and half instead of heavy cream for the sauce, but it will be a runnier sauce. You can skip the lemon juice, but I like the extra pep it adds at the end of cooking.

I usually serve this dish with warm bread for sopping up the same and maybe a simple side salad. Then pour yourself a glass of your favorite wine and enjoy.
Gnocchi with Sun Dried Tomatoes, White Beans & Spinach
- ½ cup sliced oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes plus 2 tablespoons oil from the jar, divided
- 1 (16 ounce) package shelf-stable gnocchi
- 1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed
- 8 oz. baby spinach
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- ⅓ cup vegetable or chicken broth
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
Heat 1 tablespoon of the sun dried tomato oil in a large nonstick sauté pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the gnocchi and cook, stirring often, until they are plumped and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the beans and spinach and cook until the spinach is wilted, about 1 minute. Transfer to a plate.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of the sun dried tomato oil to the pan and heat over medium heat. Add the sun dried tomatoes and garlic; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Increase the heat to high and add the broth. Cook until the liquid has mostly evaporated, about 2 minutes.
Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the heavy cream, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Return the gnocchi mixture to the pan and stir to coat with the sauce. Serve warm.
- Yields: 4 servings
- Preparation Time: 20 minutes