Crispy Gnocchi With Spinach and Feta

By Hetty Lui McKinnon

Published Aug. 20, 2024

Crispy Gnocchi With Spinach and Feta
Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne.
Total Time
25 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Rating
5(4,933)
Comments
Read comments

Inspired by the herbaceous and jaunty flavors of spanakopita, the savory, ever popular Greek pie, spinach and feta headline this textural gnocchi salad. The spinach is not cooked, but is simply massaged, which softens it while ensuring it maintains its leafy structure. Incorporating some feta to the spinach massage is a functional move — the salt in the feta helps to tenderize the leaves — but it also adds a hint of quiet luxury to this dish, as the leaves become coated with the creamy, briny cheese. Be heavy-handed with your herbs and lemon, as these bring boldness and freshness that play off the saltiness of the feta. Everyday shelf-stable gnocchi from your local supermarket is perfect for crisping in the pan; if you choose to use frozen variety, no defrosting is required.

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: give recipes to anyone
    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.
    Subscribe

  • Print Options

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 5ounces baby spinach
  • 6ounces Greek feta, crumbled (about 1 cup)
  • 1lemon, halved
  • 5tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1(16- to 17-ounce) package potato gnocchi (shelf-stable, fresh or frozen)
  • ¼ to ½teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 2scallions, thinly sliced
  • Big handful of chopped dill
  • Big handful of chopped mint
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

442 calories; 26 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 14 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 42 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 12 grams protein; 684 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by
Cooking Newsletter illustration

Opt out or contact us anytime. See our Privacy Policy.

Opt out or contact us anytime. See our Privacy Policy.

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place the spinach into a large bowl. Add half of the feta, juice of ½ lemon, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a big pinch of salt; rub the ingredients vigorously into the spinach to tenderize it. Leave to sit and soften further while you cook the gnocchi.

  2. Step 2

    Heat a large (about 12-inch) cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high; add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the gnocchi to the pan, breaking up any that are stuck together. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, tossing every 2 minutes, until golden and crispy all over. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes; they will further crisp as they cool.

  3. Step 3

    Add the gnocchi to the spinach, along with the red pepper, scallions, dill and mint. Drizzle with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil, add the remaining crumbled feta and toss to combine. Squeeze the remaining lemon juice over top and serve.

Ratings

5 out of 5
4,933 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Comments

Humbug311

For those with an air fryer, the gnocchi are easily crisped that way. It takes about the same amount of time as crisping in a pan. However, I find a couple of shakes of the air fryer basket easier than having to stand over the pan and stir every couple of minutes, and it allows for the use of much less oil and avoids any chance of the gnocchi sticking to the pan and burning.

Lori

This is my new favorite recipe and I gave it five stars: 1st: Delicious 2nd: Nutritious 3rd: Inexpensive 4th: Easy to make (And I was able to do it in the allotted time without a sous chef!) 5th: Great leftovers

LMcA

I made a version of this for lunch today and it was gorgeous! I made a couple swaps based on what I had in the fridge: - Swapped the feta for blue cheese - Used fresh parsley and basil instead of dill and mint - Added a small minced shallot instead of scallions Overall, really simple and delicious; will definitely be making this again and trying different herb/cheese/greens combinations based on these ratios.

Athena

I tripled this quite recipe faithfully (aside from the addition of copious amounts of fresh garlic) for six ravenous teens, pairing it with Dan Pelosi's chicken pesto meatballs for extra protein. I crisped the gnocchi in a cast iron; when I turned it off to cool, I pressed in several cloves of garlic so the residual heat would mitigate it's bite, then combined everything as directed. So good. Enthusiastically devoured by our critical brood.

Lyndsay

Added roasted chicken (lemon salt pepper & red pepper flakes). Flavors all melded so well together. Def gonna be a go-to lunch/dinner :)

Jess

This was exceedingly good for the amount of effort it took. Bright and herby and satisfying, a great spring dish. Will make again!

Private comments are only visible to you.

Recipe Tags

Advertisement

or to save this recipe.