Make this Gnocchi with Bacon & Mushrooms in just 25 minutes, with few ingredients and incredible taste. Made with store bought gnocchi and a touch of cream it's topped with a generous amount of Parmesan cheese.
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If you ask me, gnocchi is the best of two world - potatoes AND pasta. I know I know, it's not really pasta - but it's pasta-like and it goes with all the best pasta things (like butter, cheese and cream sauce) so in my world it counts anyway.
This Gnocchi with Bacon & Mushrooms is no exception.
Why you will love this recipe
- It's quick and all done in under 25 minutes
- It's easy with just a few simple steps
- Incredible flavors from just a few ingredients
- Nice sear on the gnocchi from cooking it separately in butter & bacon fat first
- Creamy - not saucy since we're using just a little bit of cream
- Want to make it even easier? Try this sheet pan version!
What you need to make it
Ingredient notes & substitutions
- Bacon can be swapped for pancetta
- Parmesan cheese can be swapped for similar cheeses (eg. Grana Padano) and is entirely optional
- Cream - I prefer heavy cream for this recipe, but you can use lighter versions as well as milk
- White button mushrooms - other mushrooms can also be used, for example chanterelles or portobello mushrooms
- Gnocchi - I use store bought, feel free to make your own if you prefer
- Butter can be swapped for cooking oil, for example olive oil, and you can use either salted or unsalted butter
How to make it
- Place chopped bacon in a cold pan
- Fry for 5 minutes until bacon looks cooked, then add the chopped garlic
- Fry for 1 more minute, without burning the garlic
- Add mushrooms and butter, allow the butter to melt, and then cook until most of the butter is gone
- Push bacon & mushrooms to one side of the pan and add the gnocchi to the other side. Cook separately for 3 minutes and stir the gnocchi occasionally.
- When the gnocchi has browned a bit, mix everything and cook 2 more minutes
- Add cream and ground black pepper, mix well
- Simmer for 2 minutes until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Serve your Gnocchi with Bacon & Mushrooms topped with shredded Parmesan cheese!
Tips & tricks
- Start the bacon in a cold pan to allow for as much fat as possible to release
- Add more butter if the pan starts to look dry
- Fry the gnocchi separately first to get a nice sear on the outside
- Add fresh herbs for a fancier version - fresh thyme and fried sage are great options
- Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days
- Reheat leftovers in the microwave in 1 minute increments. You can add a bit of cream or milk on top to avoid it drying out.
- Freeze leftovers to keep them for up to 3 months
Recipe FAQ
Yes, frying gnocchi is the very best way to cook it! This way you get a nice sear on the outside, which perfectly complements the creamy fluffiness on the inside.
Yes, you absolutely can! However, I do recommend boiling them first if they are frozen. Just 1 minute in boiling water will do the trick, and you can then go ahead and fry them.
Italians would traditionally eat gnocchi as a first course, and it is in that way an alternative to soup and pasta. It's usually served with a simple butter and sage sauce or a creamy sauce.
For things to serve with gnocchi, check out this guide to what to serve with gnocchi.
More quick & easy dinner recipes
Love quick & easy dinners, like this Gnocchi with Bacon? Then here are some more recipes you will enjoy!
Did you love this recipe? Rate it five stars!
...and let me know what you loved about it in the comments.
Recipe
Gnocchi with Bacon & Mushrooms
Print RateIngredients
- ⅓ lb bacon chopped
- 1 garlic clove finely chopped
- 6 white button mushrooms sliced
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 lb gnocchi
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
To serve
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese optional
Instructions
- Place chopped bacon in a cold pan over medium-high heat. Fry for 5 minutes, until the bacon looks cooked.⅓ lb bacon
- Add the chopped garlic and lower to medium heat. Fry for 1 minute, taking care that the garlic does not burn. If the garlic starts to brown, lower the heat further.1 garlic clove
- Add the sliced mushrooms together with the butter. Raise the heat to medium-high again, and cook 3 minutes, until the butter is mostly absorbed and the mushrooms start to look cooked.6 white button mushrooms, 2 tablespoon butter
- Push the mushrooms and bacon to one side of the pan and add the gnocchi on the other side. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the gnocchi is starting to brown.1 lb gnocchi
- Mix in the gnocchi with the bacon and mushrooms and cook 2 more minutes.
- Add the cream and black pepper, mix well, and simmer for 2 minutes, until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Taste test, and add salt if needed.½ cup heavy cream, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Serve your Gnocchi with Bacon & Mushrooms topped with shredded Parmesan cheese.1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Equipment (may contain affiliate links)
- Measuring cups (metric or US)*
Video
Notes
Nutritional information is including shredded Parmesan cheese.
Ingredient notes & substitutions
- Bacon can be swapped for pancetta
- Parmesan cheese can be swapped for similar cheeses (eg. Grana Padano)
- Cream - I prefer heavy cream for this recipe, but you can use lighter versions as well as milk
- White button mushrooms - other mushrooms can also be used, for example chanterelles or portobello mushrooms
- Gnocchi - I use store bought, feel free to make your own if you prefer
Tips & tricks
- Start the bacon in a cold pan to allow for as much fat as possible to release
- Add more butter if the pan starts to look dry
- Fry the gnocchi separately first to get a nice sear on the outside
- Add fresh herbs for a fancier version - fresh thyme and fried sage are great options
- Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days
- Reheat leftovers in the microwave in 1 minute increments. You can add a bit of cream or milk on top to avoid it drying out.
- Freeze leftovers to keep them for up to 3 months
Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate and automatically calculated, and should only be viewed as an indication.
Steve
I’ve used this recipe a number of times now and word of mouth has members of our extended family now asking me to bring this along to gatherings because they’ve heard it’s so good. It’s simple, easy and even better the following day!
Emmeline Kemperyd
Hi Steve! Thank you for taking the time to leave that comment. It made my day! /Emmeline
Marianne
Easy to make. It's yummy yummy in my tummy
LOVE IT
Jan
Really tasty! I was surprised at how delicious this was! I used milk since I didn't have cream, so it wasn't as creamy as it should have been (my fault), but still really good. It's just barely enough for 2 people in my opinion because you will want seconds!