Dinner
Sheet Pan Gnocchi and Frozen Broccoli
Shelf stable gnocchi does not have to be boiled. Roast it straight from the package and it turns crispy outside and chewy inside, which is much better than the boiled version. One pan, no pot, no draining, and the only thing you wash is the pan.
Cost a serving$2
Time30 minutes
Serves4
Protein15g
Delivery pasta plus fees costs about $22. This costs $2 a serving.
You save about $20 every time you make it instead.
What you need
Sheet pan, Oven
No special tools
No Sheet pan, if you do not have one?Any oven safe dish works, but the food will steam rather than crisp if the sides are tall. A cheap quarter sheet pan is about eight dollars and is the single most useful pan for a small kitchen. Buy one.
No Oven, if you only have a toaster oven?Halve the recipe and cook in your toaster oven at the same temperature. Most toaster ovens fit a quarter sheet pan.
Ingredients
- 1 package (16 oz) shelf stable potato gnocchi
- 4 cups frozen broccoli florets, no need to thaw
- 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and patted dry
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, optional
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- 3 tablespoons jarred pesto, for serving
How to make it
- Heat the oven to 425 degrees. A hot oven is not optional here. At 375 the gnocchi goes soft and pale.
- Dump the gnocchi, frozen broccoli, chickpeas, and tomatoes onto a sheet pan. Break up any gnocchi that are stuck together.
- Pour the oil over and add the garlic powder, salt, pepper, and pepper flakes. Toss with your hands right on the pan until everything looks shiny.
- Spread it into a single layer. If it is piled up, use two pans. Crowding is the reason sheet pan dinners come out soggy.
- Roast 20 minutes. Pull the pan out and flip everything with a spatula. It will look wet from the broccoli. That is expected.
- Roast 8 to 10 more minutes until the gnocchi have browned spots and the chickpeas rattle when you shake the pan.
- Scatter the parmesan over the hot pan and dollop the pesto around. Serve straight off the pan.
Protein
About 15 grams per serving, mostly from the chickpeas and parmesan. Gnocchi is essentially potato and flour, so it contributes carbs and not much else. A second can of chickpeas or a package of plant-based sausage brings it to 24 grams.
Ways to add more
- Add a package of plant-based Italian sausage, sliced, at the 20 minute flip
- Use two cans of chickpeas instead of one
- Add 8 oz cubed halloumi in the last 10 minutes
Keeping it
Three days, but the gnocchi loses its crisp. Reheat in a hot skillet, not the microwave.
Change it up
- Swap the pesto for a jar of marinara warmed in the microwave
- Use frozen green beans or brussels sprouts instead of broccoli
- Add a can of drained artichoke hearts with the chickpeas