Creamy Mushroom and Bacon Gnocchi

This creamy mushroom and bacon gnocchi is the perfect comfort food and it is ready in just 15 minutes.

I love creamy, hearty meals, especially in the fall and winter when the weather is getting colder. I love it even more when I can have it ready quickly without sacrificing any flavour.

This gnocchi dish, with crispy bacon and sautéed mushrooms tossed in a creamy, cheese sauce, is one of my favourites. If you’ve never had gnocchi before you don’t know what you are missing. Gnocchi is little, pillowy potato dumplings and it is the perfect vehicle for creamy sauces. Gnocchi can be used in place of pasta in almost any dish and it is delicious.

One great thing about gnocchi, other than being delicious, is it only takes minutes to cook in a pot of boiling water. You will know it is ready when the first few start floating to the top of the pot. The fact that it cooks so fast makes it perfect for serving up a quick meal for your family.

Another bonus to gnocchi, over traditional pasta, is that the gluten free varieties are just as good, if not better, than the ones that contain wheat flour. This makes it a great option for people on a gluten free diet, just be sure to read the package carefully as some varieties do contain wheat.

Gnocchi is quite dense and filling, so a small portion goes a long way. This dish with the added mushrooms and bacon is great as a complete meal, but if you could always add a salad if you wish.

This recipe calls for cooked bacon. What I like to do is cook up a tray on the weekend when I’m doing the rest of my weekly food prep and then it is ready to go throughout the week for salads, sandwiches, and recipes like this.

HOW TO MAKE CREAMY MUSHROOM & BACON GNOCCHI

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil
• While waiting for the water to boil, add the mushrooms and bacon to a large skillet with butter and cook until mushrooms are soft.
• Add the gnocchi to the boiling water
• Add the milk, cream cheese, chives and seasonings to the skillet and heat while the gnocchi is cooking.
• Drain the gnocchi and add to the skillet along with the parmesan cheese. Stir to combine
• Heat for about 2 minutes until heated through and sauce has thickened.
• Add the chopped herbs and serve

THINGS TO KNOW & HELPFUL HINTS

• What if I don’t like gnocchi? If you don’t like gnocchi, though I’m not sure that’s possible, you could use a heavy pasta like penne, rotini or farfalle.
• Can I use different cheese? Parmesan gives this a great flavour, but if you don’t have any you can use a nice melting cheese like cheddar or monterey jack.
• Can I add more vegetables? Yes, of course! Add as many as you like, this would be great with peppers, peas or onions. Add peppers or onions at the beginning when you add the mushrooms. Peas should be added at the end.
• Can I use plain cream cheese? You sure can, you may want to add some extra garlic and chives to help give it more flavour.
• What if I don’t already have cooked bacon? No problem, you can chop and cook the bacon in the skillet when you cook the mushrooms. This may just extend your total cook time a few minutes.

OTHER RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Chicken and gnocchi sheet pan

Tomato Basil skillet tortellini

Bacon parmesan pasta salad

Printable Recipe

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