Potato Gnocchi with Spinach and Mushrooms

This comforting dish of Potato Gnocchi with Spinach and Mushrooms is bathed in a light, luscious mascarpone cheese sauce. This is a deliciously easy and comforting 30-minute meal.

Quick and delicious one skillet meals are something everyone needs in their repertoire. Some of my favorites are Skillet Pork Tenderloin with Apples and Onions, One Pan Orzo with Tomatoes and Basil, One Pot Linguine with Italian Sausage, and this incredible Asparagus and Gruyere Cheese Skillet Popover.

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Jump to:

• The ingredients needed:
• Ingredient information:
• Kitchen tools and equipment needed:
• Add-in and swap-out suggestions:
• Learn about the differences between pancetta, bacon, and prosciutto.
• How to properly clean mushrooms:
• When to season sautéed mushrooms for best flavor:
• What is pancetta, and can it be left out of this recipe?
• Health benefits of spinach:
• Learn more about the health benefits of spinach.
• Is nutmeg necessary in this recipe?
• Why add gnocchi cooking water?
• What does the lemon juice do in this recipe?
• Make it a complete meal:
• Printable Recipe Card

The ingredients needed:

Ingredient information:

The POTATO GNOCCHI I used is the shelf-stable variety you can find easily in any grocery store. Feel free to use your favorite brand, or you can make homemade potato gnocchi if you feel ambitious. Follow the package directions for cooking the potato gnocchi, making sure to reserve ½ cup of the gnocchi cooking water to thicken the sauce before serving.

I used extra-virgin OLIVE OIL, but you can certainly use a second press olive oil or avocado oil. 

To drive home the Italian theme of this dish, I used four ounces of chopped PANCETTA in the hot skillet with oil and sauteed the pancetta for 3-4 minutes before adding the sweet onions and other ingredients.

I don't always use SWEET ONION, but I thought that sweet onion would play well with the mascarpone cheese. I roughly chopped two medium-sized onions, keeping them similar in size to the chopped mushrooms. I then sautéed them in the pan with the pancetta for a few minutes until they were slightly translucent and softened but not caramelized.

CREMINI MUSHROOMS are the mushrooms I gravitate towards the most. I love their meaty flavor and texture. I chopped the cremini mushrooms large enough to retain most of their bulk and appearance once sauteed so they could be noticeable in the completed dish.

As we all know, what you sometimes think is A LOT of BABY SPINACH LEAVES before cooking shrinks down to an unbelievably small amount once the fresh leaves hit the hot pan. I used 8 ounces of baby spinach leaves in this dish, but if I'm being honest, looking back, I would have used more. You do you.

I wanted this Italian-inspired potato gnocchi dish to have a tiny touch of sweet and savory, which is why I went with MASCARPONE CHEESE. Mascarpone is a thick, rich Italian cheese with a slight tanginess in flavor.

LEMON JUICE is the acidic component that helps balance, give brightness, and cut through some of the richness of the mascarpone cheese.

I always like to use freshly GRATED NUTMEG pods for the best flavor. A little touch of nutmeg brings out the spicy, earthy, fresh taste of leafy greens and vegetables. A microplane is a handy tool for grating fresh nutmeg pods.

Always use the highest quality PARMESAN CHEESE you can find. An aged Parmesan Reggiano is always my first choice, which I used for this recipe. I urge you to steer clear of the unrefrigerated shelf-stable Parmesan cheese you find in the center aisles of the grocery store. You're always much better off choosing a Parmesan cheese from the refrigerated cheese section in the deli.

I always use coarse KOSHER SALT and freshly cracked BLACK PEPPER when cooking and writing my recipes.

*Please note - If you're using iodized table salt, you should cut back on the amount called for in this recipe because the small table salt grains measure differently than the larger-grained kosher salt.

Kitchen tools and equipment needed:

• large high sided skillet with lid
• chef's knife
• cutting board
• box grater (optional, for grating cheese)
• microplane
• fine mesh strainer
• citrus juicer
• measuring cups and spoons
• 3-quart saucepan (for cooking gnocchi)
• silicone spatula or wooden spoon
• large, slotted spatula

Add-in and swap-out suggestions:

Add-ins:

If you like things spicy, red pepper flakes (to taste) would be a flavorful addition to this dish. Add them simultaneously with the mushrooms in the skillet to allow the red pepper flakes to impart their particular brand of heat.

In my husband's words, "Everything's better with bacon!" It's too bad for him I didn't add any to this skillet gnocchi when I served it for dinner—next time. Add as much pre-cooked bacon as you like. There are no rules when it comes to adding bacon. *wink*

And lastly, as far as add-ins go, I'm all about adding more veggies if the mood strikes you. If using fresh vegetables, it's best to blanch them first, which will soften them slightly, before adding them to the skillet. My vegetable suggestions for blanching are broccoli florets, cauliflower florets, green beans, peas, and asparagus.

My vegetable add-in suggestions without blanching are grape or cherry tomatoes, summer squash, and fresh herbs like basil, thyme, and chives.

Swap-outs:

You can use frozen spinach that has been thawed and squeezed dry if you like. The choice is yours.

Shallots would make a lovely replacement for the sweet onions. I suggest swapping out two or three large shallots (approximately ½ cup, chopped). Of course, you can also use shallots in addition to the sweet onion (which I would have probably done) if I had any shallots in the house when I wrote this recipe.

Any fresh mushroom can be used in place of the cremini. Use your favorite mushrooms, but for the best flavor, don't use jarred or canned mushrooms because they're too soggy.

Swiss chard or kale may be substituted (or added, in addition to) the baby spinach leaves.

Cream cheese is a respectable substitution for mascarpone cheese if desired. However, when using cream cheese as a replacement for mascarpone, it is wise to add a tablespoon or two of sour cream (or Greek yogurt) with the cream cheese.

Learn about the differences between pancetta, bacon, and prosciutto.

How to properly clean mushrooms:

Mushrooms are a sponge when introduced to water. Never run mushrooms under water or place them in water to wash them. All you need to do to clean mushrooms is to wipe them gently with a paper towel or brush them gently with a mushroom brush to take off any visible "dirt."

As a rule, I also like to trim a fresh slice from the stem of each mushroom.

When to season sautéed mushrooms for best flavor:

Since mushrooms are mostly water, it is best to season them with salt and pepper AFTER they've had a chance to sauté in the skillet.

If mushrooms are seasoned too soon, the salt will draw out their water immediately, and rather than sauté, the mushrooms will steam in their juices as a result.

What is pancetta, and can it be left out of this recipe?

Pancetta is an Italian rolled and cured pork belly similar to bacon, except it is not smoked as bacon typically is. Pancetta can be eaten cooked or uncooked, and it is sold in slices or cubed.

Regarding leaving it out, by all means, if you'd like to make this a meatless meal, please leave it out. No worries.

Health benefits of spinach:

Spinach is high in potassium, which helps lower blood pressure. It is also an excellent source of vitamin K that helps promote strong, healthy bones, and it's also very beneficial for healthy skin and hydration due to the vitamin A it contains.

Learn more about the health benefits of spinach.

Is nutmeg necessary in this recipe?

Many years ago, I remember hearing Rachael Ray say that deep green vegetables always benefit from a tiny pinch of nutmeg. Who am I to disagree? And to this day, every time I cook with deep green leafy vegetables, I add a small pinch of nutmeg to greens to enhance their flavors. It works. If you've never tried it before, try it. It's brilliant!

Why add gnocchi cooking water?

The gnocchi will give off starch when cooked in boiling water. A half cup of the starchy gnocchi cooking water will thicken the sauce.

What does the lemon juice do in this recipe?

A slight touch of fresh lemon juice (one teaspoon) will cut through some of the richness of the mascarpone cheese and add balance and brightness to the completed dish. *Note - if you're substituting cream cheese and sour cream (or Greek yogurt (see above under swaps and substitutions), omit the lemon juice as sour cream or Greek yogurt will add the same acidic value that lemon will.

Make it a complete meal:

Parmesan Onion Squares are an easy-to-make appetizer with a light oniony flavor, a crisp yet creamy texture, and a tiny and unexpected sweetness everyone loves!

This Italian Herb Quick Bread comes together in a snap with only one bowl, one spoon, and no kneading required. It's fast, easy, and super delicious!

Lemon Ricotta Cake with Blueberries is an easy cake to make. It has a creamy texture and a light lemony flavor, and it takes advantage of springtime's bounty of beautiful blueberries.

Printable Recipe Card

I sincerely hope you'll enjoy making this easy skillet potato gnocchi recipe as much as I've enjoyed bringing it to you!