The Perfect Spring Recipe: Creamy Gnocchi and Asparagus
·
3
mins read
·
Updated on
May 31, 2024
The short answer
I discovered this Gnocchi and Asparagus dish in the wonderful city of Saint-Emilion in the south of France. I went there to visit the vineyards but didn't realize that my best experience would be tasting this dish! 🤤
![A plate of gnocchi and asparagus with a creamy sauce perfect during the spring season](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/65940f876eac1570ba79cab2/6659e91a4b31c7cbd2796a6b_Gnocchis%20and%20Asparagus-main.webp)
Every bite felt wonderful. The gnocchi were coated in a thick, creamy, and cheesy sauce. At the time, I was making a similar recipe with a sauce made of Gorgonzola and cream. I could taste the same cheese and creaminess, but there was a deeper flavor I couldn't identify.
I asked to speak to the chef, who kindly explained how to make it. From there, I took my recipe and tried to improve it as much as I could.
![Saint-Emilion Landspace with the wine yards](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/65940f876eac1570ba79cab2/6659e95c8ea8998850699458_Saint%20Emilion.webp)
When I started to eat vegan, I couldn't leave that dish behind, so I kept working on it.
And this is the recipe you find here.
The Key to the Dish: The Creamy Sauce
I'm not a big fan of nutritional yeast, yet in this recipe, it works wonderfully. I tried cashew cream and vegan cheeses, but nutritional yeast yielded the most satisfying result.
Here's how to make the sauce:
- Cook white onions in olive oil until they bring sweetness and become translucent.
- Deglaze the pan with white wine (because I'm French, I do that in every single recipe 🤫).
- Once the wine is almost evaporated, add soy cream and bring it to a simmer.
- Add nutritional yeast. To counterbalance the taste, add a splash of apple cider vinegar and some herbs, I like to use fresh parsley.
![The cream white wine sauce cooked in its pan](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/65940f876eac1570ba79cab2/6659e99e57456f7d8d136493_Asparagus%20Cream%20Sauce%20with%20Parsley.webp)
The Gnocchi and Asparagus
I like to keep this recipe simple as it is in my weekly rotation. Therefore, I simply cook the gnocchi in boiling water and use the same water to cook the Asparagus.
To finish the dish:
- Mix the sauce with the gnocchi and a ladle of the gnocchi cooking water.
- Stir everything well. This step is essential for the sauce to coat the gnocchi
![Two plates of the finished recipe ready to be eaten](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/65940f876eac1570ba79cab2/6659e9eafc616de2cc6dcba1_Two%20plates%20of%20Gnocchis%20and%20Asparagus.webp)
A Little Topping Makes a Big Difference
One thing that amazed me in that restaurant was that they topped the dish with bits of walnuts. This simple step changed the whole dish!
So take a few walnuts, crush them, and add them. Also grind fresh pepper on it.
![A close up shot of the gnocchi dish with the walnuts topping](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/65940f876eac1570ba79cab2/6659ea1b5396b2aabc2674b6_Gnocchis%20and%20asparagus%20with%20cream%20sauce%20and%20walnuts.webp)
How to Replace Asparagus When It's Out of Season
Asparagus is not available year-round. I mostly make this dish during spring. If you want to make it during other seasons, you can replace the asparagus with:
- Broccoli 🥦
- Peas 🫛
- Spinach 🍃
The result is equally amazing!
The Recipe
Spring Gnocchi and Asparagus
A delightful spring gnocchi and asparagus recipe. It's fresh and full of flavor. A splash of white wine, crunchy asparagus, and a cheesy touch from nutritional yeast make it perfect for spring!
![A plate of gnocchis and asparagus cooked in a creamy white wine sauce](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/65940f876eac1570ba79cab2/6659e88eb476f36156fd46a5_Gnocchis%20and%20Asparagus%20Recipe.webp)
Prep time
10
mins
Cooking Time
25
mins
Servings
4
people
Ingredients
- 600g gnocchi
- 1 white onion, diced
- 200ml white wine
- 500g asparagus, cut into 5cm pieces
- 200ml soy cream
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Cook gnocchi in boiling salted water until they float. Reserve the gnocchi and one cup of the cooking water.
- Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat and add the diced onion.
- Sauté the onion until translucent, then add white wine.
- When the wine has almost evaporated, add asparagus and a pinch of salt.
- Cook the asparagus until slightly crunchy, then add soy cream.
- Stir in cumin, nutritional yeast, and apple cider vinegar.
- Add chopped parsley to taste.
- Return the gnocchi and reserved cooking water to the pan.
- Stir well to coat the gnocchi in the sauce.