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! 🤤
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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.
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 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
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.
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!
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.
