Lemon Parmesan Gnocchi
If you’re a lemon lover, this recipe was made for you. Lemon Parmesan Gnocchi is a bright, creamy Italian pasta dish made with just a few simple ingredients for a quick weeknight meal.
What is Gnocchi?
Gnocchi is known for its soft, doughy dumpling texture. DeLallo gnocchi is superior. The dough is made in Italy, guaranteeing authentic flavor and high quality ingredients. It’s ridges catch sauces, making each bite better than the last. If you liked recipes with gnocchi, you’re going to love our viral Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup.
Why you'll love my lemon pasta recipe
Simple ingredients
Lemon Parmesan Gnocchi is easy to prepare and uses a few simple ingredients. Ideal for weeknight dinners or last-minute meals.
Light and flavorful
This dish gets its bright and refreshing flavors from fresh lemon zest and lemon juice. It’s citrus notes create the perfect tangy balance in its creamy sauce.
Ingredients and substitutions
Gnocchi: Choose high quality gnocchi. I used DeLallo Potato Gnocchi. Light, pillowy texture, rich potato flavor and made in Italy! It’s high quality makes all the difference.
Lemon zest and juice: You’ll need fresh lemons for their zest and juice.Â
Butter: Butter adds richness and silkiness to the sauce.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Traditionally used in Italian recipes. DeLallo Extra Virgin Olive Oil is made from the first cold press of hand-selected Italian olives. Grown in Puglia, Italy, these olives are pressed within hours of harvest to capture the freshest raw olive flavor. Wow! Does your olive oil do that?!
Parmesan: Fresh parmesan only! You can taste the difference.
Heavy cream: Although not traditional, heavy cream is used in many American Italian pasta recipes.
For the rest of the ingredients, please see the recipe index card below!Â
How to make Lemon Parmesan Gnocchi
The section below is a quick overview of how to make this recipe. For full details, see recipe index card below!
Prepare the sauce
In a large pan or skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add extra virgin olive oil, lemon zest and lemon juice, stirring to combine. Pour in heavy cream and water. Let the sauce come to a simmer until slightly thickened. Then, add freshly grated parmesan, stirring until melted and smooth.
Note: I’ve noticed the sauce thickens faster when using a larger surface pan versus an actual, smaller pot. You also need a large pan because you will continue cooking the pasta directly in the sauce. The starches from the pasta also helps thicken the sauce so we need plenty of room.
Combine the gnocchi and sauce
Add the uncooked gnocchi to the pan, tossing evenly to coat. Simmer for 5-7 minutes. Garnish with freshly cracked black pepper, parsley and more parmesan. Best served hot.Â
Can I use pre-shredded cheese?
There is a sneaky ingredient hiding in pre-shredded cheeses. When you look on the back of the bag, you will almost always find the ingredients potato starch, natamycin or cellulose. These anti-caking agents are what prevent cheeses from clumping and melting properly. Freshly grated cheese has no added preservatives or chemicals.Â
Why did my leftover pasta sauce curdle when I reheated it?
Reheating leftover gnocchi can be tricky because of its delicate, creamy lemon-based sauce. The texture of the sauce might change because of two reasons:
Separation of the sauceÂ
The emulsion of fat from butter or cream and the lemon juice may break when reheated. This results in a greasy or curdled sauce. Rehydrating with liquid and reheating gently can help prevent this.
Absorption of sauce
Gnocchi continues to absorb liquid as it sits, leaving the dish drier and changing the sauce-to-pasta ratio. Reheat with a splash of water or cream.
Expert tips from my test kitchen
Freshly grated parmesan
Freshly grated parmesan melts instantly into the sauce. There’s a sneaky ingredient hiding in pre-shredded cheeses.Â
Use lemon zest and juice
Lemon zest contains aromatic oils that provide a burst of sweet citrus flavor without overwhelming acidity. It’s what gives this pasta dish a light and refreshing taste.
How to reheat leftover pasta
Here are a few methods of preheating leftover pasta:
Stovetop (preferred method)
Place the pasta in a nonstick skillet or saucepan. Add a splash of water, cream or milk to rehydrate the sauce and prevent it from becoming too thick or grainy. Heat over low heat, stirring gently until warmed though.
MicrowaveÂ
Transfer the pasta to a microwave safe dish. Add a small amount of water and stir. Cover with a lid to trap steam and heat in 20 second intervals, stirring between each.
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Lemon Parmesan Gnocchi
Ingredients
- 16 ounces potato gnocchi, uncooked
- 2 cups heavy cream, may substitute for 1 cup heavy cream, 1 cup half and half
- 1 medium lemon, zested and juiced
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan
- freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pan or skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add extra virgin olive oil, lemon zest and lemon juice, stirring to combine.3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 3 Tablespoons olive oil, 1 medium lemon, zested and juiced
- Pour in heavy cream and water. Let the sauce come to a simmer until slightly thickened. Then, add freshly grated parmesan, stirring until melted and smooth.Note: I've noticed the sauce thickens faster when using a larger surface pan versus an actual, smaller pot. You also need a large pan because you will continue cooking the pasta directly in the sauce. The starches from the pasta also helps thicken the sauce so we need plenty of room.2 cups heavy cream, may substitute for 1 cup heavy cream, 1 cup half and half, 1/4 cup water, 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan
- Add the uncooked gnocchi to the pan, tossing evenly to coat. Simmer for 5-7 minutes. Garnish with freshly cracked black pepper, parsley and more parmesan. Best served hot.16 ounces potato gnocchi, uncooked, freshly cracked black pepper
Nutrition
The provided nutritional value above is an estimate per serving. 100% accuracy is not guarenteed. Please see Nutrition Information Disclaimer in our Privacy Policy.
Nutrition Information Disclaimer
