I’ve devoted several weeks in the last 2 years to these 3 foods: Butternut squash, Kale & Gnocchi. So when I found a recipe from the Food Network Kitchens that contained all three ingredients, I was too intrigued not to try it out. So I bring you Gnocchi with Squash and Kale…yum!
I’m always looking for ways to incorporate kale into my regular eating habits. It has such a great flavor, is very hearty, holds up in soup and pasta dishes, and is a great green veggie to eat. Last year I featured kale in two of my favorite types of dishes involving pasta and then mashed potatoes, and then there was this spicy bowl of heavenly tortellini and kale soup that I cooked in the Fall of 2011. Once again the kale swooped in and made this dish extraordinary.
Butternut squash is a wonderful, rich vegetable that has many uses. If you check out the week I featured butternut squash in three recipes, you’ll see how diverse it is. And I’m actually getting pretty good at cutting a butternut squash into bite-sized pieces. It’s an awkward shape and can be difficult to cut up, but fear not and just follow my step by step directions in the link below to see how to easily break it down.
And then there is gnocchi. It’s definitely on my radar to make gnocchi from scratch again because it was such a fun (although time-consuming) adventure. However, I do like buying pre-made gnocchi (I find mine in the pasta aisle) when I’m in a rush. You can boil it as the package suggests, but last year I made a divine sauteed gnocchi dish (with…wait for it…goat cheese!). And the fact that I cooked the gnocchi for this recipe in some broth and steamed them really caught my eye.
I like to do my prep work ahead of time so you can cut up the squash and kale in advance. If you do that, then you’ll definitely have this dish on the table in less than 30 minutes. Just be sure you are cooking everything in an oven-safe pan, because you will end the process with broiling it to get a delightful crusty, cheesy layer on the top. Yum!
You’ll need a good vegetable peeler for the squash because the skin is pretty tough. A sharp chef’s knife is very valuable when cutting up the butternut squash too. I also used my box grater for grating the cheese. And along with the oven-proof pan, you’ll be all set and ready to throw this dish together.
I absolutely loved the flavor combination with the nuttiness of the kale, rich squash, starchy gnocchi goodness, and the Parmesan is a nice salty addition along with the garlic and red pepper flakes. This recipe was even better than I expected and I had high expectations. Hope you love this as much as I did!
Click here for the recipe, step by step directions, and nutrition information!
A look back:
One Year Ago: Ooh, Smoky Corn Chowder
Two Years Ago: Chicken and Dumplings…Or Along Those Lines
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