For the last few months, I have been giving heart eyes to all of the gorgeous gnocchi recipes that have been showing up in my Instagram and Pinterest feeds. So here I am, jumping on the bandwagon with this Mediterranean gnocchi skillet with white beans and spinach. This is the perfect weeknight meal and it is equal parts comforting and seasonal as we begin to transition from summer to fall.
If there was ever such a thing as a soulmate food, mine would be all things Mediterranean. From drizzling tahini on practically everything, to warm falafel stuffed in pita bread, spicy harissa, and adding an absurd number of olives and capers to nearly every meal; Mediterranean food is my constant craving. While I could eat a Greek salad every day for lunch and I would happily enjoy falafel with my favorite hummus every evening for supper, I wanted to use my favorite flavors to make a delicious and flavor-filled, yet simple weeknight meal.
I’ve always loved gnocchi for its soft, pillowy texture and as a wonderful alternative to pasta, delicious with both a simple tomato sauce or a fresh garden pesto. When sautéed in a cast iron skillet the gnocchi gets wonderfully golden on the outside but stays nice and soft inside, the perfect texture. Instead of creating a sauce to go along with the gnocchi, I opted to saute a few of my favorite Mediterranean ingredients to give this meal an abundance of flavor.
This Mediterranean gnocchi skillet is created in a single pan and comes together easily. The gnocchi is sauteed until golden and added into the skillet with chopped fresh tomatoes, white beans, your favorite garden herbs, green and kalamata olives, spinach, and white wine. Just before serving, feta is sprinkled on top of the gnocchi and cooked until the feta is nice and melted and the gnocchi is bubbly.
Enjoy with additional herbs and red pepper flakes sprinkled on top, as well as a glass of white wine.
A delicious and flavorful weeknight meal, this Mediterranean gnocchi skillet has fresh tomatoes, white beans, spinach, olives, feta and fresh herbs making dinner long-lasting, comforting, and tasty.
- 1 Tbsp + 2 tsp olive oil, divided
- 1 16 oz. package of gnocchi
- 1/2 red onion, sliced thin
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp water
- 1 cup tomatoes, chopped
- 1/4 cup green olives, sliced
- 1/4 cup kalamata olives, sliced
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 15 oz. can cannellini beans, or other white beans, drained and rinsed
- 5 oz fresh baby spinach
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/3 cup fresh herbs, such as basil, oregano and/or thyme chopped and divided
- 1/3 cup feta
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Heat 2 tsp of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the gnocchi to the skillet and saute for 6-8 minutes, until lightly golden. Set gnocchi aside and keep warm.
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Heat the remaining 1 Tbsp of olive oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the red onion, garlic, water, and a pinch of salt and saute until the onion is translucent about 5 minutes.
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Add the chopped tomato, olives, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to the skillet and stir to combine with the onion and garlic. Stir in the white wine. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, reducing the wine by half and breaking up the chopped tomatoes.
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Once the wine has reduced, add in the cannellini beans, the spinach, lemon juice and most of the herbs, reserving a small handful for garnish. Cook, stirring occasionally until the spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes.
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Return the gnocchi to the skillet and stir to combine. Sprinkle the feta cheese over the top, cover and cook until the cheese is melted and the skillet is bubbly.
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To serve, divide among 4 plates and sprinkle the remaining herbs over the gnocchi, as well as additional red pepper flakes if preferred.
To make this recipe I used my favorite Lodge cast-iron skillet, which is my go-to. I think everyone should have one in their kitchen.
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