This richly flavoured creamy salmon gnocchi in tomato and cream sauce makes a delicious quick and easy one-pot meal for two which is ready in less than half an hour.
Creamy salmon gnocchi
Rich salmon in creamy tomato sauce with light potato gnocchi and fresh green spinach – full of colour, flavour and nutrition, this easy one-pot meal compromises nothing.
See also
- Slow cooker chicken gnocchi soup is easy, warming and comforting
- Try making homemade butternut squash gnocchi
- Pan fried gnocchi are crispy and the perfect alternative to potatoes
It’s always good to have a few recipes in your repertoire that you can throw together for a quick one pan after-work dinner for two. This is one of my favourites.
This stylish dish has so much flavour and it makes an elegant meal in very little time with very little effort. You can even dress it up a little more for smarter entertaining and it’s still no trouble at all.
Creamy and delicious without using too much cream, it has everything you need. There’s protein, carbs, spinach and tomato paste for the vitamins, and bags of flavour. Ideally I would serve it with extra green veg or a salad, but you don’t have to.
This creamy tomato salmon gnocchi can be ready and on the table in half an hour and it is easy enough for even the most under confident cook to rustle up at short notice.
Why make creamy salmon gnocchi
- rich and creamy but not too calorific
- super easy but makes a big impression
- fast and flexible recipe – ready in less than half an hour.
- easily dressed up for effortless entertaining
Creamy salmon gnocchi ingredients
- Salmon – I used two fillets, and it doesn’t matter whether they come skin on or skin off. If the fillets are large or you are watching your budget, you could use just one
- Gnocchi – a brilliant store cupboard staple. You can buy fresh or ambient and both have a long life, but the fresh needs to be kept in the fridge. I prefer the ambient that can be kept in the cupboard until the packet is opened.
Helen’s Pro Tip
Packet gnocchi freeze brilliantly. This recipe uses half my regular sized bag. Seal the bag, or transfer to an airtight tub and freeze for up to 3 months. Cook from frozen.
- Cream – double (heavy) cream
- Stock – Fish is great but most people don’t have it, so use chicken. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can water down Asian fish sauce. It is far too strong and has completely the wrong flavour.
- Spinach – plenty of it, as it shrinks right down. Baby leaves will cook down faster.
- Herbs and spices – I used oregano and thyme leaves and a pinch of chili flake. You could use my pizza seasoning if you have some made up.
- Onion and garlic – peeled and chopped
- Lemon – a little fresh juice
- Basil leaves (optional) – to garnish
- Neutral flavoured oil – I use a light flavoured olive oil.
How to make creamy salmon gnocchi – step by step
Before you start, read my step-by-step instructions, with photos, hints and tips so you can make this perfectly every time.
Scroll down for the recipe card with quantities and more tips at the bottom of the page.
Step One – Start by putting a little neutral flavoured oil in a pan. I use a 9″/24 cm pan with a lid that is perfect for this sort of dish for two. You just need a drizzle, as the salmon will release lots of oil once it starts to cook.
Place the salmon in the pan and don’t move it until you flip it over. Fry over a medium heat for 3 minutes on each side. This gives you time to peel and chop the onions and garlic.
Remove the salmon from the pan, and place in a shallow bowl. Put a plate over the top to retain the heat so it continues to cook gently.
Step Two – Wipe out the pan, discarding the salmon oil and add a drizzle of fresh oil. Sauté the onion for 2 minutes before adding the garlic and herbs. Cook for a further minute.
Step Three – Add the stock and the gnocchi. Put the lid in place, bring to a gentle simmer and let it bubble away for 5 minutes.
If you are using frozen leftover gnocchi, give them an extra minute or two at this stage.
Step Four – While the gnocchi cooks, flake the salmon into bite-sized pieces, discarding any skin.
Step Five – Add the cream, tomato puree, lemon juice, chilli flake and black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring all the time to form a thick creamy sauce.
Step Six – Now add the spinach leaves, removing any bulkier stems. Cover with the lid so it wilts, then stir it in. Cook for a further 2–3 minutes.
If the spinach hasn’t softened sufficiently, stir and cook a little longer.
Step Seven – Gently slide in the salmon and nestle it in gently among the gnocchi. Season with a little black pepper to taste.
Serving suggestion
Serve hot from the pan, garnished with chilli flake and a few basil leaves. I like to serve with a green salad.
Variations
- For an even faster dish, use hot smoked salmon, which is already cooked. All you need to do is break it up and stir it in at the end to warm through.
- Use cooked florets of tenderstem broccoli in place of the spinach.
- Add some chilli sauce with the cream and tomato to spice it up.
- Use half stock and half white wine for a restaurant-quality dish.
- Add a couple of teaspoons of capers.
- Swap tomato puree for sundried tomato paste.
Storage
Fridge – This recipe is written for two generous portions and is best eaten hot and fresh from the pan. If you do have leftovers, you can cool them quickly and store in a sealed box in the fridge for two days. Reheat leftovers gently in the microwave.
Freezer – Cooked gnocchi in a sauce really don’t freeze well. Don’t bother!
Hints and tips
- Choose a good heavy pan with a lid that fits for best results.
- Don’t be scared of adding plenty of spinach. It looks a lot but it disappears into the sauce quite quickly. I find it’s quicker and easier to add a handful at a time and let the first batch wilt before adding more.
- Be gentle when you add the salmon back. It should have retained most of its heat, so all you need to do is sit it in amongst the gnocchi. Don’t stir, as this will break it down too much.
FAQs
No! Cheese is not traditional on fish pasta or gnocchi dishes, and you don’t want to smother the flavour of the fish.
You can freeze uncooked gnocchi, and this makes sense if you only want to use half a packet.
I don’t like to freeze cooked gnocchi, especially not gnocchi in a sauce. The texture can spoil and it really doesn’t seem worth it.
Actually, at 700 calories this dish is not heavy for a main meal but if you want to, you can use a little less cream and cut down on the gnocchi, adding more green vegetables.
More gnocchi recipes
- Fried pumpkin gnocchi with sage – classic flavours, perfect gnocchi
- Chicken and gnocchi soup – a delicious, satisfying lunch
- Easy pan fried gnocchi – a wonderful side dish for all sorts of meals
Creamy Salmon Gnocchi
Ingredients
- 2 tsp neutral flavoured oil
- 2 salmon fillets
- 1 onion (small/medium)
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- 220 ml stock (fish or chicken, 1 scant cup)
- 250 g gnocchi
- 100 ml double cream
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- ½ tsp chilli flake
- 1 handful spinach leaves
- ½ lemon juice only
- basil leaves
Instructions
- Put a little oil in a pan over a medium heat. Put the salmon fillets in and cook for 3 minutes without moving. Then turn and cook for a further three minutes on the other side.2 tsp neutral flavoured oil, 2 salmon fillets
- While the salmon cooks, peel and chop the onion and garlic.1 onion, 1 clove garlic
- When the salmon is cooked, remove from the pan and set in a covered dish where it will retain heat and continue to cook. Wipe out the pan.
- Add a little fresh oil to the pan and saute the onion for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and herbs and cook for a further minute.½ tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp dried thyme
- Add the stock and the gnocchi. Cover and simmer gently for 5 minutes.220 ml stock, 250 g gnocchi
- While the gnocchi cooks, flake the salmon into bite sized pieces.
- Add the cream, tomato puree, lemon juice and chilli flake. Bring to a gentle simmer and stir well to form a creamy sauce.100 ml double cream, 2 tbsp tomato puree, ½ tsp chilli flake, ½ lemon juice only
- Add the spinach leaves, removing any bulky stems. Cover and cook for 2–3 minutes. Stir. If the spinach needs it, cook for a further minute.1 handful spinach leaves
- Gently slide in the salmon, distributing it around the dish. Season with a little black pepper to taste. Serve garnished with basil leaves.basil leaves
Notes
Storage
Fridge – This recipe is written for two generous portions and is best eaten hot and fresh from the pan. If you do have leftovers, you can cool them quickly and store in a sealed box in the fridge for two days. Reheat leftovers gently in the microwave. Freezer – Cooked gnocchi in a sauce really don’t freeze well. Don’t bother!Hints and tips
- Choose a good heavy pan with a lid that fits for best results.
- Don’t be scared of adding plenty of spinach. It looks a lot but it disappears into the sauce quite quickly. I find it’s quicker and easier to add a handful at a time and let the first batch wilt before adding more.
- Be gentle when you add the salmon back. It should have retained most of its heat, so all you need to do is sit it in amongst the gnocchi. Don’t stir, as this will break it down too much.
Leave a Reply