Creamy Shrimp & Gnocchi with Asparagus
This Creamy Shrimp & Gnocchi with Asparagus in a garlic Parmesan cream sauce is an easy and delicious dinner that's ready in 30 minutes!
Equipment
- large, deep pan or Dutch oven
- large pot to boil water
Ingredients
- 1 pound large or jumbo shrimp peeled & deveined, tails optional
- salt & pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 3/4 cup half & half
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
- 1 pound fresh asparagus trimmed, cut into 1" pieces
- 16 ounces gnocchi
- Optional garnishes: crushed red pepper flakes, Parmesan cheese, sliced chives, fresh parsley
Instructions
- Heat a large pot of water on high and bring to a boil.
- Pat shrimp dry with paper towels, then season them with salt & pepper.
- Add olive oil to a large, deep pan and heat to medium-high. Add shrimp in an even layer and cook 1-2 minutes, flip each shrimp over, and continue to cook another 1-2 minutes, or until shrimp are fully cooked. Transfer shrimp to a plate and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium and add butter and garlic to pan. Cook for 1 minute, then add the broth and scrape up the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in the half & half and Parmesan. Season cream sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Gently simmer for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- When pot of water is boiling, add asparagus. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until tender, then use a spider strainer to remove the asparagus from the boiling water and transfer it to the plate with the shrimp (do not drain the water).
- Add the gnocchi to the water the asparagus was just in and boil them until they float to the surface, which is just a couple minutes. Use the spider strainer to remove the gnocchi and add them to the cream sauce as they pop to the surface.
- Add the shrimp and asparagus to the pan with the gnocchi and cream sauce and heat through. Serve immediately. Garnish with your favorite toppings and enjoy! We like crushed red pepper flakes, extra Parmesan, and some sliced chives or fresh parsley.
Notes
- If desired, you could use broccoli florets or frozen peas instead of asparagus. For broccoli: boil to your desired doneness, then transfer it to the plate with the shrimp. For frozen peas: add them to the cream sauce with the gnocchi.
- Feel free to add a handful of spinach towards the end to amp up the veggies.
- Shredding your own Parmesan cheese will result in a smoother cream sauce.
- The "4 servings" is based on being served by itself. If serving side dishes like salad and garlic bread, it could feed 5-6.
- Store leftovers in an air-tight container for up to 3 days. Freezing not recommended.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!