Gnocchi is a delicious and comforting main dish that almost everybody loves. If you find yourself wondering what to serve with gnocchi, we've got all the options! You'll love these 15 side dishes for gnocchi so much you'll add gnocchi to your regular meal rotation and never get bored.
Gnocchi is always a crowd-pleaser in my house, so it's a meal we frequently eat. It's especially comforting in the cooler months but I've been known to make it all year round.
I love that gnocchi is filling and it's versatile enough to pair with a number of different sauces. Best of all you can serve it with or without meat and everyone will still love it. It's a great meal for when I'm trying to sneak more veggies into my meat-loving husband's diet.
Gnocchi are little puffy potato dumplings. These small dumplings are a traditional Italian dish that have found their way into most American grocery stores so they are easily accessible, affordable and incredibly tasty. Traditional gnocchi are made with grated potatoes and flour but there are also sweet potato gnocchi, cauliflower gnocchi, ricotta gnocchi and other kinds you can find in the Italian section of a grocery store.
I love making homemade gnocchi but I always have a few packages of storebought gnocchi on hand for a busy weeknight dinner. My favorite simple way to eat gnocchi is with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese, fresh basil, olive oil and my 25- minute easy marinara sauce recipe. I also make frozen cauliflower gnocchi with a brown butter sauce for an easy dinner.
Being made with potato, the dumplings are filling and satisfying so I usually serve them with some kind of salad, vegetable or lighter sides. You can serve with bread like these homemade Italian breadsticks from What's Cookin Italian Style Cuisine. Sometimes I add a protein such as pan fried meatballs or Old Bay Shrimp, but this simple rustic meal doesn't really need much.
Salads to Serve with Gnocchi
Salads are fresh and don't require a ton of any one vegetable so they are perfect for a quick, thrown-together side dish. It's also fun to let the salad ingredients play off the ingredients in the sauce used with the gnocchi.
1. Cranberry Pecan Salad with Blue Cheese
Mesclun Salad is a flavorful spring salad mix that's readily available in most grocery stores. For added flavors, I've topped it with a light mustard and maple vinaigrette, tart cranberries, creamy blue cheese and crunchy pecans.
2. Simple Balsamic Glazed Caprese Salad
This simple salad is the easiest and tastiest way to highlight fresh, seasonal tomatoes. This salad is light, flavorful, fresh and so easy to make. It's my go-to when I don't know what to serve with potato gnocchi as this Italian classic works well.
3. Beet and Goat Cheese Salad with Toasted Walnuts
This simple and tasty Beet and Goat Cheese Salad with Toasted Walnuts is the perfect side salad for tender gnocchi. Look for already cooked beets to save time in the kitchen.
4. Spinach Salad with Blue Cheese, Grapes and Almonds
This sweet and nutty spinach salad is so manageable in terms of ingredients and prep time. It's simple to throw together and easily customizable to accommodate what you have on hand. You could always use walnuts or pine nuts in this salad too. If you don't like the strong taste of blue cheese, use something like cheddar or mozzarella cheese.
5. Strawberry Avocado Salad with Fresh Mozzarella and Walnuts
This salad is bursting with fresh strawberries and avocados, creamy mozzarella and crunchy walnuts. It is all tied together with a balsamic basil dressing.
6. Herbivoracious Middle Eastern Bread Salad
Unexpected and delicious this Middle Eastern take on bread salad is loaded with pita bread, cucumbers, tomatoes and a refreshing lemon and mint dressing.
Vegetable Sides Dishes
Fresh, frozen or canned - chances are you've got several vegetable options in your house right now. These tasty side dishes for gnocchi are convenient, healthy and can be a wonderful accompaniment for these little potato dumplings.
7. Roasted Parmesan and Panko Crusted Asparagus
Roasted parmesan and panko crusted asparagus takes fresh roasted asparagus to a whole new level. You will love these crispy, golden and healthy parmesan crusted asparagus fries. They cook fast so they are perfect for an easy side dish.
8. Easiest Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Roast brussels sprouts until nutty and crispy and top them with your favorite seasoning. This easy method requires no butter or bacon so it fits in perfectly with vegan or vegetarian diets.
9. Oven Roasted Vegetables
Oven roasting is one of the easiest and most flavorful ways to cook vegetables. It's my go-to method when I need a tasty and healthy side dish and works with almost any vegetable. Delicious tender veggies are roasted in your oven for a perfect side dish. This simple dish has lots of flavor and is pure comfort food to add to an easy gnocchi recipe if you are conteplating what to serve with gnocchi.
10. Baked Eggplant Parmesan Rounds
Baked eggplant rounds are like mini eggplant parmesans. This crunchy and cheesy eggplant is one of my favorite side dishes for gnocchi and only requires a few minutes of prep time.
11. Air Fryer Frozen Green Beans
Air Fryer Frozen Green Beans are a simple side dish that enlivens any dinner. Air fried green beans are ready in minutes for a healthy addition to your weeknight menu plan.
12. Roasted Fennel with Tomatoes from Swirls of Flavor
Roasted Fennel Pomodoro Recipe is an easy side dish that’s bursting with the sweet licorice flavor of roasted fennel and tender tomatoes in every bite. Plus, it's ready in just 25 minutes and is a family favorite!
More Dishes
Favorite Gnocchi Recipes
- Creamy Pesto Gnocchi with Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Peas
- Gnocchi with Bolognese Sauce and Ground Turkey
- Chicken Pesto Gnocchi from FoodFanatic
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