It may sound odd, but keep reading — it gets better, I promise.
I admit I was skeptical at first. I have no Italian background and have always thought of gnocchi as something served with tomato or béchamel sauce. Vinegar was not part of that picture.
This recipe comes from my friend Barb; her husband was a well-respected chef, and she’s shared many great recipes over the years. She insisted I try gnocchi with a balsamic reduction, and after some hesitation I finally did.
One afternoon while testing recipes I grabbed some vegetables and jumped in. Full disclosure: I cheated a little.
I used a box of whole wheat sweet potato gnocchi from the store. It’s fast, delicious and foolproof — which means more time to make dessert. Highly recommended.
Back to the dish: I reduced balsamic vinegar until it became syrupy and let it cool. When I first tasted it, I singed my tongue trying to lick the spoon — a reminder not to lean over a reducing pot of vinegar (or wine, or spicy peppers!).
Because I love balsamic, I wanted to elevate the dish further. The answer was garlic basil butter.
I mixed softened butter with fresh basil and minced garlic, used a spoonful to sauté the vegetables, and stirred the rest in at the end to finish the balsamic sauce. The result was unforgettable — rich, aromatic, and perfectly balanced.
Many of the savory meals I create are meant to please picky eaters, but this one pushed me out of my comfort zone and paid off. It’s now my favorite savory dish: layered flavors, simple ingredients, and quick to prepare.
Even my meat-loving partner enjoyed it without adding any chicken — that’s a serious compliment. He later mixed leftovers with grilled tomato basil chicken, which was also excellent.
Gnocchi with Balsamic Reduction
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Ingredients
- 1 pound gnocchi, fresh or packaged
- 3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
- 1/2 pepper, chopped (any color — I used red)
- 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
- 3 tablespoons garlic basil butter
Garlic Basil Butter
- 1/4 cup softened butter
- 1 teaspoon freshly chopped basil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic or to taste
Instructions
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Heat a small saucepan over high heat and add the balsamic vinegar. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Let it simmer until the vinegar has reduced by about half, roughly 8–10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool until syrupy.
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In a skillet over medium-low heat, add 1 tablespoon of the garlic basil butter. Sauté chopped peppers, onions and mushrooms until soft, about 5 minutes. While the vegetables cook, boil water and cook the gnocchi according to package directions — they cook quickly, so time it so the vegetables are nearly done.
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Drain the gnocchi and add it to the skillet with the vegetables. Stir in the balsamic reduction and remaining garlic basil butter until everything is coated. Top with Parmesan if desired. Serve and enjoy.
Garlic Basil Butter
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Combine the softened butter, chopped basil and minced garlic in a bowl and mix until well combined.
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I’ll pay you to make this dish — in cookies. Seriously, take the chance and make it; you won’t regret it.