This lightened up cheesy gnocchi and broccoli recipe is an easy and delicious vegetarian recipe! Made with white beans, ricotta and mozzarella cheeses, and vegetable broth instead of milk and cream cheese, it still has a great creamy texture but from healthy ingredients. It’s all made in one skillet on the stove then baked in the oven for a brief time to melt the cheese.
I love a good skillet meal, especially one that’s so full of flavor without requiring much effort at all! The inspiration for this new gnocchi and broccoli recipe came from the reader favorite Homemade White Pizza with Broccoli. I love the ingredients in this pizza and thought it would be fun to use them as inspiration for another main course.
Instead of pizza, I decided to pair broccoli with gnocchi and turn it all into something you could make even on a busy night! I’m happy to report that the final dish is totally epic and definitely something you can whip up quickly.
It’s got all the epic flavors of white broccoli pizza, like ricotta, mozzarella, lemon, garlic, and red pepper flakes, while not overdoing it on the cheesiness. The fluffy gnocchi are so good with these flavors, and I added white beans to boost the protein and fiber too. I can’t wait for you try this veggie-loaded meal!
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Ingredients and Substitutions
- Broccoli: Use fresh or frozen florets. Pre-cut florets will save you time. If using frozen broccoli, you can add it straight to the skillet from frozen. No need to thaw.
- Gnocchi: Fresh, frozen, or shelf-stable varieties all work. One of my favorite brands to use is DeLallo (it’s shelf-stable and can be found by the pastas at most grocery stores). They also make a gluten free version if you need it.
- Onion: Use yellow, white, red, or even shallots.
- Garlic: If you don’t have fresh cloves, add about ½ teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Broth: I like to use a low-sodium vegetable broth for this gnocchi and broccoli skillet, but you can use any vegetable broth (or chicken if you don’t need it to be vegetarian) you have on hand. If it’s not low-sodium, cut back on any extra salt you add.
- Lemon juice and zest: Just omit if you don’t have it, but it does help balance the flavors.
- Ricotta: Use whole milk or part skim ricotta. Swap cottage cheese if desired. Cream cheese also works, but ricotta offers a lighter flavor.
- Mozzarella cheese: You’ll need a thin layer of shredded mozzarella or a log or ball torn into pieces. Sub Swiss of Gruyere if that’s what you have. Even parmesan is a good substitute, but you may want to use less of it than you would mozzarella since it has a stronger taste.
- White beans: I like to use Great Northern or Cannellini beans for this dish, but you can sub chickpeas, navy, butter, or another type of beans you have on hand.
- Salt, pepper, red pepper flakes: Omit the RPF if you don’t want the spice.
Equipment
I prefer to use a cast iron skillet, at least 12 inches wide or larger, for this recipe since it is oven safe. Other skillets, including many ceramic and nonstick pans, are also oven safe. Just be sure to double check if your pan can go into the oven before using it in for the recipe.
Instructions
The full recipe card for this healthy gnocchi and broccoli skillet is at the bottom of the post. Here’s a preview of the instructions with photos to guide you.
Dice the onion and cut the broccoli into florets. Gather the other ingredients.
Warm olive oil in a cast iron or other ovenproof skillet. Cook onion until tender.
Add the seasonings, broccoli, gnocchi, and broth to the skillet. Increase heat to bring to a boil.
Cook on medium-high for 7 to 10 minutes or until the broccoli is tender and the liquid has thickened.
Remove the skillet from heat and top with dollops of ricotta and shredded mozzarella.
Bake in a preheated oven (400 degrees F/204 degrees C) for 5 minutes and then broil for a couple of minutes until lightly browned.
Storage and Reheating
Personally, I like this gnocchi and broccoli best when served immediately. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet, adding a little more broth as needed, or in the microwave until warmed through.
More Skillet Meals
If you love my gnocchi and broccoli skillet, check out these recipes:
- Tuscan White Bean Skillet
- Deconstructed Cabbage Roll Skillet with Quinoa
- Creamy Chicken Mushroom Orzo Skillet
- One Pan Lemon Artichoke Chicken
You may also enjoy the Sheet Pan Gnocchi and Brussels Sprouts and Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Asparagus.
I’d love to hear how you like this recipe! Rate/review using the stars on the recipe card or in the comments, and follow the Veg World on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Looking for something totally different? Browse the recipe library.
📖 Recipe
Healthy Gnocchi and Broccoli Skillet
Equipment
- Oven-safe skillet (12-inch or wider)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion - diced, about 1.5 cups
- 4 cloves garlic - minced
- 3 heaping cups broccoli florets - from 2 small crowns
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest - from 1 lemon
- ¼ cup lemon juice - from 1 lemon
- 3 cups low sodium vegetable broth - if using a broth that's not low sodium, omit added salt
- 1 pound gnocchi - fresh, frozen, or shelf-stable
- 1 15-ounce can white beans - cannellini, great Northern, or navy
- ½ cup ricotta cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese - or a log/ball of mozzarella torn into pieces
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F/204 degrees C.
- In a large oven safe skillet (12-inch or wider), such as a cast iron, warm the olive oil. Add the diced onion and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for a minute more until fragrant.
- Add the broccoli florets, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and lemon zest. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Pour the broth and lemon juice into the skillet, along with the gnocchi and white beans. The liquid should just cover the gnocchi, and the tops of some of the gnocchi will still be exposed.
- Increase heat to bring to a boil. Then, cook over medium-high for 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the broccoli is tender and the liquid has thickened. The starch from the gnocchi and beans will help the liquid thicken, but there will still be some in the skillet.
- Remove the skillet from heat. Top with dollops of ricotta and sprinkle with the mozzarella.
- Bake the skillet on the center rack of the preheated oven for 5 minutes. Turn on the broiler and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes until the cheese is lightly browned.
- Remove from the oven, scoop onto plates, and serve! There will be some broth in the skillet, so I love to serve this dish with crunchy bread to mop it up.
- Leave a rating or review by tapping the stars on this recipe card (above) or in the comments section (at the end of the post)!
Notes
- This dish is best served immediately, but leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet, adding dashes of broth as needed, or in the microwave until warmed through.
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