Healthy Smoked Salmon Gnocchi (Printable)

A light dish with tender gnocchi, smoked salmon, and a creamy sauce brightened by lemon and fresh herbs.

# What You'll Need:

→ Gnocchi

01 - 1.1 pounds whole wheat or potato gnocchi, store-bought or homemade

→ Sauce & Vegetables

02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 small shallot, finely chopped
05 - 3.5 ounces baby spinach, roughly chopped
06 - 1/3 cup low-fat crème fraîche or Greek yogurt
07 - Zest and juice of 1 lemon
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Smoked Salmon

10 - 5.3 ounces smoked salmon, sliced into strips

→ Garnish

11 - 2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped
12 - Extra lemon wedges

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the gnocchi and cook according to package directions until they float to the surface, approximately 2–3 minutes. Drain thoroughly using a colander and set aside.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and chopped shallot, sautéing for 1–2 minutes until fragrant and translucent, being careful not to brown the garlic.
03 - Add the chopped baby spinach to the skillet and cook, stirring constantly, until just wilted but still vibrant green, about 1 minute.
04 - Reduce heat to low setting. Stir in crème fraîche (or Greek yogurt), lemon zest, and fresh lemon juice until well combined. Season generously with salt, black pepper, and half of the chopped dill.
05 - Add the cooked, drained gnocchi to the skillet. Toss gently but thoroughly to coat each piece evenly with the creamy sauce. Warm through for 1–2 minutes, allowing flavors to meld.
06 - Remove the skillet from heat. Fold in the smoked salmon strips, allowing the residual heat from the gnocchi and sauce to gently warm the salmon without cooking it further.
07 - Divide the gnocchi mixture evenly among four serving plates. Sprinkle with the remaining fresh dill and chopped chives. Serve immediately with extra lemon wedges on the side for guests to adjust acidity to taste.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • You get all the luxury of a restaurant quality dish without the heavy cream guilt thanks to the lighter crème fraîche base
  • The whole thing comes together in 25 minutes start to finish, perfect for weeknight elegance
  • Leftover smoked salmon finally gets the spotlight it deserves instead of languishing in the fridge
02 -
  • Never boil the smoked salmon, it turns rubbery and sad. Let it warm gently in the finished dish off the heat.
  • Greek yogurt can curdle if the pan is too hot, so reduce the temperature before adding it and stir constantly.
  • Package directions for gnocchi often overestimate cooking time. Trust the floating test more than the clock.
03 -
  • Pat the spinach dry after washing, otherwise excess water will thin your sauce unexpectedly
  • If the sauce feels too thick, splash in a little pasta water to loosen it back to silky perfection
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully over gentle heat, just add a splash more crème fraîche or water to refresh the sauce

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