Last Updated August 10, 2024

Think gnocchi with crispy sides, tender browned brussels sprouts with crispy edges, with a browned butter sauce and a bright hint of lemon.

I found this recipe thanks to New York Times’ Instagram account, and after the first OH YEAH THIS IS GOOD trial run I’ve made it several times since. It’s easy, the ingredient list isn’t scary long, and it has brussels sprouts so it’s totally healthy, right? Maybe not, but it’s rich and satisfying so you don’t need to eat a huge serving.

It starts with cooking and crisping up those little sprouts, then you trade out the sprouts to brown the gnocchi, then add butter, honey, lemon and a bit of red pepper flake spice and cook until the butter browns (when it smells like heaven); add the sprouts back in and grate a little parmesan cheese on top. Easy and impressive!

Brussels sprouts

Brussels sprouts often get a bad rap and I know people who will only eat them if they’re served with plenty of bacon. While I’m sure there do exist those people who truly dislike the sprouts, I believe that most people who claim to not like them just haven’t eaten them properly prepared. There’s nothing worse than limp or soggy brussels sprouts. Never ever boil them, yeah? They’re at their most delicious if they are pan fried or oven baked. Crispy brussels sprouts: yummy. Soggy brussels sprouts: yucky. If you or someone you know is a brussels sprout skeptic, this recipe may just be the one to win you over!

That said, if you are one of the true dislikers, you can switch out the brussels sprouts for other veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, or any of those cruciferous types.

Adaptations from the original recipe

While New York Times might think this recipe serves 4 people, I pretty consistently ate this in 2-3 sittings. Ahem. I added in the “3” part just to be generous.

I reduced the butter from 6 Tbsp to 4 Tbsp. 6 was just…a lot. You’re more than welcome to use that much if you’re looking for a very rich dish, but I think 4 was plenty, you could probably even get away with 2-3 Tbsp.

The original recipe calls for pan frying the brussels sprouts, but no matter how many times I’ve tried, it always took much longer for the brussels to cook than the specified 5-8 minutes. I would say up to 15-20 is closer. I’m sure part of it is that I don’t have a cast iron skillet. Otherwise, it can be more time efficient to roast the brussels sprouts in the oven while you’re preparing the gnocchi.

I reduced and changed the lemon aspect of the recipe. NYT says to peel thick strips of lemon zest, then chop, ending with about 2 tsp of zest. I personally found the lemon a little overpowering this way, so I compromised and was happy with the following adaptations: zesting a lemon with a regular zester, which creates a finer zest, and using only about 1/2-1 tsp of the finer zest, OR skipping the zest and adding in a splash of fresh lemon juice at the end. Either way gets you there a bit quicker and easier. One of my least favorite tasks in the kitchen is zesting citrus so sometimes I opt for a splash of lemon juice when I just don’t want to zest, ya know?

If you noticed I listed 1 lb of brussels sprouts as 500g, which are not equal weights. That’s because brussels sprouts often come in 500g packages in Italy. Since a pound is really only 454g, I rounded up for practicality’s sake. Yes, it bothers me to do so but I think it’s for the best, ahem. :)

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase using these links, Jennyblogs may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. This helps to support Jennyblogs. For further information see the privacy policy. Grazie!

Recipe adapted from New York Times

Crispy Gnocchi with Brussels Sprouts

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup / 56g olive oil

• 1 lb / 500g brussels sprouts

• salt and pepper, to taste

• 1/2 tsp lemon zest

• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

• 18 oz / 500g package of gnocchi

• 4 Tbsp / 56g butter

• 1/2 tsp honey

• grated parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions:

1. Clean and chop off the ends of the brussels sprouts, and any brown leaves. Slice into halves, or quarters if particularly large.

2. Cook the brussels sprouts OPTION 1, SKILLET:

   Heat 3 Tbsp / 42g of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add brussels sprouts in an even layer, sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt and some pepper. Sprinkle over lemon zest and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until sprouts are crispy and a nice golden brown.

   Add the red pepper flakes and stir, cook for another 3-4 minutes or until sprouts are crisp and tender.

   Transfer to a plate or bowl while you cook the gnocchi.

   OPTION 2, OVEN:

   Preheat oven to 450°F / 232°C.

   Toss the brussels sprouts with 3 Tbsp of oil, 1/2 tsp salt, some pepper, lemon zest, and red pepper to evenly coat; spread in an even layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

   Roast in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until crispy, golden, and tender. While roasting, prepare gnocchi.

3. Add the remaining 1 tbsp / 14g of oil to a skillet over medium-high heat. Add gnocchi in an even layer and cook without stirring, 3-4 minutes or until golden brown underneath.

4. Add butter and honey, season with salt and pepper. Cook until butter has melted and starts to turn golden brown and nutty smelling, this can take several minutes.

5. Add the brussels sprouts to the skillet and cook just until everything is warmed through.

6. Remove from heat and serve with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.

Jenny’s Notes:

• Use just 2 Tbsp / 28g butter for an even lighter version of this

• Butter can go quickly from perfectly browned and nutty to burnt, so keep a close eye on it!

• Whether you buy a package of gnocchi or make your own, different flavors are delicious in this recipe. Pictured in this post (first and last) are some pumpkin gnocchi, so good!