Susan Ford, a commenter, is telling the truth: Crispy gnocchi are basically Tater Tots.
Store-bought, shelf-stable gnocchi are best appreciated when seared until their outsides are crisp and their insides are warm and chewy, and then sauced only enough to taste really good.
I go for a saucing that’s thin but high impact — nothing heavy enough to sog that glorious crust. A peppery brown butter for a skillet of seared gnocchi and Brussels sprouts. A potent mix of honey, mustard and horseradish for a steakhouse-inspired combination of gnocchi (masquerading as roasted potatoes), spinach and mushrooms. Just the fat rendered from chicken thighs, plus a little lemon.
In my latest recipe (below), a sheet pan of browned sausage “meatballs,” caramelized broccoli and those golden gnocchi are lightly glossed in melted Parmesan and lemon juice. Sneak a few bites before anyone else does when they’re fresh from the oven. Like Tater Tots.
1. Crispy Gnocchi With Sausage and Broccoli
In this cozy, easy dinner, store-bought gnocchi, broccoli and little meatballs (made by pinching pieces of Italian sausage) roast together on a sheet pan. When everything comes out of the oven bronzed and crisp, sprinkle it with Parmesan and stir: The heat from the sheet pan will help the cheese gloss the gnocchi. Some lemon juice lightens the mix; for a little heat to balance the richness, use hot Italian sausage or a sprinkling of crushed red pepper.
By Ali Slagle
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
1 (12- to 18-ounce) package shelf-stable potato gnocchi
1 large head broccoli (about 1 pound), florets cut into 1 1/2- to 2-inch pieces, stems thinly sliced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
Salt
Crushed red pepper (optional)
1 pound hot or sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
1/2 lemon
Preparation:
1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. On a sheet pan, toss together the gnocchi, broccoli, olive oil and garlic until well coated. Season with salt and crushed red pepper, if using. Spread into an even layer. Pinch off pieces of the sausage that are roughly the size of the gnocchi and place them on top of the gnocchi and vegetables. Roast until the sausage and broccoli are golden and crisp, 20 to 25 minutes.
2. Squeeze the lemon half over the top (about 1 1/2 tablespoons juice) and sprinkle with the Parmesan. Stir until the cheese has melted. Serve topped with more Parmesan and crushed red pepper as you like.
Mushroom poblano tacos. The cumin- and garlic-forward spice blend turns tender and saucy onions, poblanos, mushrooms and tomatoes into a warming taco filling. Food styled by Barrett Washburne. (Kerri Brewer/The New York Times)
2. Mushroom Poblano Tacos
Tacos are always a good idea on a weeknight. They come together quickly and are a great way to clean out your refrigerator of leftover salsas or cheese nubs and can be an excellent way to incorporate vegetables. Here, mushrooms, poblanos and cherry tomatoes are cooked down into a juicy filling seasoned with onions, garlic and the Puerto Rican spice blend sazón. It’s easy enough to make your own sazón spice blend, but you can also find many store-bought options containing some combination of cumin, garlic, turmeric, coriander, pepper and annatto or achiote. If using a blend with salt, reduce the amount of salt listed in the recipe. If using store-bought tortillas, look for those with as few ingredients as possible, as they tend to have the best flavor. These tacos are served in the pan, tableside, with whatever toppings you have on hand for a quick, casual weeknight meal that’s sure to inspire many variations. Serve any leftovers scrambled with eggs for a delicious breakfast the next day.
By Kristina Felix
Yield: 12 tacos
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons avocado or grapeseed oil
1 cup diced white onion (about 1/4 large onion)
2 poblano chiles, stemmed, seeded and diced
1 1/2 teaspoons sazón, store-bought or homemade
8 ounces mushrooms (such as button or cremini), roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced or grated
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
Salt and pepper
12 corn or flour tortillas, warmed
Salsa roja, avocado slices and/or cotija or crumbled feta for serving (optional)
Preparation:
1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high. When hot, add oil, onion, poblanos and sazón. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
2. Add mushrooms and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms release their juices, and onions turn translucent, about 5 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook until tomatoes begin to soften and release their juices, 2 to 4 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Bring the skillet to the table along with warm tortillas and your choice of additional toppings and allow everyone to make their own tacos at the table.
Harissa and white bean chili. Yasmin Fahr calls for squeezing in a whole lime to amplify the bold flavors in this chili. Food styled by Simon Andrews. (David Malosh/The New York Times)
3. Harissa and White Bean Chili
The key to achieving depth of flavor in this fresh, nontraditional, 30-minute chili recipe is layering ingredients with bold condiments that do most of the work for you. Here, soy sauce and harissa are used to provide umami, spice and heat. Finish the chili as you’d like, topping it with all of the suggestions below, or skipping the yogurt and feta to keep it vegan. The chili will thicken as it sits, so add a little water when reheating. If you don’t like tomato skins or don’t want to buy fresh tomatoes, substitute 2 tablespoons of tomato paste for the tomatoes, adding it with the harissa. For a more substantial meal, serve with rice or bread, or double the recipe for leftovers.
By Yasmin Fahr
Yield: 3 to 4 servings
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small red onion, diced
2 red or orange bell peppers, seeded and diced
2 jalapeños (1 seeded and diced, 1 sliced into thin rounds for garnish)
Kosher salt
1 (10-ounce) container cherry or grape tomatoes (1 pint)
1 to 2 tablespoons harissa, depending on heat preference
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 garlic cloves, grated or minced
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 (15-ounce) cans white beans, such as cannellini or great Northern, drained and rinsed
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
Black pepper
3 packed cups baby spinach
2 limes, 1 halved, 1 cut into wedges for serving
Full-fat yogurt or sour cream, for serving
1 avocado, sliced or cubed, for serving
1/4 cup packed cilantro or parsley leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped or torn, for serving
1/2 cup crumbled feta or grated Parmesan or mozzarella, for serving
Preparation:
1. In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat the oil over medium-high until shimmering. Add the onion, bell pepper and diced jalapeño, and season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions just start to soften in color and texture, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, season lightly with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the tomatoes have burst, 6 to 7 minutes, lowering the heat if the onions threaten to burn. Stir in the harissa, cumin, oregano and garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the soy sauce, scraping up anything on the bottom of the pot, until combined, about 1 minute.
2. Add the white beans and broth, season with salt, and raise the heat to bring it to a gentle boil. Adjust the heat to maintain a simmer, then cook until the broth thickens and the beans become soft and creamy, stirring occasionally to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom, about 12 to 15 minutes. Smash any remaining whole tomatoes against the side of the pot. Stir in the spinach in batches until wilted. Squeeze in the lime halves, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Divide among bowls and top each with a spoonful of yogurt, followed by the avocado, cilantro, feta and jalapeño rounds. Serve with the lime wedges.
Farro With salmon, cucumber, radicchio and dill. This dish from Genevieve Ko requires just one skillet and one bowl. (Julia Gartland/The New York Times)
4. Farro With Salmon, Cucumber, Radicchio and Dill
Salmon steams right over toasty farro, saving you from having to wash an extra pan. The silky fish and chewy grains get a refreshing lemony salad of cucumbers and radicchio on top, which is prepared while the farro cooks. Each bite goes from crunchy cool to warm and comforting, though the salad is also good room temperature or cold. If you don’t like the bitter edge of radicchio, try thinly sliced endive or fennel instead. For a salty, creamy hit of flavor, sprinkle the top of the salad with crumbled feta.
By Genevieve Ko
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
1 onion, finely chopped (1 cup)
Kosher salt and black pepper
2 cups farro (12 ounces), rinsed and drained
1 lemon
3 mini (or Persian) seedless cucumbers (7 ounces)
1 small head radicchio (5 ounces)
1/3 cup packed finely chopped dill
4 boneless salmon fillets (4 ounces each, and about 1-inch thick)
Preparation:
1. Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large straight-sided skillet with a lid over medium heat. Add onion, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring often, until starting to turn clear, about 3 minutes. Add farro, sprinkle with salt, and cook, stirring, until the pan is dry and the farro smells toasty, about 2 minutes. Stir in 2 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, then cover skillet, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, zest the lemon into a large bowl, then squeeze in its juice. Cut the cucumbers in quarters lengthwise, then slice into 1/2-inch slices crosswise (you should have 2 cups); add to the bowl. Quarter and core the radicchio, then thinly slice into 1/4-inch strips (you should have 3 cups); add to the bowl. Add dill, remaining 2 tablespoons oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper to the bowl, and toss until evenly coated.
3. When the farro is done, season the salmon with salt and pepper. Uncover the farro. Most of the water should be absorbed and the grains should be al dente. Set the salmon on top of the farro in a single layer, skin side up if applicable. Cover and steam to desired doneness, 6 to 7 minutes for medium-rare. Remove from the heat. If your salmon has skin, grip a corner with a paper towel and peel off and discard; repeat with the remaining fillets. The skin should come off easily in a single piece.
4. Divide the farro and salmon among bowls, flaking the salmon into pieces if you like, and top with the cucumber salad. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Sheet-pan gochujang chicken and roasted vegetables. Roasted turnips are juicy, sweet and meaty, like a cross between bell peppers and winter squash. Props styled by Carla Gonzalez-Hart. Food styled by Chris Lanier. (Christopher Testani/The New York Times)
5. Sheet-Pan Gochujang Chicken and Roasted Vegetables
Gochujang, a Korean fermented chile paste, enlivens a straightforward dinner of roast chicken and vegetables with a salty, spicy and umami-rich layer of flavor. Freshly grated ginger, sliced scallions and quick-pickled radishes elevate the flavor even further. This recipe calls for a wintry mix of squash and turnips, but equal amounts of root vegetables like carrots, potatoes and beets, or lighter vegetables like cauliflower, Brussels sprouts or broccoli will work well, too.
By Yewande Komolafe
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Total time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons gochujang
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated (about 1 tablespoon)
3 tablespoons neutral oil, like grapeseed or canola, plus more for drizzling
2 pounds squash, such as butternut, acorn or delicata, unpeeled, seeded and cut into 2-inch pieces (about 5 loose cups)
1 pound turnips, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces (about 3 1/2 loose cups)
10 scallions, ends trimmed, green and white parts separated, but not chopped
Kosher salt
2 1/2 to 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, drumsticks or breasts, patted dry
1 bunch radishes (about 10 ounces), trimmed
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil (optional)
Steamed rice (optional)
Preparation:
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1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Combine the gochujang, soy sauce, ginger and 3 tablespoons oil in a medium bowl or resealable bag. Add the squash, turnips and scallion whites, toss to coat with glaze, or seal bag and shake to coat. Lightly season with salt and transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Season the chicken with salt and toss to coat in whatever is left of the glaze in the bowl or bag. Arrange the chicken pieces skin-side up between the vegetables on the sheet.
2. Roast until vegetables are tender, chicken is cooked through and the skin crispy and browned in spots, about 40 minutes.
3. While the chicken cooks, thinly slice the scallion greens. Using a sharp knife or a mandoline, cut the radishes into thin rounds. In a small bowl, toss the sliced scallion greens and radishes with the rice vinegar and sesame oil, if using. Season to taste with salt and set aside to lightly pickle.
4. Top the roast chicken and vegetables with the quick-pickled scallion-radish mix and transfer to serving plates. Serve with steamed rice, if desired.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.