
This speedy one-pan dinner is 100% pure comfort. With chewy gnocchi, crisp-tender asparagus, and a light cream sauce imbued with smoky bacon, it's suspiciously delicious for a dish that takes well under an hour. Below, a few tips for mastering this cozy dish:
—A 12" skillet is perfect for this recipe; it *just* fits five slices of bacon, and it has just enough surface area to keep the gnocchi submerged in the broth and cream mixture. If you're not sure about the size of your skillet, break out a ruler and measure from the top rim, not the bottom. And if you don't have a 12" skillet, we'd recommend opting for something bigger. Just be aware that in a bigger pan, everything will cook a little bit faster and may require more frequent stirring.
—Once your gnocchi is cooked and you've removed the lid, the sauce will thicken pretty quickly. If you step away for a moment too long, and the sauce is thicker than you'd like, just stir in a little broth (about 2 tablespoons at a time) until it's back to your preferred consistency.
—Keep your bacon fat! It'll last at least 3 months in the fridge, and it adds the most delicious flavor to anything it touches, like roasted vegetables, fried eggs, gravy… whatever you can think of!
Made this? Let us know how it went in the comments below.
Ingredients
- 5
slices bacon
- 8 oz.
asparagus, trimmed, cut into 1" pieces
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
- 1
to 2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil (optional)
- 1
medium shallot, finely chopped
- 2 tsp.
fresh thyme leaves, plus more for serving
- 1 lb.
fresh gnocchi
- 3/4 cup
heavy cream
- 3/4 cup
low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup
finely grated Parmesan
Directions
- Step 1In a large, high-sided skillet over medium-high heat, cook bacon, turning occasionally, until crispy, 8 to 10 minutes. Using tongs, transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. When cool enough to handle, break into small, bite-size pieces.
- Step 2Pour off excess fat into a small heatproof bowl, keeping enough to coat bottom of pan; reserve bacon fat for another use. Return pan to medium heat and add asparagus; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until asparagus is tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer asparagus to a medium bowl.
- Step 3Pour oil into pan if pan looks dry and heat over medium heat. Cook shallot and thyme, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Step 4Add gnocchi, cream, broth, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, cover pan, and cook 4 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until sauce has thickened to desired consistency, 1 to 2 minutes more.
- Step 5Remove pan from heat and stir in asparagus and Parmesan. Top with bacon and more thyme.