This creamy gnocchi marsala recipe combines a creamy Italian marsala sauce with soft pillowy gnocchi. Marsala sauce is a creamy sauce traditionally made from marsala wine and mushrooms. I added some caramelized onions, half and half, and a little gruyere to give this a cozy vibe. You can add some chicken to this dish for protein, or keep it simple and just use gnocchi.

Creamy Gnocchi with Mushrooms

What is Marsala Sauce? Have you ever ordered chicken marsala at a restaurant? It is creamy, savory, a tiny bit sweet, and delicious. It usually has baby bella or cremini mushrooms, chicken broth, marsala wine, and a roux to thicken it all up. The sauce coats chicken so well so I knew it would make a great sauce for gnocchi. This creamy gnocchi marsala recipe comes together in less than 30 minutes using store bought gnocchi.

Traditional Marsala sauce is a good alternative to the other popular dishes at an Italian restaurant like Francese, Picatta, or Parmigiana. Marsala sauce was the only way I would eat mushrooms as a kid, and now the mushrooms are an added bonus. I used half and half and little bit of gruyere cheese instead of a more traditional roux and it came out delicious.

Creamy sauce for Gnocchi

I love pairing gnocchi with a creamy sauce. It used to be that whenever I went to an Italian restaurant and I saw that there was gnocchi in a sauce other than red sauce, I would always order it. Over the years I have tried many varieties, gnocchi in brown butter and sage, gnocchi carbonara, gnocchi in vodka sauce. I even made my own recipe for gnocchi in vodka sauce.

Potato gnocchi is one of my favorite types of pasta. It is also one of the easiest to make if you have the extra time. Potato gnocchi is made from flour, eggs, salt, and boiled potatoes. You combine the ingredients into a ball, roll them out into long tubes, cut them to your desired shaped and then boil them until they float. It is commonly eaten in the Northern part of Italy, where the cuisine is a bit heavier and, in my opinion, more comforting. I feel like this is due to them being near The Alps and having a colder climate, but don’t quote me on that.

If you don’t want to make your own gnocchi, you can simply buy shelf stable gnocchi at your local grocery store. Honestly, that is what I normally do. I normally only have time to make half of the meal from scratch and I rely heavily on convenience items like pasta, dough, bread, etc.

What can I serve with Gnocchi in a Creamy Marsala Sauce?

My first choice would be a salad. Lots of greens, maybe even a little arugula. The gnocchi dish is heavy so you want a light dish that is going to compliment the comforting nature of this recipe.

Another good option would be a light soup made with a simple broth. I think of gnocchi as a Fall/Winter dish, so a nice light brothy soup would go well with this. You can steam some light greens in there like bok choy or another type of cabbage.

My third choice would be a nice crusty loaf of bread that you can use to dip into the sauce. I have a friend who makes some great bread so I am thinking of that as I write this. It would be perfect to dip in this flavorful creamy marsala sauce.

Creamy Gnocchi with Mushrooms in a Marsala Wine Sauce

How to make Creamy Gnocchi Marsala

INGREDIENTS

16 oz gnocchi shelf stable gnocchi
1 yellow onion cut in half and then sliced thin
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp salted butter
8 oz baby bella mushrooms cleaned and sliced. I normally remove the stems.
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 cloves garlic
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup marsala wine I used a sweet variety. If you are using dry marsala wine, you can use a little bit more.
1 tsp chicken flavored Better Than Bouillon paste or 1/2 tsp regular chicken bouillon
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 cup gruyere cheese shredded
fresh thyme optional

INSTRUCTIONS

On medium-low heat cook your sliced onion in the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter for 10 minutes. Add 1/4 tsp of seal salt and stir frequently
Add in your sliced mushrooms and another 1/4 tsp of sea salt. Cook for another 10 minutes stirring frequently. When there is 2 minutes remaining, add in your garlic.
Add in your gnocchi, 1 cup of chicken broth, 1/4 cup of marsala wine, and 1 tsp of better than bouillon paste. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently so that the gnocchi cooks through. Turn off the heat when the gnocchi is tender.
Add in 1/2 cup of half and half and stir.
Add in your shredded gruyere cheese and stir. Serve with a little fresh thyme on top.