There are nights when all I want is a big, deeply comforting bowl of pasta. This is that bowl. My Mushroom Gnocchi in Herby Cream Sauce is the one I make when I want to feel like I’ve eaten at a fancy restaurant, but I really don’t want to leave my house.

I used to make a critical mistake with mushrooms—I’d toss them in a pan and just stir them around until they were cooked. The result was always kind of grey and rubbery. The whole game changed when I learned to just let them sit. You have to give them time, untouched, to get a deep, dark brown sear in the pan. That’s not just color, that’s where all the flavor is hiding.

Ingredients for Mushroom Gnocchi in Herby Cream Sauce

1 tbsp Olive Oil

1 tbsp Butter
8 oz Cremini Mushrooms, sliced

1 Shallot, finely diced
3 Cloves Garlic, minced

1 tsp Dried Thyme
1/2 tsp Dried Sage
1/2 cup Vegetable Broth

1 cup Heavy Cream
1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese, plus extra for serving
1 lb Potato Gnocchi

Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
2 tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Sear the Mushrooms (The Right Way)

Get your biggest skillet hot over medium-high heat and melt the butter and oil together. Add your sliced mushrooms and spread them into a single layer. Now, here’s the important part: walk away. Don’t stir them, don’t shake the pan. Let them sizzle and pop for a solid 4-5 minutes until one side has a dark brown crust. Once you see that color, you can give them a stir and let them finish cooking for another few minutes.

Step 2: Add the Aromatics

Now that the mushrooms have their color, toss in the diced shallot and cook it down for a couple of minutes until it’s soft. Then, add the minced garlic, dried thyme, and sage. You only need to stir this for about 60 seconds, right until you can smell it. Any longer and you risk burning the garlic, and absolutely nobody wants that bitter flavor in their sauce.

Step 3: Deglaze and Build the Sauce

Pour the vegetable broth into the hot pan. It will steam and bubble—that’s what you want. Use a wooden spoon to scrape all the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. That’s a ton of flavor you’re lifting up. Let the broth simmer for two or three minutes, then turn the heat down to low before you pour in the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese.

Step 4: Cook the Gnocchi

Get a pot of water boiling and add a generous amount of salt. Drop in the gnocchi. They cook fast. As soon as they start floating to the top, they’re done. Before you drain them, use a mug to scoop out a cup of that cloudy pasta water. It’s the key to a perfect sauce. Do not rinse the gnocchi. That starchiness is your friend; it helps the sauce stick.

Step 5: Finish the Dish

Slide the drained gnocchi directly into the skillet with your sauce. Stir everything together gently. The sauce might look a little thick, which is where that pasta water comes in. Add a small splash at a time and stir until the sauce is the consistency you like. Give it a taste. It will probably need a pinch of salt and a few cracks of black pepper. Serve it immediately, topped with plenty of fresh parsley and more Parmesan.

A Few Things to Keep in Mind

Don’t feel like you need to make homemade gnocchi for this. A good quality store-bought bag is perfectly fine, especially on a weeknight. The whole point of this dish is getting an incredible depth of flavor without a ton of fussy steps. This vegetarian comfort food is all about the richness you get from the mushrooms and herbs working together.

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What to Serve with Mushroom Gnocchi

While this is definitely a meal in a bowl, you’re going to want bread. A good, crusty loaf is practically a requirement for mopping up every last bit of sauce. If you feel like you need a vegetable, a simple green salad with a very sharp, lemony dressing is the perfect thing to cut through the richness of the cream.

Why I’m Obsessed With This Recipe

This Mushroom Gnocchi in Herby Cream Sauce is the meal that makes me feel like I have my life together, even if it only took 30 minutes to make and the kitchen is a total disaster. It’s just so much better than it has any right to be for how simple the ingredients are. It’s my back-pocket recipe for a reason.

If you make it, I genuinely want to know what you think. Drop a comment below and tell me how it went.

4 yields

Mushroom Gnocchi in Herby Cream Sauce

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

A rich and creamy comfort food dish featuring pillowy gnocchi and seared mushrooms in a savory herb sauce. Perfect for a quick, impressive meal.

Ingredients

1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tbsp Butter
8 oz Cremini Mushrooms sliced

1 Shallot finely diced
3 Cloves Garlic minced
1 tsp Dried Thyme

1/2 tsp Dried Sage
1/2 cup Vegetable Broth
1 cup Heavy Cream

1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese plus more for garnish
1 lb Potato Gnocchi
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste

2 tbsp Fresh Parsley chopped

Instructions

Step 1

get your pan hot with butter and oil then toss in the mushrooms just let em sit there for a few minutes dont touch em you want that nice brown color then you can give em a stir

Step 2

add the shallot and cook till its soft then throw in the garlic and dried herbs for like a minute just till you can smell it

Step 3

pour in the broth and scrape up the good stuff from the bottom of the pan let it bubble down a bit then lower the heat and stir in the cream and parmesan

Step 4

boil some salty water and cook the gnocchi when they float theyre done save some of that pasta water before you drain them and dont rinse em

Step 5

toss the drained gnocchi right into the sauce if it looks too thick add a splash of that pasta water you saved season it up with salt and pepper then serve with fresh parsley and more cheese

Notes

store-bought gnocchi is totally fine saves a ton of time
dont skimp on browning the mushrooms its where all the flavor comes from

that starchy pasta water really is the secret to a perfect sauce
feel free to use other mushrooms like shiitake or oyster

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 500Total Fat: 33gSaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 119mgSodium: 444mgCarbohydrates: 55gFiber: 3gSugar: 4gProtein: 14g

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