One Skillet Creamy Caprese Gnocchi
In the past 6 (yes, 6!) years of blogging, a lot of crap has happened in the world. Bombings, shootings, terrorist attacks. And after every single one I find myself paralyzed to write anything (side note: I wrote Monday's post before the Orlando attack happened) that would be worth reading at a time when there are so many more important things to read or think about.
I mean, what does one even say at a time like this? And really, aren't enough people sharing their opinions on social media already?
It's hard not to acknowledge the anger, sadness, confusion, and fear all around us but let's keep things light around here. I'm not out to start any debates or raise eyebrows...I just want to cook and share delicious food with y'all. So let's eat, shall we?! I have creamy, cheesy comfort food for you today.
I am a huge fan of one-skillet meals and especially love my One Skillet Kale and Bacon Gnocchi. The great thing about gnocchi (I buy the shelf-stable kind from Target but you could use frozen or fresh in this recipe too!) is how quickly it cooks.This makes this Caprese Gnocchi Skillet not only cheesy and creamy, but also insanely easy!
Oh, and did I mention the cheese?
I mean, the cheesiness from the fresh mozzarella is just unreallllll. I added most of it to the sauce at the end so it would warm up and get nice and melty, but kept a handful of it to thrown on top at the end. I just loved biting into a piece of fresh mozzarella with a pillowy gnocchi!
The BEST bites, however, were the ones with a piece of tomato and a bit of fresh basil, along with the cheese and gnocchi. It's like summer in a bite!
I also kept the tomatoes out until the very end, meaning they didn't get cooked. I loved this about the dish as the flavors from the tomatoes were super fresh (and more caprese like) but you could add them in sooner so they get cooked, if you want!
One thing is for sure - this one skillet meal seriously could not be easier...or delicious! 
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 ½ cups whole milk
- 8 ounces mini mozzarella balls or a log of mozzarella cut into bite-sized pieces
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 3 tablespoons fresh basil
- 1 cup diced grape tomatoes
Instructions
- In a skillet, add butter over medium heat.
- Once melted, add garlic and sautee for one minute.
- Add flour, whisking to combine with butter and garlic mixture.
- Let cook for 1 minute, stirring so it doesn't burn.
- Slowly add the milk in ½ cup increments, whisking to fully stir it in with the butter/flour mixture. Adding it slowly and whisking it together will ensure it does not clump.
- Once all the milk is added, bring to a simmer.
- Lower heat to low and let simmer for about 5-7 minutes, until it begins to thicken.
- Add gnocchi, and let simmer for another 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. During this time, the gnocchi will cook and the sauce will thicken more.
- Once sauce is to your preferred consistency, add about ¾ of the mozzarella and season with salt and pepper. Stir to mix the mozzarella and salt/pepper in with the sauce.
- Top with fresh basil, tomatoes, and remaining mozzarella.
- Serve and enjoy!
