Baked Gnocchi with Mushroom-Walnut 'Meat' Sauce

This delicious and indulgent dish is sure to impress guests, vegan or not. Finely minced mushrooms and walnuts are browned and then cooked in a rich tomato sauce to create a deep meaty flavor and texture which compliments the soft, pillowy bites of gnocchi.

INGREDIENTS & SUBSTITUTIONS

• GNOCCHI - little potato pasta-dumplings! I was able to find some gluten free gnocchi, but feel free to use any type you like.

• MUSHROOMS - baby bellas or white mushrooms work well for this recipe.

• WALNUTS - I have not tried any other type of nut or seed with this recipe. I think most other nuts or seeds would have an overpowering flavor. If you don’t want to use nuts, you could double the mushrooms or substitute cooked lentils.

• GARLIC

• TOMATO PASTE - this adds more depth to the tomato flavor. Try not to skip it if possible!

• RED WINE - I think red wine makes any red sauce better - it adds richness and depth to the flavor! However, you could substitute vegetable broth if desired.

• CRUSHED TOMATOES

• DRIED CHILI FLAKES

• HONEY - you can substitute another liquid sweetener or pinch of sugar. The touch of sweetness helps balance the acidity of the tomatoes.

• TRUFFLE OIL - completely optional but adds another layer of flavor and additional richness.

BECHAMEL

• CORNSTARCH - this thickens the mixture so that it gets creamy and cheese-like

• NON-DAIRY MILK - use plain, unsweetened milk of your choice

• VEGAN BUTTER - you could substitute for a neutral oil, just add an extra little pinch of salt

HOW TO MAKE BAKED GNOCCHI WITH MUSHROOM WALNUT ‘MEAT’ SAUCE

1. Prep the mushroom walnut ‘meat’ sauce: finely mince the mushrooms and walnuts in a food processor; set aside.

2. Pan fry the gnocchi: this gives the gnocchi a nice, crispy texture on the outside. The inside will become soft later while cooking in the sauce. Set the gnocchi aside.

3. Pan fry the mushroom and walnut mixture until browned, then add garlic and tomato paste.

4. Deglaze the pan with red wine (or vegetable broth) and add the crushed tomatoes.

5. Season with salt and pepper, chili flakes, honey, and optional truffle oil, then let simmer for ~10 minutes.

6. Prepare the béchamel:

   1. Whisk cornstarch into cold non-dairy milk.

   2. Melt vegan butter in a saucepan, then whisk in the cornstarch/milk mixture and stir until thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

7. Add the gnocchi back into the sauce, give it a stir, then remove it from the heat.

8. Pour the béchamel over the gnocchi.

9. Bake for ~10 minutes, then broil until the béchamel is brown and bubbling.

10. Garnish with fresh basil if desired.

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THE RECIPE

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Baked Gnocchi with Mushroom-Walnut 'Meat' Sauce

Yield: 4-5

Author: MADELINE APPEL

Ingredients

• 1 TBS olive oil
• ~16oz gnocchi
• 8oz mushrooms (baby bellas or similar)
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 TBS tomato paste
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 15oz crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp dried chili flakes (or to taste)
• 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp honey (or other liquid sweetener)
• drizzle of truffle oil (optional)
• fresh basil for garnish (optional)

Bechamel

• 1.5 TBS cornstarch
• 1.5 cups plain, unsweetened non-dairy milk (I used oat)
• large pinch of salt and pepper (~1/8-1/4 tsp)
• 1 TBS vegan butter

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F.
2. Add the mushrooms and walnuts to a food processor and pulse until finely minced. Set aside.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large, oven safe skillet or cast iron pan. Once hot, add the gnocchi and pan fry until golden brown on the outside, and soft on the inside. Set aside.
4. To the same pan, add the other tablespoon of olive oil, then add the minced mushrooms and walnuts. Pan fry until the moisture from the mushrooms has released and cooked off and the mixture is starting to brown.
5. Add the minced garlic and tomato paste and cook for a minute.
6. Deglaze the pan with the red wine, then add the crushed tomatoes.
7. Add the chili flakes, salt and pepper, honey, and optional truffle oil. Let this cook for 5-10 minutes.
8. In the meantime, make the béchamel: whisk the cornstarch into the cold non-dairy milk. In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Then, with the heat on low-medium, whisk in the cornstarch/milk mixture and stir until thickened. Remove from heat/ set aside.
9. Add the gnocchi back into the tomato sauce, then remove it from the heat.
10. Pour the béchamel over the gnocchi.
11. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, then broil until the béchamel has turned brown and bubbly.
12. Garnish with basil if desired.