Blue cheese gnocchi with asparagus and crispy bacon, the creamy sauce packs a real stilton punch in this quick and easy midweek meal.
You can prepare the ingredients for the sauce whilst the bacon is crisping up, meaning that this recipe comfortably cooks in 30 minutes.
Creamy Stilton Gnocchi
Gnocchi has become a stalwart in my repertoire in recent years and this blue cheese number is the latest.
It joins recipes like fried gnocchi with bacon, baked gnocchi alla Sorrentina, quick chicken pesto gnocchi and even quick homemade ricotta cheese gnocchi.
This foxy little number comes with a sauce made from white wine, creme fraiche and Stilton cheese. Having said that you can swap the cheese for other blue cheeses if you find Stilton too strong.
It is joined by asparagus which is one of my favourite vegetables when it is in season.
Finally, we get some crispy bacon, and yes bacon does make everything better!
It is a simple dish to cook and it takes around 30 minutes, you can prepare the ingredients whilst the bacon is crisping up.
Then it is just a case of chucking stuff in pans, this sister recipe to my blue cheese pasta recipe tastes amazing and is so incredibly easy!
If you wanted a slightly lighter version of this dish, check out my bacon and asparagus pasta and chicken and mushroom tagliatelle recipes, they come sans blue cheese!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use homemade gnocchi?
Yes absolutely, homemade gnocchi are easy to make although they do take a little time and some experience.
I usually use storebought gnocchi, fresh if I can but shelf-stable work just as well.
Can I use a different type of blue cheese?
Yes, Stilton is definitely the “punchiest” in terms of flavour.
If you want something a little lighter consider either gorgonzola or dolcelatte, if you want something really mild go with something like Danish blue.
Can I use something other than asparagus?
Yes, this works wonderfully with everything from green beans through to broccoli, although the broccoli will take a little longer to cook.
Can I use back bacon?
Not really, we are cooking the shallots and asparagus in the bacon fat and back bacon really does not have enough fat.
Can I use cream rather than creme fraiche?
Yes although you will miss a little sharpness, which you can add back in with a squeeze of lime juice.
Can I use low-fat creme fraiche?
Technically yes, however cooking this with low-fat or no-fat dairy produce definitely risks the sauce splitting. A split sauce will not ruin the dish but it will not be as pleasing to eat, or indeed to look at.
Serving Suggestions
I keep the sides for this blue cheese gnocchi recipe really simple and typically go with some bread.
Whilst this is not a massively “saucy” dish there is always a little sauce left on the plate. I usually opt for a little bit of warmed focaccia or ciabatta bread.
Garlic bread is another solid option, although I would avoid cheesy garlic bread!
I’m not keen on serving dishes like this with a salad, but if you are then keep it simple with a nice green salad.
Equipment Used
I only mention specific brands of equipment if I think they make a material difference to a recipe. If you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Stovetop.
- 30cm or 12″ nonstick frying pan.
- 20cm or 8″ saucepan.
- Chopping board.
- Sharp kitchen knife.
- Weighing scales and or measuring cups and spoons.
- Sieve or colander.
- Kitchen paper.
Blue Cheese Gnocchi Recipe
This wonderful creamy blue cheese gnocchi recipe features a stilton and creme fraiche sauce, asparagus and crispy bacon and it all cooks in around 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- 400g (14oz) Potato Gnocchi
- 100g (6-7 Rasher) Smoked Streaky Bacon
- 125g (20-25 stems thin) Asparagus
- 1 (35g) Shallot
- 6 Sage Leaves
- 125ml (½ Cup) Dry White Wine
- 50g (3 Tbsp) Creme Fraiche
- 75g (¾ Cup) Stilton or Other Blue Cheese
Instructions
- Heat a large (30cm or 12") nonstick pan over a medium heat and add the rashers of bacon and render out the fat for 10 minutes. Then turn up the heat a little and crisp up the bacon for 5 minutes. Remove the bacon and place it on some kitchen paper to soak up any excess fat. When the bacon has cooled crumble it between your fingers.
- Peel the shallot and dice it as finely as you can.
- Shred the sage leaves as finely as you can.
- Snap the woody bases from the asparagus, cut off the tips and then cut the stalks into 1.5cm (½") long pieces.
- Bring a medium (20cm or 8") pan of water to a boil.
- Once the bacon has cooked and been removed reduce the heat under the pan to medium and toss in the shallots, cooking them in the bacon fat for 2-3 minutes to soften. If they begin to colour remove the pan from the heat and continue to stir until it cools down a little.
- Add the asparagus and sage leaves and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Add the wine and reduce by half, then add the creme fraiche and stilton and stir to form a sauce, and allow to cook until the gnocchi is cooked.
- Add the gnocchi to the boiling water and cook until it begins to float (2 minutes or so) then drain and add the sauce, don't worry about salt, we have plenty of that elsewhere then drain the gnocchi and add it to the sauce.
- Stir in then add the crumbled bacon into the sauce reserving a little to be served as a garnish.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 928Total Fat: 42gSaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 168mgSodium: 1353mgCarbohydrates: 91gFiber: 6gSugar: 5gProtein: 40g
Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.