This gnocchi alla vodka with crispy breadcrumbs is creamy, slightly spicy, and full of texture. Soft, pillowy potato gnocchi are coated in a rich vodka sauce and finished with garlicky crumbs for the perfect contrast. It’s a dish that’s easy enough for a weeknight dinner, but special enough for a winter dinner party.
Vodka sauce has always had that perfect balance of richness and brightness. The tomato paste caramelizes into something deeply savory & slightly sweet, the vodka sharpens and lifts it, and the cream smooths everything out.
But adding crispy breadcrumbs that have been toasted in garlic-infused butter/olive oil changes the entire experience. They bring texture, a little nuttiness from the browned butter, and a hint of extra garlic that I love. It turns a classic into something a little more interesting.
gnocchi alla vodka – a few notes
One of the most essential components of this classic sauce is the tomato paste. Along with shallots and garlic, this is where the bulk of the flavor comes from. A key step is to allow enough time to caramelize it, about 5 minutes over medium-low heat. The flavor profile comes alive, the sweetness comes out, and it adds an overall depth to the vodka sauce.
When the vodka goes in, give it a minute or two to simmer so the alcohol cooks off but the flavor remains. And remember to reserve a little cooking liquid from the gnocchi pot. This starchy liquid helps thicken the sauce and creates a glossy finish.
You can also play with different additions to your vodka sauce – here I’ve added red pepper flakes for heat and basil for freshness.
The vodka sauce comes together really quickly. And the gnocchi takes just minutes to boil. When you combine the two, the sauce thickens even more and coats the gnocchi beautifully.
While making your own gnocchi is always a possibility, I’ve used store-bought here to keep this an extremely quick-cooking dish. I’ve tried lots of different options, and my favorite is the gnocchi you find in the refrigerated section of the store.
It typically has eggs in it, along with a very minimal list of ingredients so that it tastes really fresh. Packaged gnocchi in the dry foods section works too, but I find most of them to be rather starchy once boiled.
PrintGnocchi Alla Vodka with Crispy Breadcrumbs
potato gnocchi in a creamy, slightly spicy vodka sauce with crispy, garlicky breadcrumbs over top
servings: 2 large portions
Ingredients
Crispy Breadcrumbs
- 2 oz sourdough bread (or other crusty bread like baguette or ciabatta)
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed
- kosher salt
Gnocchi Alla Vodka
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- ¼ cup vodka
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 lb potato gnocchi
- ¼ cup grated parmigiano reggiano, plus more for topping
- ¼ cup torn basil leaves
- kosher salt
Instructions
Crispy Breadcrumbs
- Tear the bread into small pieces and add it to a food processor. Pulse until coarse crumbs are formed (approximately ¾ of a cup).
- Add the butter, olive oil, and smashed garlic cloves to a cold 12” sauté pan. Heat over medium until the butter is bubbling and just starting to brown.
- Add the breadcrumbs. Toast for 2-3 minutes until golden and crisp, stirring continuously (lower the heat if needed so they don’t burn).
- Pour the breadcrumbs onto a plate. Season with a pinch of salt. Allow to cool. Wipe out the sauté pan to use it for the gnocchi.
Gnocchi Alla Vodka
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil.
- Heat the 12” sauté pan over medium heat. Add the butter. Once melted, add the shallot. Cook for a minute until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Season with a good pinch of salt.
- Add the red pepper flakes and tomato paste. Stir well, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for 5 minutes to caramelize. Return the heat to medium. Pour in the vodka. Simmer for about 2 minutes to cook off the alcohol.
- Stir in the cream. Bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile, drop the gnocchi into the boiling water and stir well. Cook according to the package’s instructions (they should float to the top when they’re done).
- Retrieve a ¼ cup (plus a little extra on the side if needed) of cooking liquid from the gnocchi and add it to the sauce. Stir well to combine. Gradually add the parmigiano, stirring until it melts into the sauce.
- Drain the gnocchi and add it to the sauce, along with the basil. Stir well to combine. Season with salt to taste. Plate the gnocchi with the crispy breadcrumbs and more parmigiano over top.
Notes
If the sauce sits too long or becomes too thick, the reserved cooking liquid from the gnocchi can help to thin it out and achieve that silky-smooth texture.
