If you want a creamy, cheesy dish that is sure to warm you to the core, definitely consider trying baked gnocchi with mushrooms and ricotta cheese!

This is a very simple recipe and also easy to modify. Hate mushrooms? No problem! Try using zucchini, eggplant, or another vegetable of similar texture. You could also certainly use ground meat in this recipe – either in place of or in addition to the mushrooms. If I wasn’t cooking for a vegetarian, I would add ground sausage, turkey, or beef – maybe even bacon. WOW, this would be great with bacon.

I am a bit of a carnivore myself, but honestly these chopped mushrooms didn’t make me think twice about missing meat – they soaked up all flavor of the wine, thyme, and sage they were cooked in, and since I chopped them finely, they took on a similar texture.

Ingredients

• 1 16 or 17 oz package of gnocchi
• 8 oz mushrooms (I used cremini/baby bella)
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil (I used garlic infused for extra flavor)
• Big splash of sherry or dry white wine
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1/4-1/2 tsp sage (I started with 1/4 tsp but sprinkled more in to taste as I was cooking)
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/3 cup Italian cheese blend (mozzarella or parmesan would work fine)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Finely chop your mushrooms. While you are chopping, heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium skillet.

2. Once the oil is shimmering, add your mushrooms to the pan. Add generous splash of white wine or sherry, sage, and thyme. Sauté for about 5 minutes, or until mushrooms are soft and the liquid is mostly absorbed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. While you are sautéing the mushrooms, cook your gnocchi according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

4. Once the gnocchi and mushrooms have cooled slightly, mix them together with the sauce and Italian cheese blend in a medium sized baking dish (I used this 1.5 quart ceramic baking dish). Mix in 1/2 cup of the ricotta cheese.

5. Dollop the other 1/2 cup ricotta cheese on top.

6. Broil for 5-10 minutes or until the cheese browns. Enjoy warm! (This also reheats really well for leftovers the next day in the microwave). ***I broiled my dish in the Instant Vortex Pro Air Fryer Oven, which broils at 400 degrees. Standard ovens often broil at a higher temperature (typically around 500 degrees), so watch carefully – it may broil faster in a regular oven.***

Notes for Low FODMAP Friends

This is not a low FODMAP dish, but I have learned that I can tolerate the ingredients (in certain amounts) so I can eat this dish comfortably in moderation. Below are a few low FODMAP tweaks that would make this recipe more FODMAP friendly:

According to the Monash University FODMAP Diet app, ricotta cheese is low FODMAP in 2 tablespoon portions. 1/2 cup servings have moderate amounts of lactose, and 3/4 cup servings have high amounts of lactose. Be very careful if you are following a strict low FODMAP diet – I would consider subbing in mozzarella cheese instead of ricotta (same goes for that Italian cheese blend) unless you are in the reintroduction phase of the diet. Mozzarella cheese is low FODMAP in 1/4 cup servings, according to Monash, so be sure to watch your portion sizes.

Mushrooms are also tricky in the low FODMAP world. Oyster mushrooms are low FODMAP in 1 cup servings, but some other varieties like shiitake, button, and portobello are high in manitol. If you are following a strict low FODMAP diet, I would use a different vegetable if you do not have oyster mushrooms unless you are in the reintroduction phase of the diet.

You can use gluten free gnocchi in place of regular (which typically uses wheat flour as a binder) – I’ve heard DeLallo makes amazing gluten free pastas.

I used FODY’s low FODMAP marinara sauce to keep this recipe free of onions and garlic. This sauce is amazing and I would recommend it to anyone!

I am excited to experiment with more ooey, gooey cheesy gnocchi creations. It’s hard to not love anything smothered in sauce and cheese!