Roasted Veggies and Gnocchi

You guys know I love me a good sheet pan dinner. I know it’s summertime and who really wants the oven on in the summer? Well, apparently, I do. And I assume some of you are okay with it, too. 😉

One of the things I like about this recipe is its versatility. Roasted gnocchi is probably one of the best things to eat! The veggie combos are endless.

So, first things first… this is shelf-stable, store-bought gnocchi. One day I will conquer it from scratch. Yesterday was not that day. Second, did you know you can cook gnocchi without boiling it? You can. I dare you to try it!

Here’s what I used and how I used it for this recipe.
Preheat oven to 450 (I know, I know, it’s hot) and cover a sheet pan in parchment paper.
While it’s heating to that hades level temperature, prep your veggies.
1/2 purple onion, rough dice (that means you don’t have to make it exceptionally small, pretty, or even uniform)
2 zucchinis, halved and sliced
A bunch of asparagus tips, snap at its natural snap point*
3 ears of corn, kernels removed*
Pint of sweet tomatoes
1 pound (or a little over) package gnocchi*
Olive Oil
Salt (the kosher variety, if you have it), fresh cracked pepper, and garlic salt
Parmesan cheese
Fresh basil

Place all the veggies and the gnocchi in a spot on the pan. Drizzle about 1/4 c (I didn’t measure) of olive oil over the whole pan. Add a touch of kosher salt and pepper. Mix each little section, trying to keep them separate but recognizing it will not ruin the dish if corn mixes with asparagus.

Place on the middle rack of the oven for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, turn the pan halfway and roast for another 10 minutes.

In the end, the gnocchi should have a bit of color, and all the veggies should be nice and roasty.

Give it another drizzle of olive oil, add garlic salt, stir together and taste. Adjust seasonings to your preference. Top with fresh parmesan and fresh basil!

Okay. A couple *’s to address:
Asparagus will naturally snap at the point that the woody ends of it are no good. Just work your way up from the bottom, bending it lightly until it snaps.
To easily remove kernels, you can place the ear of corn on the middle of a bundt pan and let the pan collect the kernels. If you do it on a cutting board (this is what I do), please make sure it’s secure and won’t slip on you. Of course, frozen (and thawed) corn is an option, too. You’ll want about 1 1/2 cups of corn. Or however much you want. I’m not the boss of you or your kitchen.
If you use frozen gnocchi, be sure to thaw it for about 45 minutes before tossing it on the pan.

Sheet Pan Potatoes (and other stuff)

I spent about a year as a vegan when I was going through some eliminating diet things back in the day. It was fine… in the end, my body was okay with animal proteins, so I added them back. Every now and then, though, I still like to make meatless meals that are hearty and filling. This one had cheese, so it’s technically vegetarian, but you catch my drift.

For the record, this is the first recipe I’m sharing here, and I made it a couple weeks ago before I knew the food blog was gonna be a thing. My measurements while making this were non-existent. I’m going to do my best to approximate what they should be, but shoo… do yo’ thang and I’m sure it’ll be delicious.

A couple things to note: the amount of potatoes really depends on the size of the potatoes and how much you want of each kind. I think sweet potatoes add a lovely depth of flavor, but you’re welcome to skip them if you’d prefer to only use russets. Also, in the recipe, I note that You shouldn’t be shy with the salt, and I mean it. Undersalted food is a tragedy. For this dish, I used kosher salt – it has larger grains and adds good flavor.

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Ingredients:
2-3 large baking russet potatoes, ~ 1 inch chunks
2-3 large sweet potatoes, ~1 inch chunks
1 small sweet onion, large dice
cherry tomatoes, halved
1 large zucchini, quartered and chunked
15 oz can of black beans, rinsed
10 oz frozen corn, thawed
2 c. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper
1/2 t. coriander
1/2 t. smoked paprika
1 T. garlic and herb seasoning (I get mine at Aldi!)
1 t. crushed red pepper flakes
1 t. garlic powder

Preheat oven to 400. Cover a large sheet pan with parchment paper. Toss the potatoes with a good round of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread in an even layer on the sheet pan. Roast in the oven for about 25 minutes. While that’s cooking, chop the rest of your veggies.

After 25 minutes, remove the sheet pan, add the remaining veggies and the black beans. Give another drizzle of olive oil over the pan and mix. Add some more salt and pepper and the rest of the seasonings. This is where I’ll have to trust you to make the right choices since I didn’t measure! Don’t be shy with that salt, either. Mix well.

You’re doing great.

Place sheet pan back in the oven for about 20 minutes. Remove, stir, check for doneness with your potatoes. If they need a bit more time, put them back in for 4 minute intervals, until done. Roasting potatoes is very finicky and dependent on how your oven cooks or if you have other things in there with it. Once the potatoes are done (fork tender), cover with shredded cheese and add back into the oven until it’s melty. And beautiful. And lovely. Enjoy!