Creamy Salmon Gnocchi

Creamy salmon gnocchi is the ultimate comfort food at the end of a busy day. Ready in just 20 minutes, this salmon and gnocchi recipe is made lighter with cream cheese instead of heavy cream, but it still feels like a treat!

I have quite a few gnocchi recipes on Skinny Spatula, which shouldn’t come as a surprise as I’m a massive fan of these pillowy, fluffy potato-based dumplings.

If you’ve been looking for some recipes with hot smoked salmon to try, this salmon and gnocchi recipe should definitely be high on your list.

I make the sauce with a mix of tomato paste and cream cheese to keep it lighter. You’ll be surprised at how flavourful and creamy this dish is, even in the absence of heavy cream.

Why you’ll love this creamy salmon gnocchi

• It’s remarkably creamy. This recipe is proof that you don’t need to smother gnocchi in double (heavy) cream to obtain a creamy texture.
• The flavours are on point. This salmon gnocchi tastes incredible thanks to the combination of garlic/tomato sauce made with a splash of white wine, cream cheese and smoked salmon.
• It’s ready in 20 minutes. Dinner in 20 minutes? Don’t mind if I do! And this is no ordinary dinner, too — expect it to taste like something you’d have at a restaurant.

What do you need to make creamy salmon gnocchi?

Olive oil — You only need a tablespoon of olive oil to saute the shallot and garlic in.

Shallot — I like to use shallots in this creamy sauce because of its mild flavour, but you can also use regular onion.

Garlic and red chilli flakes — Adjust the quantities to your liking and skip the red chilli flakes altogether if you don't want the gnocchi sauce to have a bit of a kick.

White wine — A splash of white wine is the ingredient that truly elevates the flavour of this smoked salmon gnocchi dish. You can skip it or substitute it with broth if you don’t cook with wine. I highly recommend it for a restaurant-quality sauce. Any dry white wine would do.

Italian seasoning mix — This herb blend contains oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, and marjoram and is a quick way to infuse flavor into your gnocchi sauce. You can replace it with ½ teaspoon oregano and ½ teaspoon dried basil.

Spinach — Fresh baby spinach is best in this recipe as it will add extra colour and nutrition to the gnocchi sauce.

Cream cheese — Full-fat cream cheese will make this sauce extra creamy, but you can reduce the number of calories by using low-fat cream cheese instead. Philadelphia is my go-to cream cheese for this type of sauce.

Gnocchi — I used the gnocchi from Garofalo for this recipe. You can use your favourite and opt for a gluten-free version if needed.

Hot smoked salmon — This is a type of smoked salmon that has been cured in salty water or brine before being smoked. It’s a great choice for this gnocchi because it’s already cooked, and all you have to do is flake it and add it to the pot at the end.

You can make this creamy gnocchi with salmon fillets instead. Sear the salmon fillets for 3-4 minutes on each side and flake it before adding it to the gnocchi sauce.

How to make salmon gnocchi

Heat the olive oil in a large, deep pan or Dutch oven and saute the shallot for 1-2 minutes over medium heat.

Stir in the garlic and red chilli flakes and continue to cook for another minute. Add the white wine and allow it to cook until the alcohol mostly evaporates.

Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the gnocchi according to the instructions on the package.

Add the tomato paste to the pan with the onions, then stir in the Italian seasoning mix.

Pour 200 ml water (you can use some of the water you’re cooking the gnocchi in) and bring to a simmer.

Stir in the spinach and simmer for 2-3 minutes until wilted. Next, add in the cream cheese and stir until it melts completely.

Allow the sauce to bubble for a minute, then stir in the cooked gnocchi and flaked hot smoked salmon.

Season to taste and serve immediately, topped with some freshly chopped parsley if you like.

Recipe notes and tips

• Get the cream cheese out of the fridge before starting cooking. The closer it is to room temperature, the quicker it will melt.
• This creamy salmon gnocchi is best served immediately. I don’t recommend reheating or freezing them because the texture won’t be the same.
• This gnocchi dish is perfect on its own, but you can serve it with some garlic bread slices if you want a side to go with it.

If you liked this creamy salmon gnocchi, you might also like some of my other easy recipes with gnocchi:

• Gnocchi Carbonara
• Creamy Chicken Gnocchi
• Creamy Chorizo Gnocchi
• One-Pot Gnocchi with Sausage and Kale
• Creamy Italian Sausage Gnocchi Soup

Looking for more delicious inspiration? Follow Skinny Spatula on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!