This sweet corn and zucchini gnocchi skillet is the perfect summer skillet with fresh zucchini and sweet corn in a light creamy lime sauce with fresh basil.
There's gnocchi. There's sweet corn. There's basil. There's a creamy lime sauce.
Seriously, it's SO good and so fresh, and I know you'll love it.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- The first step is to cook the gnocchi. If you've never cooked gnocchi before, it's incredibly fast and easy. It requires a pot of boiling water, then you drop the little potato dumplings in and wait for them to rise to the top.
- Simply scoop them out with a slotted spoon as they start to float. It takes less than 10 minutes and there is seriously nothing better than these little fluffy pillows.
- A few brands also make "skillet gnocchi", which doesn't have to be boiled and can just be added straight to a hot oiled pan. It's revolutionary.
- You can also, of course, make gnocchi from scratch if you have a little extra time on your hands! It's a fun project to take on every once in awhile.
- Next, you'll saute the onion, bell pepper, sweet corn and zucchini in a bit of olive oil. I like to use fresh corn off the cob, but this recipe is also stellar with frozen corn (and even canned works!).
- We're just looking for the veggies to be slightly tender with a nice golden edges from being sauteed. Also note that zucchini cooks really quickly, so I toss it in at the end so it doesn't become mush.
- After that, you'll make the sauce. And I'm not even sure we can call it "making a sauce", because you'll simply add fresh lime zest and juice and a splash of cream and voila!
- You have a sauce. Season it with a bit of salt and black pepper and you're in for a real treat.
- Lastly, you'll garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil and everything about summer is in this skillet and it's AMAZING.
- You could enjoy this as a vegetarian main dish or as a side dish with grilled fish, chicken or steak - yum!
Featured Ingredients
- Gnocchi: You can make your own gnocchi, if you would like, but you can also use store-bought gnocchi.
- Any variety you want, actually! My recipe calls for whole grain, but if you can't find that, regular is perfect.
- Sweet corn: One of summer's BEST vegetables.
- You can certainly make this recipe with frozen corn, but I really love making it (on repeat) when sweet corn is at it's peak in August and September.
- Zucchini: I always have so much of it in my garden, there's really no excuse not to make this skillet!
- Plus, it really is one of those vegetables that's available year-round.
- Bell pepper: You can use any color, but I prefer red because it adds such a beautiful color to this skillet that's filled with yellow and green.
- Lime: Grab the squishiest limes you can get at the grocery store - and the ones that are faint green (not dark) - they will have the most juice.
- Grab a few extras and make a mojito, too.
- Basil: When it's farmer's market season, I grab a big bunch because it's so much less expensive than buying a small container at the store.
- I definitely recommend fresh for this dish - it adds so much flavor and fragrance!
- Half and half: This adds the creamy factor to the final product.
- It's only a few tablespoons but boy does it make a difference!
- Parmesan: And make it freshly grated.
- What a way to finish off a dish that has pillowy gnocchi, fresh crisp sweet corn and zucchini, fragrant basil and a creamy lime sauce than with a handful of Parmesan.
- You're also going to need olive oil, an onion, some garlic, and salt and black pepper, of course!
Equipment
This is what they call a one pot dish, so you don't need much!
- A cutting board and a sharp chef's knife
- A pot for boiling the gnocchi and a colander
- A large skillet or a stove-top casserole dish like the one pictured
- A wooden spoon
- Bowls and forks for serving
Chef's Tips
Substitution Tip: Try orecchiette or another shaped pasta instead of gnocchi.
Variation Tip: For a winter version of this skillet, swap the corn, zucchini and basil for cubed butternut squash, mushrooms and thyme.
Bursting at the seams with zucchini?
- Beef & Ricotta Zucchini Roll-Ups
- Lemon Poppy Seed Zucchini Muffins
- Cinnamon Crunch Zucchini Banana Bread
- Crispy Zucchini Fritters
- Dark Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Sweet Corn and Zucchini Gnocchi Skillet
The ultimate summer skillet with gnocchi, sweet corn, zucchini and red bell pepper in a light creamy lime sauce.
- Prep Time: 10-15 mins
- Cook Time: 15-20 mins
- Total Time: 25-35 mins
- Yield: Serves 6
- Category: Entree
- Method: Stove-Top
- Cuisine: American, Italian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1-pound whole grain gnocchi
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ medium yellow onion, peeled and diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, stemmed and diced
- 4 ears sweet corn, cut from the cob
- 2 medium zucchinis, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 3 tablespoons half and half
- Zest and juice of 1 medium lime (about 2 tablespoons)
- 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher or sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
Instructions
- Bring a large stock pot of water to a boil. Add the gnocchi and cook 4-5 minutes or until the gnocchi float to the surface. Drain and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet to medium. Add the onion, bell pepper and sweet corn and sauté 4-5 minutes or until soft. Stir in the gnocchi, zucchini and garlic and sauté 1-2 minutes or until gnocchi is lightly browned. Stir in the half and half, lime zest and juice, salt, black pepper, and half of the Parmesan cheese. Bring to a simmer for 2-3 minutes. Stir in half of the basil.
- Serve gnocchi skillet in bowls and top with remaining Parmesan cheese and basil.
Notes
Substitution Tip: Try orecchiette or another shaped pasta instead of gnocchi.
Variation Tip: For a winter version of this skillet, swap the corn, zucchini and basil for cubed butternut squash, mushrooms and thyme.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ⅙ of recipe
- Calories: 285
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 552mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 49g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 10mg
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