Breakfast Gnocchi

This recipe is an Italian twist on a classic breakfast hash. Pan-fried fluffy potato gnocchi replaces diced breakfast potatoes for a filling start to the morning. I boil the gnocchi until tender, then set it aside while the bacon is cooked in the pan and the fat is rendered. The gnocchi is then browned in the remaining bacon fat before serving it with pan-roasted tomatoes, eggs and chives for a flavorful start to the morning. The runny yolk from the poached eggs coats the gnocchi and becomes a sort of sauce.

Breakfast Gnocchi

Key Ingredients in This Recipe

• Gnocchi – Rather than using homemade gnocchi in this recipe I take a shortcut and use packaged, store-bought potato gnocchi. I find store-bought gnocchi holds together a bit better than homemade as the gnocchi are boiled then pan-fried in this recipe.
• Bacon – The bacon is added to a cold pan so that it cooks evenly and the fat has rendered. The rendered bacon fat is used as a flavorful and rich base for the breakfast gnocchi. I like the smokiness the applewood smoked bacon adds, though it can easily be substituted with pancetta in this recipe. 
• Tomatoes – While the tomatoes on the vine make for an impressive presentation, cherry tomatoes can easily be used as well and are often more accessible. The tomatoes are sautéed in the pan until they burst. The sweet juices mix well with the egg yolk to create a sauce for the fried gnocchi.

How to Make Breakfast Gnocchi

1. Cook gnocchi. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the gnocchi and cook until they float to the surface. Drain and set aside.
2. Cook the bacon. Add the sliced bacon to a cold large sauté pan. Turn heat to medium and sauté, stirring occasionally until the bacon is crispy and fat has rendered. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon from the pan and move to a paper towel-lined plate. Remove all but 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat in the pan.
3. Cook the tomatoes. Return the pan to the heat. Next, add the tomatoes on the vine to the pan and let cook, turning them gently occasionally, until they are lightly browned and the skin just begins to split, about 10 minutes.
4. Pan-fry gnocchi. Add the gnocchi to the pan and sauté until golden brown and crisp all over, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the spinach and continue to cook until the spinach wilts.
5. Assemble and serve. Add the bacon back to the pan with the gnocchi and top with poached eggs. Garnish with arugula.

Other Recipes to Try

• Farmer’s Market Breakfast Grain Bowl
• Parmesan Jalapeño Crusted Egg in Hole
• Sweet Potato and Bacon Hash

Breakfast Gnocchi

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

Serves 4

US Customary – Metric

Ingredients:

• 1 pound potato gnocchi
• ¾ pound applewood smoked bacon, sliced into ½” strips
• ½ pound cherry tomatoes (or small tomatoes on the vine)
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1½ cups baby spinach
• 4 poached eggs
• Handful wild arugula

Instructions:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the gnocchi and cook until they float to the surface. Drain and set aside.
• Add the sliced bacon to a cold large sauté pan. Turn heat to medium and sauté, stirring occasionally until the bacon is crispy and fat has rendered. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon from the pan and move to a paper towel-lined plate. Remove all but 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat in the pan.
• Return the pan to the heat then add the tomatoes on the vine to the pan and let cook, turning them gently occasionally, until they are lightly browned and the skin just begins to split, about 10 minutes.
• Add the gnocchi to the pan and sauté until golden brown and crisp all over, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the spinach and continue to cook until the spinach wilts.
• Add the bacon back to the pan with the gnocchi and top with poached eggs. Garnish with arugula.

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