Lazy one-pan gnocchi for one: whatever is in the fridge, one burner and 30 cm of counter

Name: Lazy one-pan gnocchi
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 1 serving
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil (or any cooking oil); 250 g (half a 500 g packet) shelf-stable potato gnocchi; 8 (about 120 g), halved cherry tomatoes; 1 clove, sliced garlic; 2 handfuls (about 50 g) baby spinach, or whatever greens are in the fridge; 2 tbsp water; 2 tbsp (about 15 g) grated parmesan or any hard cheese; to taste (chilli optional) salt, black pepper, chilli flakes

Fry 250 g of shelf-stable gnocchi straight from the packet in one tablespoon of oil for about 7 minutes, toss in halved cherry tomatoes and garlic, pile spinach on top, put the lid on and let the steam do the work. No pot of boiling water, no colander, one pan, about 20 minutes. The rest of the fridge is invited.

1 serving · 1 burner · 30 cm of counter · about 20 min

The order: what comes out when

With one free surface you cannot take everything out at once. Each line is one round: out of the fridge or cupboard, onto the board, into the pan, and the counter is free again.

Out: pan, oil, gnocchi → Pan: oil, gnocchi (2 min)
Out: cherry tomatoes, garlic, knife, mug → Board: Halve the cherry tomatoes and slice the garlic; both go into the mug. → Waits: tomatoes and garlic in the mug on the windowsill (7 min)
Out: nothing new → Pan: tomatoes, garlic (4 min)
Out: spinach, cheese → Pan: spinach, water → Waits: cheese in the rinsed mug on the windowsill (3 min)
Out: salt, pepper, fork → Pan: cheese, salt and pepper (2 min)

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil (or any cooking oil) · cupboard
250 g (half a 500 g packet) shelf-stable potato gnocchi · cupboard
8 (about 120 g), halved cherry tomatoes · fridge
1 clove, sliced garlic · cupboard
2 handfuls (about 50 g) baby spinach, or whatever greens are in the fridge · fridge
2 tbsp water · tap
2 tbsp (about 15 g) grated parmesan or any hard cheese · fridge
to taste (chilli optional) salt, black pepper, chilli flakes · cupboard

Gear

One burner: One hob ring or a plug-in single induction burner. Induction needs a pan with a magnetic base.
One deep pan with a lid: About 24-26 cm (10 in) across, so 250 g of gnocchi fits in one layer. No lid? A flat plate on top works for the 3 minutes it is needed.
One cutting board: About 30 x 20 cm. It holds eight cherry tomatoes and one garlic clove, then it is done for the night.
One knife, one spatula, one fork, one mug: The mug holds the cut tomatoes and garlic while the gnocchi brown, then gets a rinse and holds the cheese.

Step by step on a 30 cm counter

Step 1

Take out: pan, oil, gnocchi
On the board: Nothing to cut. Oil into the pan, heat it for a minute over medium-high, then tip in 250 g of gnocchi in one layer.
Into the pan: oil, gnocchi

Straight from the packet: no boiling first, if the packet says pan-frying is fine. Fold the open packet shut and put it away now, before it becomes a counter resident.

Step 2

Take out: cherry tomatoes, garlic, knife, mug
On the board: Halve the cherry tomatoes and slice the garlic; both go into the mug.
Waits: tomatoes and garlic in the mug on the windowsill

The gnocchi need about 7 minutes to go golden. Leave them completely alone for the first 3 (this is not laziness, it is technique), then flip them with the spatula and leave them alone again. Tomato box back in the fridge.

Step 3

Take out: nothing new
On the board: Nothing to cut. Tip the mug into the pan.
Into the pan: tomatoes, garlic

Four minutes, tossing twice, until the tomatoes slump and the garlic smells like you planned this. The board goes to the sink: its shift is over.

Step 4

Take out: spinach, cheese
On the board: Nothing to cut. Pile the spinach on top, add 2 tbsp of water and put the lid on. Rinse the mug and spoon the cheese into it.
Into the pan: spinach, water
Waits: cheese in the rinsed mug on the windowsill

Lid on for 2-3 minutes: the steam wilts the spinach with no stirring at all. This is the lazy part. Spinach bag back in the fridge.

Step 5

Take out: salt, pepper, fork
On the board: Nothing to cut. Off the heat, lid off, stir through the cheese, then salt, pepper and chilli to taste.
Into the pan: cheese, salt and pepper

Eat it from a plate, or from the pan on a heat-safe board if nobody is watching. One pan, one board, one mug to wash.

Method

Heat the oil in the pan over medium-high heat for a minute, then add 250 g of gnocchi in one layer.
Fry for about 7 minutes without stirring for the first 3, then flip and fry until golden. Meanwhile halve the tomatoes and slice the garlic.
Add the tomatoes and garlic and cook for 4 minutes, tossing twice, until the tomatoes soften.
Pile the spinach on top, add 2 tbsp of water, cover and steam for 2-3 minutes until wilted.
Take off the heat, stir in the cheese and season with salt, pepper and chilli flakes.

Tips

Check the packet first: many shelf-stable potato gnocchi can be pan-fried straight from the packet. If yours says to boil first, boil them for the time on the packet in the same pan, drain, then start at step 1.
The other half of the packet: follow the storage line on the packet once it is open, usually closed up in the fridge and used within a few days.
Whatever is in the fridge: half a pepper or a small courgette, diced, goes in at step 3 and needs 5-6 minutes instead of 4. A handful of frozen peas goes in with the spinach at step 4 and steams in the same 3 minutes.
Gnocchi sticking? The pan was not hot enough or they were moved too early. Leave them another minute and they usually let go.
Where the spatula and the tea towel live when the counter is 30 cm: on a tension rod with S-hooks or the rim of a cart, as in the guide to hanging kitchen utensils without drilling.

Setting up the burner, pan and board in a rental? Read the one-burner dinner setup guide. Short on cupboard space too? Read small kitchen storage without drilling. Nowhere to put the spatula and the tea towel? Read how to hang kitchen utensils without drilling in a rental.

The gear on Amazon

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Single induction burner

Duxtop 9600LS portable induction burner

One plug-in induction burner, up to 1800 W on a standard 120 V / 15 A outlet, 20 power and 20 temperature levels, child lock. Needs pans with a magnetic base at least 5 in across.

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Deep pan with lid

SENSARTE deep non-stick skillet with lid

10 in (25 cm) pan, 2.7 in (7 cm) deep, 3.5 qt, glass lid, induction base. Choose the 10 in size on the listing for one burner and one serving.

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Over-sink cutting board

Dexas over-the-sink cutting board with colander

11.5 x 20 in (29 x 51 cm) board that bridges the sink, with a collapsible 2.5 qt colander underneath and non-slip edges.

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Small prep bowls

HillSpring glass prep bowl set, 3 sizes

12 small clear glass bowls (1.5, 2.5 and 3.5 oz) that stack: the wait spot for sliced garlic, grated cheese or spices.

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Why these and what to measure: the small kitchen gear guide.

The order: what comes out when

Ingredients

Gear

Step by step on a 30 cm counter

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Method

Tips

The gear on Amazon

Duxtop 9600LS portable induction burner

SENSARTE deep non-stick skillet with lid

Dexas over-the-sink cutting board with colander

HillSpring glass prep bowl set, 3 sizes

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