Miso-glazed Shrimp and Gnocchi

Looking for a weeknight winner?

This recipe uses shelf-stable packs of gnocchi and bags of frozen shrimp and elevates them to something quite special and tasty using simple ingredients you probably already have on hand. I added brussels spouts, but you coud easily swap in chunks of other veg (carrots or squash would be quite tasty), or serve the gnocchi alongside a crunch salad, instead. The point is to make this a simple recipe that works with what you have on hand, and gets food on the table in an efficient manner.

Note: I love shelf-stable gnocchi for its convenience, sure, but these little pillows of pasta are super versatile well beyond boil-and-serve. My preferred method for using them is to roast them, creating a crunchy-outside-tender-inside sort of option that goes well with a lot of dishes. Look for them near the pasta aisle.

I use bags of frozen medium individually quick frozen (IQF) shrimp; I keep these in the freezer for quick meals. You could use tail-on or tail-off versions, as you prefer. You could definitely replace these in the recipe with cubes of extras firm tofu, or chicken breast or thigh (cut into largish chunks).

I used white miso for the glaze. If you have a different variety that you like, please feel free to substitute it.

Miso-glazed Shrimp and Gnocchi

Yield: 4 - 6 servings

Ingredients

Miso Glaze

1/3 cup white miso paste

3 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

16 ounce Brussel sprouts, ends trimmed and cut in half lengthwise

2 packages gnocchi (shelf-stable)

2 T olive oil

Salt and pepper

2 bags (16 ounces each) frozen medium shrimp

Instructions

In a small bowl, whisk together the miso, rice vinegar, and soy sauce; set aside.

Preheat oven to 375.

Prepare two baking sheets with foil for easier clean up, if desired. One one pan, toss gnocchi with olive oil until well distributed; season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

One the second pan, toss the brussel sprouts with half of the miso glaze; toss well to combine. Move half of the gnocchi to the pan with the Brussels and half of the Brussels to the other pan with the remaining gnocchi (essentially you want a fairly even distribution of both on each pan). On each pan, toss well to combine, and then settle into one layer as best you can.

Slide pans into the oven, one on each rack, and roast for 30 - 40 minutes, or until crispy and starting to brown.

Meanwhile, on a large bowl, combine the frozen shrimp and the miso glaze and toss well to combine. Set aside to marinate while the gnocchi and Brussels roast.

Once gnocchi looks crispy and Brussels are starting to brown, remove pans from the oven. Using a flat spatula, stir and toss the mixture. Scoop the marinated shrimp over the mixture; return pans to the oven for 20 - 25 minutes, or until shrimp is cooked through.

Enjoy!