Creamy Lemon Asparagus Gnocchi

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Zest the lemon (you should have about 1 tablespoon zest). Juice the lemon into a small bowl until you have 1 ½ tablespoons.

2. Step 2

   In a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil until shimmering, about 1 ½ minutes. Add the gnocchi to the skillet in an even layer, breaking up any gnocchi that are stuck together. Cover and cook, undisturbed, until golden brown underneath, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the asparagus and a pinch of salt to the skillet and toss to combine. Cover again and cook until the asparagus is bright green and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes more, stirring halfway. Transfer to a bowl or plate. 

3. Step 3

   Wipe out the skillet if needed and return to the burner over medium heat. Melt the butter. Once melted, add half of the lemon zest and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 15 to 30 seconds. 

4. Step 4

   Add the heavy cream, broth and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Bring to a healthy simmer over high heat, about 1 minute. Simmer, adjusting heat as needed, until the sauce is reduced slightly and clings to the back of a spoon in a thin layer, 2 to 3 minutes. While stirring, add the Parmesan. 

5. Step 5

   Return the gnocchi and asparagus to the skillet and toss to combine (the sauce will be thin and won’t cling to the gnocchi). Bring the mixture to a healthy simmer over high heat and continue to cook, adjusting heat as needed to maintain a steady bubble, until the sauce thickens and clings to the gnocchi, 1 ½  to 3 minutes more. (There will be a decent amount of somewhat thin sauce; stirring in the lemon juice in the next step will thicken the sauce and bring it all together). 

6. Step 6

   Remove the skillet from the heat. Stirring constantly, add the remaining lemon zest and lemon juice. The sauce will thicken and become silky. Season to taste with salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately, topped with more Parmesan and pepper as desired.