Gnocchi with Swiss Chard and Beans

Weeknight meals can be tough. We both work and arrive home in varying states of tired, grumpy and whiny. An easy to prep, easy to cook recipe goes a long way to making dinner the start of a good evening.

The recipe is based heavily on Skillet Gnocchi with Chard & White Beans. I modified it to fit what we had in the house, added some much needed additional flavoring and wrote it up in my own words.

Gnocchi with Swiss Chard and Beans
Servings: 4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch Swiss chard (see instructions for prep)
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 lb. shelf-stable gnocchi
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion (use 1 medium onion)
• 2-3 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 lb. fresh tomatoes, cut into approx. 1/2″ chunks
• 1 15.5 oz. can Goya Pink Beans
• 1 tsp. red chile flakes
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• kosher salt
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Prep the Swiss Chard. Cut out the stems, give them a rinse and then cut them into 1/8″ pieces; set aside. Pile the chard leaves, cut into 1″ wide ribbons and then cut again into 2″x1″ pieces. Rinse the leaves, spin or pat dry, set aside.
2. Heat a pot or non-stick skillet over medium heat and add the oil. Cook the gnocchi for 6-8 minutes, allowing the gnocchi to brown. Transfer the gnocchi to a bowl, leaving as much oil behind as possible.
3. Add the onions and the chopped chard stems. Sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt, toss to combine and cook for 2-3 minutes. When the onions begin to turn translucent add the garlic. Stir to prevent burning. Cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. Add the 1/2 cup of water and the Swiss chard leaves. Cover and cook for 2 minutes. Give the chard a toss or a stir, recover and cook another 2-3 minutes.
5. Add the tomatoes, beans, black pepper and chile flakes. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
6. Return the gnocchi to the pan and cook for about 3 minutes or until the gnocchi are heated through.
7. Turn off the heat. Add the Parmesan cheese, stir to incorporate and allow to sit for 3-5 minutes.

Notes:
A key here is that the Swiss chard stems and leaves cook at different rates. While it would be faster to just chop the whole leave up from the start you would end up with undercooked stem pieces. The stems get a head start by removing them from the leaves, chopping them small and cooking them with the onions.