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recipe

Hetty Lui McKinnon's Greek salad with gnocchi

By Hetty Lui McKinnon
Prep time
0:15
Cook time
0:05
Skill level
Low
Serves
4
A serving bowl of Greek salad with the addition of pan-fried gnocchi, a colourful and easy dinner.
There are only three steps involved in this easy and fast recipe.(ABC Everyday: Hetty Lui McKinnon)
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On a recent trip to Montreal, Canada, I devoured a bowl of poutine – their famed local dish of French fries topped with cheese curds and vegan gravy — with a Greek salad on the side, and it occurred to me how satisfying this carb-plus-salad combination is. 

This recipe takes cues from this meal combination — a classic Greek salad, updated with the addition of pan-fried gnocchi.

Gnocchi is an excellent carrier of flavour, and here, it efficiently soaks up all the sun-kissed goodness of the sweet tomatoes and the herbal aroma of the salad.

Hetty Lui McKinnon's Greek salad and gnocchi served into bowls for a vegetarian family dinner.
Salad and gnocchi combine in this easy weeknight meal.(ABC Everyday: Hetty Lui McKinnon)

Tips:

  • Store-bought gnocchi is best: For the best results, use either the dried vacuum-packed or frozen gnocchi as they will stay sturdy when pan-fried and will not break up when tossed through your salad (fresh gnocchi will be too delicate for this application).
  • Allow the pan to get really hot before adding the gnocchi: this allows them to get crisp quickly, without overcooking or forming a thick, hard skin.
  • It is important not to add the gnocchi to the salad until ready to eat. This will prevent the gnocchi from getting too soggy. Once added to the salad, the gnocchi will start to soak up the juices and become softer.
  • Prepping the veggies: The capsicums are cut crossways into strips because I enjoy the texture of this shape next to the chunky tomatoes and cucumber; however, you are free to cut them into square-ish pieces if you prefer.
  • A quick vinegar soak removes the raw onion flavour: Many people do not enjoy the raw onion taste but the quick soak of the red onions in the red wine vinegar will take away its pungency and bite, leaving behind its sweetness.
A cast iron pan with golden pan-fried gnocchi which has been cooked at high heat, ready to add to a salad.
Add the golden, pan-fried gnocchi when you're ready to serve to avoid it going soggy.(ABC Everyday: Hetty Lui McKinnon)

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Ingredients

Method

  1. 1.In a large bowl, add the red onions and red wine vinegar and leave to marinate for 5-10 minutes while you prepare the rest of the salad. This softens the flavour of raw onion.
  2. 2.Heat a large frying pan on medium high heat for 2 minutes until very hot. Add 1 Tablespoon of olive oil, along with the gnocchi. Drizzle the top of the gnocchi with a little more oil so it's covered. Season with sea salt and lots of black pepper. Leave to cook undisturbed for 1 to 2 minutes until golden on the bottom and then toss constantly until the gnocchi is golden all over, another 2-3 minutes. If it ever looks dry, drizzle with a little more olive oil. Turn off the heat.
  3. 3.To the red onion, add the tomatoes, cucumber, capsicum, black olives, feta, mint, and dried herbs. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil, and season well with sea salt and black pepper. When ready to eat, add the gnocchi, toss well to combine. Serve immediately.
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