Shiitake bacon is the cherry on top of this maple sage butter gnocchi and Brussels sprouts. The one-plate meal is salty, sweet, & irresistible.
I’ve made this recipe both as a weeknight dinner, and without the gnocchi as a Thanksgiving side dish for the past three years. There have yet to be any leftovers!
Start by preparing the shiitake bacon. Just 3 ingredients and 30 mins in the oven turns shiitake mushroom slices into salty, savory, crispy pieces of goodness. I’ve tested many recipes for shiitake bacon, and this one the closest flavor I’ve found to traditional bacon.
Slice into 1/4″ thick matchsticks, and try to keep them as uniform as possible so that every piece cooks evenly. Coat the mushroom slices in a mixture of oil, liquid smoke, and salt.
I personally prefer the mesquite flavor of liquid smoke. I’ve also tried Wright’s hickory flavor but it doesn’t have the same smoked-savory taste. You can usually find liquid smoke near the marinades in your grocery store, or buy it on Amazon here.
I’ve seen some recipes for shiitake bacon that call for smoked paprika, which is delicious on its own, but the smoked flavor is too much when combined with liquid smoke in the same marinade.
Marinade for at least 15 minutes, then spread out the slices evenly on a greased baking sheet.
Pop in a 375 F oven for about 30 mins, flipping every 10 minutes.
Depending on how thinly you slice them, these can burn easily, so keep an eye on them! They may take anywhere from 10-40 minutes. Any especially thin pieces may burn, which is why uniformity is key to your slicing.
You’ll want to remove them from the oven just as they’re starting to crisp, because they’ll continue to brown as they cool. Set aside to cool while you prepare the rest of the recipe.
If you’re “hashtag blessed,” your grocery store may sell Brussels sprouts already sliced into ribbons for you. But if not, fear not! It just takes about 5 minutes to slice 1 lbs of sprouts into ribbons.
Start by slicing lengthwise through the stem to cut in half, and then turn the sprout the other way to slice width-wise into thin ribbons.
Heat some minced shallots on medium-low heat for about 5 minutes before adding your sprout ribbons to the pan. Cook for an additional 3-5 minutes, while you prepare the gnocchi.
Some grocery stores will have gnocchi in vacuum sealed packages in the pasta aisle, while others like Trader Joe’s have it in the frozen foods section. Typically you just boil a pot of water, add the gnocchi, and boil for about 5 minutes until the pasta floats to the top.
In the sprouts pan, add the final ingredients: Earth Balance butter, maple syrup, and ground sage. Cook for another 2 minutes or so until the butter starts to bubble.
Finally, add the gnocchi and shiitake bacon and stir to combine! Serve warm. See the full recipe for sage butter gnocchi and brussels sprouts below.
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Sage Butter Gnocchi & Brussels Sprouts
Description
Shiitake bacon is the cherry on top of these Brussels sprout ribbons and sage butter gnocchi. Salty, sweet, & irresistable.
Ingredients
Shiitake bacon:
- 8 oz shiitake mushrooms (about 2 cups), washed
- 1 tbsp grapeseed oil
- 3/4 tsp liquid smoke
- 1/2 tsp salt
Gnocchi and Brussels sprouts:
- 1 lb Brussels sprouts, washed and trimmed
- 1 tbsp grapeseed oil
- 1 large shallot, minced
- 1 lb gnocchi
- 2 tbsp Earth Balance (or other vegan butter)
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp ground sage
- salt & pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375. Remove stems from mushrooms and slice into uniform match sticks, about 1/4 inch thick.
- Add mushroom slices to a bowl with 1 tbsp grapeseed oil, 3/4 tsp liquid smoke, and 1/2 tsp salt. Stir to coat evenly and marinade for at least 15 mins.Â
- Spread mushroom slices evenly on a greased baking sheet and bake for about 30 mins, flipping every 10 mins. These can burn easily depending on how thinly sliced, so keep an eye on them! It can take anywhere from 20-40 minutes. They should be just starting to crisp when removed from oven, because they will continue to brown as they cool. Set aside to cool.
- Slice Brussels sprouts in half lengthwise through the stem, then slice across width-wise into thin ribbons.Â
- Heat 1 tbsp grapeseed oil in a pan and cook minced shallots at low heat for 5 mins until translucent.
- Add the Brussels sprout ribbons and season liberally with salt and pepper. Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Cook gnocchi according to package directions. Generally, boil for 5 minutes or until the gnocchi floats.Â
- In the Brussels sprouts pan, add the Earth Balance, maple syrup, sage, salt & pepper, and shiitake bacon. Cook until butter begins to foam, about 2 mins.
- Add cooked gnocchi and stir to combine. Serve warm.
Notes
You can usually find liquid smoke near the marinades in your grocery store, or buy it on Amazon here.
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