Creamy Green Pea & Cheese Gnocchi Bake
Welcome to Stop #16 of the Great Canadian Food Passport
Welcome to Québec, our next delicious stop on the Great Canadian Food PassporT BRINGS YOU TO THIS Creamy Green Pea & Cheese Gnocchi Bake! For this stop, we’re bringing together pillowy gnocchi, sweet green peas, caramelized shallots, crispy bacon, and a silky cheese sauce in one bubbling, golden-baked dish.
The little twist? Some of the peas are blended right into the sauce, creating a naturally vibrant green, creamy base while the remaining peas stay whole for bursts of sweetness throughout every bite.
Topped with bubbling mozzarella, Parmesan, and a crispy golden breadcrumb crust, this is comfort food with a fresh twist — and definitely a little bit of a wow factor when it comes out of the oven.
Why Québec?
Québec has a deep connection to dairy and cheesemaking, making it a natural inspiration for a recipe where cheese takes centre stage.
Rather than calling this a traditional Québec dish, this recipe is inspired by Québec’s rich cheese and dairy culture and created especially for our Great Canadian Food Passport journey.
It’s creamy, cozy, hearty and perfect for sharing around the table.
The Great Canadian Food Passport
Stop #24: Québec 🍁
One province.
One delicious recipe.
One more stamp in the passport.
Cook Canada. One delicious stop at a time. 🇨🇦
How To Make Creamy Green Pea & Cheese Gnocchi Bake
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a large baking dish.
- Cook the gnocchi according to package directions, but remove them about 1 minute early. Drain and set aside.
- Make the creamy pea sauce. Add 1½ cups peas, cream cheese, heavy cream, broth, Parmesan, garlic, Dijon, salt, pepper and lemon juice to a blender. Blend until completely smooth and creamy.
- Caramelize the shallots. Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced shallots and cook for 5–7 minutes until soft and lightly golden. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Build the bake. Add the cooked gnocchi, remaining ½ cup whole peas and about half of the crispy bacon to the skillet with the shallots. Pour over the creamy pea sauce and gently toss everything together.
- Transfer to the baking dish and spread evenly.
- Add the topping. Sprinkle with mozzarella, Parmesan and the remaining bacon.
- Combine the panko with melted butter and sprinkle over the top.
- Bake uncovered for 20–25 minutes, until bubbling around the edges and golden on top.
- Let the bake rest for 5–10 minutes before serving. Finish with fresh parsley and an extra sprinkle of Parmesan if desired.
A Little Great Canadian Twist
Blending the peas into the cheese sauce is what makes this recipe special. You get a creamy, velvety sauce without relying on a traditional heavy cream sauce alone, while keeping whole peas throughout the bake for texture and sweetness.
The result is creamy, cheesy, comforting and completely different from our previous pea recipes in the Great Canadian Food Passport.
Stop #24: Québec ✔️
Cook Canada. One delicious stop at a time.
Creamy Green Pea & Cheese Gnocchi Bake
Ingredients
- For the bake:
- 1 lb (454 g) potato gnocchi
- 2 cups green peas, divided
- 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- For the creamy pea cheese sauce:
- 1½ cups green peas
- 4 oz (115 g) cream cheese
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup vegetable or chicken broth
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- For the topping:
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- ¼ cup Parmesan
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp melted butter
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a large baking dish.
- Cook the gnocchi according to package directions, but remove them about 1 minute early. Drain and set aside.
- Make the creamy pea sauce. Add 1½ cups peas, cream cheese, heavy cream, broth, Parmesan, garlic, Dijon, salt, pepper and lemon juice to a blender. Blend until completely smooth and creamy.
- Caramelize the shallots. Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced shallots and cook for 5–7 minutes until soft and lightly golden. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Build the bake. Add the cooked gnocchi, remaining ½ cup whole peas and about half of the crispy bacon to the skillet with the shallots. Pour over the creamy pea sauce and gently toss everything together.
- Transfer to the baking dish and spread evenly.
- Add the topping. Sprinkle with mozzarella, Parmesan and the remaining bacon.
- Combine the panko with melted butter and sprinkle over the top.
- Bake uncovered for 20–25 minutes, until bubbling around the edges and golden on top.
- Let the bake rest for 5–10 minutes before serving. Finish with fresh parsley and an extra sprinkle of Parmesan if desired.
Notes
A Little Great Canadian Twist
Blending the peas into the cheese sauce is what makes this recipe special. You get a creamy, velvety sauce without relying on a traditional heavy cream sauce alone, while keeping whole peas throughout the bake for texture and sweetness.
The result is creamy, cheesy, comforting and completely different from our previous pea recipes in the Great Canadian Food Passport.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 636Total Fat: 31gSaturated Fat: 17gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 101mgSodium: 1118mgCarbohydrates: 61gFiber: 9gSugar: 10gProtein: 29g
These calculations are based off Nutritionix