Crispy Pan-Fried Gnocchi with Spicy Cumin Lamb and Celery
By Annie PetitoPublished on July 12, 2025
Time
45 minutes
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Before You Begin
If desired, ground beef and scallions can be used in place of the lamb and cilantro. Chinese Chinkiang (or Zhenjiang) black vinegar can be found at most Asian markets.
Instructions
- Combine 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1½ teaspoons Sichuan chili flakes, 1 teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorns, and ½ teaspoon sugar in small bowl and set aside. Combine 1 tablespoon water and ⅛ teaspoon baking soda in medium bowl. Add 8 ounces ground lamb and toss to coat. Let sit for 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine, ½ teaspoon cornstarch, and ½ teaspoon table salt to lamb mixture and toss to coat.
- Separate 1 pound shelf-stable gnocchi and arrange in single layer in 12-inch nonstick skillet. Drizzle 6 tablespoons vegetable oil evenly over gnocchi. Place skillet over medium-high heat and cook, without moving gnocchi, until well browned on 1 side, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir gnocchi and continue to cook until second side of most pieces is lightly crisp, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Using slotted spoon, transfer gnocchi to large plate, leaving oil in skillet.
- Add lamb to skillet and cook, using wooden spoon to break meat into pieces no larger than ¼ inch, until just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 4 cloves minced garlic and 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in 4 celery ribs sliced ¼ inch thick on the bias and cumin mixture and cook until celery is heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Off heat, stir in 4 teaspoons Chinese black vinegar. Stir in gnocchi. Divide among 4 shallow bowls, garnish with ½ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, and serve, passing extra vinegar separately.
Time
45 minutesYield
Serves 4Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Shelf-stable gnocchi show their star potential when you skip boiling and brown them instead. For deep, even browning, we arranged them in a single layer in a cold, dry skillet (easier than adding them to a pan of hot, spattering oil) and then poured a full 6 tablespoons of oil over the top, which seeped to the bottom of the skillet, thoroughly coating it and ensuring even contact with the heat. We let the gnocchi sit over medium-high heat without moving until a nicely browned crust developed, and then we lightly crisped the second side so that they retained moisture and chew. We removed the gnocchi with a slotted spoon and used the remaining oil in the pan to cook other ingredients. For a stir-fry-style dish reminiscent of Xinjiang’s spicy cumin lamb, we browned ground lamb tossed with soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and cornstarch, stirring in a robust spice blend of cumin, Sichuan chili flakes and peppercorns, as well as sugar, sliced celery for fresh crunch, and Chinese black vinegar for punch, and then we added the gnocchi back to the pan.
Before You Begin
If desired, ground beef and scallions can be used in place of the lamb and cilantro. Chinese Chinkiang (or Zhenjiang) black vinegar can be found at most Asian markets.
Instructions
- Combine 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1½ teaspoons Sichuan chili flakes, 1 teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorns, and ½ teaspoon sugar in small bowl and set aside. Combine 1 tablespoon water and ⅛ teaspoon baking soda in medium bowl. Add 8 ounces ground lamb and toss to coat. Let sit for 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine, ½ teaspoon cornstarch, and ½ teaspoon table salt to lamb mixture and toss to coat.
- Separate 1 pound shelf-stable gnocchi and arrange in single layer in 12-inch nonstick skillet. Drizzle 6 tablespoons vegetable oil evenly over gnocchi. Place skillet over medium-high heat and cook, without moving gnocchi, until well browned on 1 side, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir gnocchi and continue to cook until second side of most pieces is lightly crisp, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Using slotted spoon, transfer gnocchi to large plate, leaving oil in skillet.
- Add lamb to skillet and cook, using wooden spoon to break meat into pieces no larger than ¼ inch, until just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 4 cloves minced garlic and 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in 4 celery ribs sliced ¼ inch thick on the bias and cumin mixture and cook until celery is heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Off heat, stir in 4 teaspoons Chinese black vinegar. Stir in gnocchi. Divide among 4 shallow bowls, garnish with ½ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, and serve, passing extra vinegar separately.
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