Roasted Gnocchi and Brussels Sprouts with Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette

I expected to love this dish from eatingwell.com and wanted leftovers, so I doubled it for three of us. I didn’t double the gnocchi because of the carbs, and I added protein in the form of four Spinach & Asiago Chicken Sausages from Sam’s Club.

If I make it again, I will halve the lemon juice. Wow, it was tart. It was also a little dry.  Replacing the sun-dried tomatoes with 2 cups of grape tomatoes (or halved cherry tomatoes) would add some color and moisture (my choice of a green serving dish did not add to its visual appeal). I highly recommend oiling or spraying the roasting pan if, like me, you want to cut a bit of the olive oil from the amount used in roasting. The food stuck to the pan a bit.

To solve the tartness issue, I added shredded parmesan to each serving, which helped quite a bit. I would keep the cheese, even with the lemon juice halved.

The dish roasts at a high temperature — 450 — so be sure you know whether your oven runs hot or slow. Mine runs 50 degrees hotter than I set it, so I went with 400. If I set it as high as 450, I’m not sure what would happen.

Here’s the recipe, with my changes, to serve 4 to 6.

Roasted Gnocchi and Brussels Sprouts with Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette

3 Meyer lemons (see Tip)

2 lbs. Brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered

1 (16-oz.) package shelf-stable gnocchi

4 cooked chicken sausages, sliced diagonally about 1/3 inch thick

1 cup thickly sliced shallots

6 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided use

½ tsp. ground pepper, divided use

1 tsp. salt, divided use

1/2  cup slivered oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes (or 2 cups grape tomatoes)

Parmesan to serve

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Thinly slice and seed 2 lemons. Toss in a large bowl with Brussels sprouts, gnocchi, grape tomatoes (if using), shallots, 3 tablespoons oil, ¼ teaspoon pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Transfer to a large rimmed baking sheet coated with cooking spray.

Roast, stirring once or twice, until the gnocchi are plump and the Brussels sprouts are tender, 18 to 20 minutes.

Squeeze juice from the remaining lemon. Return the gnocchi mixture to the bowl and toss with sun-dried tomatoes (if using), the lemon juice and the remaining 3 tablespoons oil, ¼ teaspoon pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Top servings with desired amount of Parmesan.

Serves 4 to 6.