1-First step: Preheat and get the skillet ready Start by preheating your oven to 425°F. This gives you a hot oven for the final bake, which helps the sauce bubble and the top turn lightly golden. Grab a large oven-safe skillet so you can move from stovetop to oven without switching pans. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the 2 cups sliced mushrooms and 1 small chopped yellow onion, stirring often. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the onion looks translucent and the mushrooms are lightly browned. This step builds a savory base for the one pan creamy gnocchi with shrimp and spinach.

2-Second step: Cook the shrimp just until they start turning pink Add the 3 cloves minced garlic, the 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes if you want a little heat, and the 340-gram package of frozen uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined. Stir everything for about 2 minutes, just until the shrimp begin to turn pink and look nearly cooked through. Do not fully cook them here, because they will finish in the sauce and in the oven. That part matters a lot. Shrimp cook fast, and if they stay on the heat too long at the beginning, they can turn rubbery. Pull the mixture into a bowl and wipe out the skillet so your sauce starts clean.

3-Third step: Build the creamy sauce Lower the heat to medium and melt the 4 tablespoons butter in the same skillet. Whisk in the 1/4 cup white flour slowly until smooth. Keep whisking for 1 to 2 minutes so the flour loses that raw taste and starts to cook into the butter. Next, slowly whisk in the 2 cups milk and 1 1/4 cups chicken broth. Pour a little at a time while whisking so the sauce stays smooth. Keep cooking for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture thickens. It should look silky and coat the back of a spoon. Stir in half of the 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. The sauce should taste rich, savory, and slightly nutty. Add a pinch more salt and pepper if needed, but remember the Parmesan and broth already bring plenty of seasoning.

4-Fourth step: Add gnocchi, shrimp, and spinach Now stir in the 1 16-ounce package gnocchi, the cooked mushroom, onion, garlic, and shrimp mixture, and the 2 cups spinach. Toss everything well so the gnocchi gets coated in that creamy sauce and the spinach starts to wilt. This is where the dish really turns into a full meal. If you want a lighter version, this is the point where you can add a little extra spinach or even a handful of peas. The recipe is forgiving, which is one reason I like it so much for busy evenings.

5-Final step: Bake, finish, and serve Top the skillet with the remaining Parmesan cheese. Place it on the top oven rack and bake for 15 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and thickened. If you like a crispier top, broil for 1 to 2 minutes at the end, but watch it closely because it can go from golden to too dark very fast. Finish with chopped fresh parsley, extra salt, pepper, chili flakes if you want a little extra heat, and more Parmesan cheese for serving. Serve it right away while the sauce is still creamy and the gnocchi is soft. This Shrimp And Spinach Creamy Gnocchi is at its best hot from the oven.