Gnocchi and Peas With Whipped Feta

Updated April 29, 2026

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Ready In
35 min
Rating
5(236)
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Bright with citrus and mint and sweetened with peas, the colorful dip ties all the ingredients together. Crisp sugar snap peas get a quick toss in the skillet to unlock their sweetness, while peas deliver tiny pops of juiciness. (Frozen peas work just fine, but use fresh if you have them.) Shelf-stable gnocchi are best here, developing a crunchy golden exterior in the skillet, with a center that stays pillowy and chewy.  As the seasons change, the sugar snaps can be substituted with fresh tomatoes, smashed cucumbers, charred green beans or grilled eggplant or peppers.

Watch Hetty Lui McKinnon make this recipe on Instagram.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 2 cups/10 ounces thawed frozen peas (or fresh), divided 

  • 1 (7- to 8-ounce) block brined feta, drained and roughly crumbled 

  • 1 (packed) cup mint leaves, divided 

  • 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 lemon)

  • 1 garlic clove, chopped 

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling

  • Salt and pepper 

  • 2 (16- to 18-ounce) packages shelf-stable potato gnocchi (see Tip)

  • 1 pound sugar snap peas, trimmed

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Make the whipped pea feta: Place 1 cup of the peas, the feta, ¾ of the mint, the lemon juice, garlic and 1 tablespoon of olive oil into a small blender or food processor and purée until smooth. (If the blender needs more liquid to get going, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water.) Taste and season with salt (if needed) and black pepper.

  2. Step 2

    Heat a large skillet on medium-high for 1 to 2 minutes until it is hot. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, half of the gnocchi, season with salt and pepper and cook, tossing often, until crispy and golden, 4 to 5 minutes; transfer the seared gnocchi to a bowl. Add another 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet and cook the remaining gnocchi. When cooked, transfer to the bowl with the seared gnocchi. Return the skillet to medium-high heat. 

  3. Step 3

    Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil into the skillet, add the sugar snap peas and season with ½ teaspoon of salt and a generous pinch of pepper. Toss until the sugar snap peas are bright green and crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. When the snap peas are almost ready, add the remaining peas and toss until warmed through, 30 to 60 seconds. Remove from the heat. 

  4. Step 4

    To serve, divide the whipped pea feta among four shallow bowls or plates, smearing it across the surface. Top each with gnocchi and the pea mixture. Drizzle with a little olive oil, scatter over the remaining mint leaves and serve immediately.

Tip
  • Frozen gnocchi would also work, but need to be tossed gently in the skillet so they don’t break apart.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
236 user ratings
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Comments

Frozen peas are almost always better than fresh. By the time peas get to the market they’re not nearly as sweet as they were when picked. Even at the green market

For *more* protein (since this contains some as written), I'd add some nice toothsome garbanzo beans.

Sooo good! Flavors are bright and fresh. Made as directed, 30 min start to table, would up the veggie ratio and will make again.

Family hates feta. Could I use goat cheese instead?

I made this as described and found the pea and feta dip to be the perfect amount. I used green asparagus as it was in season and swapped half of the final peas for edamame to up the protein. I’ll definitely be making this again.

Just made it this evening, more than we needed so I'm taking to a graduation party tomorrow. Both my husband (who is a very picky eater) and I thought it was one of the best recipes I'd made from the site. I'll make it again in a few days for a friend.

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