Enjoy grilling with this tasty Grilled Shrimp and Salmon Kabobs with Gluten Free Gnocchi recipe. It’s a fresh, flavorful, and fast dinner for those busy midweek days.

ME BEFORE THE RECIPE…

Back to back recipes?! Say what??? What has gotten into me? Lately I’ve only been posting one, maybe two, recipes a month. And now all the sudden I’m ultra motivated to post two recipes in two days?! Somebody give me a pat on the back.

My spark of temporary motivation has stemmed from one of two places: I’m either feeling extra pumped because I’m about to run the Boston marathon this weekend (If I can run 26.2 miles in a thunderstorm, I can do just about anything…even post a back to back recipe!), or I’m procrastinating packing (I’d rather do anything than pack right now!)

As much as I’d like to believe I have this inner warrior beating inside that is ready to conquer the world, if I’m being honest, I think I’m more so avoiding packing. Either way, you benefit from another grilled recipe. That’s right, the grill strikes again!

HERE COMES THE RECIPE…

You guys, these Grilled Shrimp and Salmon Kabobs with Gluten Free Spinach Gnocchi are the kabobs of spring! They’re bursting with lemon basil (or mint) flavor and are light and lean for a healthy diet. Pair them with spring squash kabobs and some gluten free spinach gnocchi for a well rounded meal.

Although this recipe is quite easy and comes together pretty quickly, it’s also a good workout to get on the table all at the same time. In fact, instead of a pre-marathon workout today, maybe I’ll just whip up another batch of these grilled shrimp and salmon kabobs.

But seriously, you have to be pretty quick on your feet, running back and forth from the grill to your stove top to assure perfect doneness on both the kabobs and gnocchi. Nobody wants to eat cold kabobs and nobody is going to rave about cold gnocchi. It just ain’t gonna happen!

I can’t stress enough to preheat your grill before placing your seafood kabobs on the grill grate. Otherwise, your salmon will stick to that grill like a toddler clings to it’s mama! You’ll end up with a mess and ugly kabobs. No and NO! Also, give those kabobs a brush of olive oil before cooking for extra assurance they release when ready.

One tip for turning the kabobs without annihilating the salmon is to make sure you grab a single shrimp from the middle of the kabob with tongs (the shrimp are more sturdy than the salmon), firmly pull up to release the entire kabob, gently rotate, and place it back on the grill grate. If you try to grab the salmon, it will just flake off.

And if you really don’t care about getting those beautiful grill marks, you could easily just use one of those grill trays to put your grilled shrimp and salmon kabobs on. That would avoid the whole headache of them maybe sticking to your grill in the first place. I like the challenge, though. Bring it on!

Should we talk about this marinade for a hot sec? Why yes, I think we should. It’s bright and delicious is what it is! Who knew that grapefruit marmalade could yield such a lovely sauce??? The simple, fresh flavors pair perfectly with the grilled shrimp and salmon kabobs. And if you have any leftover marinade, you will definitely want to save it for your next mixed greens salad. It makes all the difference!

Now on to this gnocchi. Of all places, I found this gluten free spinach gnocchi at T.J.Maxx. It’s the Simply Wize brand and I was pleasantly satisfied with the flavor and texture. Of course they’re not quite as light and pillowy as a gluten filled gnocchi, but we loved them nonetheless. You can sub this spinach gnocchi with any gnocchi of your choice.

Moving on to the cream sauce. This sauce has a punch of fresh lemony zing that dances on your tongue and is then soothed by the velvety creaminess of the sauce. It’s an experience in and of itself. I also added just a touch of sugar to cut through the acid, giving it a perfect balance of sweet and savory. You will LOVE every drizzle of it. That’s a guarantee.

So there you have it! Another meal you can throw down on the grill that your family will hopefully love. Aw, I just love spring/summer. It’s got all the best food!

Now wish me luck on my marathon. First that I stay dry, second that I finish, and last of all that I don’t miss my flight home. (I’m cutting it way too close people!)

YOU MIGHT ALSO ENJOY…

Print Recipe

Gluten Free Gnocchi with Shrimp and Salmon Kabobs

Enjoy grilling with this tasty Gluten Free Gnocchi with Shrimp and Salmon Kabobs recipe. It’s a fresh, flavorful, and fast dinner for those busy midweek days.

Prep Time14

Cook Time15

marinating time15

Total Time29

Course: Main Course

Keyword: basil, gnocchi, grill, salmon, shrimp, squash, zucchini

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

For the marinade:

1/4 cup grapefruit, orange, or lemon marmalade
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons dijon
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon mint or basil leaves finely chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1-2 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/8 teaspoon pepper or to taste

For the kabobs:

1 pound raw jumbo shrimp peeled and deveined
1 pound skinless salmon
1 zucchini
1 yellow summer squash
1 cup grape tomatoes
olive oil
salt
pepper

For the gnocchi and cream sauce:

1 pound gluten free gnocchi I used Simply Wize brand spinach gnocchi
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 tablespoons basil leaves finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt plus more for seasoning
1/8 teaspoon pepper plus more for seasoning

Instructions

To make the kabobs:

Begin making marinade. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together marmalade, lemon juice, dijon, apple cider vinegar, and mint or basil leaves. Slowly drizzle olive oil while continuing to whisk. Add 1-2 tablespoons water until desired consistency is reached. Add salt and pepper. Whisk to combine. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.
Prepare shrimp by peeling and deveining. Rinse under cool water. Pat dry and place in a mixing bowl. Cut salmon into 1″ cubes and pat dry. Add to mixing bowl with shrimp. Add 1/4-1/3 cup marinade to bowl and stir to coat fish and shrimp. Set aside for 15 minutes to marinate.
Prepare veggies. Cut zucchini and yellow squash lengthwise. Chop into 1/2″ thick semi circles. If yellow squash is a lot thicker on one end, cut in half lengthwise again and continue chopping into 1/2″ thick pieces. Add chopped veggies and grape tomatoes into another mixing bowl. Add 1/4-1/3 cup marinade and toss to combine. Let sit while preheating grill.
Preheat grill to medium high heat. Once grill is heated, arrange kabobs. Arrange seafood kabobs by alternating shrimp and salmon pieces, piercing shrimp pieces through top and bottom of shrimp. Place on baking sheet. Arrange veggie kabobs by placing zucchini, squash, and tomato in a pattern. Place on baking sheet by seafood kabobs. Brush both sides of kabobs with olive oil and season with a few shakes of salt and pepper.
Begin boiling water for gnocchi at this point.
Place kabobs on grill. Cover and cook seafood kabobs for 4 minutes. Gently turn kabobs with tongs, grabbing a shrimp from the center of the kabob, lifting, and turning to other side. Close lid and grill for 3-4 minutes more or until shrimp is pink and salmon barely flakes but is still moist in the middle. Veggie kabobs will take 5-6 minutes per side. You can baste kabobs with extra marinade the last 2 minutes of grilling for extra flavor.
Transfer kabobs to fresh baking sheet and cover with foil to keep warm.

To make gnocchi and cream sauce:

Boil gnocchi according to package directions. While gnocchi is cooking, heat olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat. As gnocchi floats to top, remove with a slotted spoon to drain out water. *Transfer to hot pan. Continue until all gnocchi is in pan. Toss to coat with oil. Season with a few shakes of salt and pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beginning to crisp. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to serving dish. Cover with foil to keep warm.
Remove all but a tablespoon of oil from pan. Return pan to stove and heat over medium. Add minced garlic and lemon zest. Stir and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add lemon juice and stir, scraping any bits from bottom of pan. Add heavy cream, chopped basil leaves, sugar, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine. Continue whisking and bring mixture to a low boil. Reduce heat and simmer until beginning to thicken, about 3-4 minutes. Thin with additional heavy cream if sauce is too thick. Season to taste with extra salt and pepper, if needed. Transfer to serving dish.

Assemble plates:

To assemble plates, add a seafood kabob, a veggie kabob, a serving of gnocchi, and a scoop of cream sauce over gnocchi. Serve immediately.

Notes

*If you do not want your gnocchi crisped on the outside, you can skip cooking it in a pan. Transfer gnocchi straight from boiling water to a serving dish and then cook the cream sauce separately.