High-protein lemon garlic prawn gnocchi – 45g protein per serve
If you love creamy pasta-style dinners but also want to get more protein into your day, this Lemon Garlic Prawn Gnocchi is one to add to your weekly meal plan.
With juicy garlic prawns, soft potato gnocchi, spinach and parmesan in a creamy lemon sauce, it tastes like a rich comfort-food dinner – but the sauce gets much of its creaminess from Greek yoghurt rather than heavy cream.
Even better, each serving provides approximately 45g of protein, making this a brilliant high-protein dinner for women wanting to support muscle maintenance, recovery and healthy ageing.
It takes around 30 minutes to make, uses simple ingredients and can also be portioned for meal prep.
And you can also see this recipe in the Zing Wellbeing app with over 2,000 recipes and meal plans
Why we love this high-protein prawn gnocchi
One of the easiest ways to make healthy eating sustainable is to create meals you actually look forward to eating.
Rather than thinking healthy food has to mean plain chicken and salad, meals like this show how you can combine comfort, flavour and nutrition.
Each serving contains approximately:
- 520 calories
- 45g protein
- 47g carbohydrates
- 7g fat
- 4g fibre
- 6g sugars
The combination of prawns, Greek yoghurt and parmesan helps make this a particularly protein-rich meal, while spinach adds vegetables, fibre and a range of micronutrients.
Why protein matters – particularly as we get older
Protein isn't just important for athletes or people trying to build muscle.
Adequate dietary protein, together with resistance exercise, is important for maintaining muscle mass and function throughout adulthood. This becomes increasingly important as we age, when preserving lean muscle can support strength, mobility and healthy ageing.
For women going through perimenopause and menopause, maintaining muscle is also an important part of looking after long-term metabolic and physical health.
With approximately 45g of protein per serve, this Lemon Garlic Prawn Gnocchi makes it easy to include a substantial amount of protein in one satisfying meal.
A creamy gnocchi recipe without heavy cream
Traditional creamy gnocchi and pasta recipes can rely heavily on cream.
For this recipe, we use Greek yoghurt, which creates a delicious creamy texture while also contributing protein and calcium.
Parmesan adds extra flavour, meaning you can still achieve that rich, creamy taste without needing a large quantity of cream or butter.
The trick is to avoid overheating the Greek yoghurt. Gentle cooking helps keep the sauce smooth and creamy.
Health benefits of prawns
Prawns are a fantastic ingredient for quick, high-protein meals because they cook in just a few minutes.
They're naturally rich in high-quality protein while being relatively low in fat. Prawns also provide nutrients including selenium, iodine and vitamin B12, as well as some omega-3 fatty acids.
Protein contributes to the maintenance and growth of muscle mass, while iodine is required for normal thyroid hormone production.
Paired with Greek yoghurt and parmesan, prawns help turn this simple gnocchi recipe into a seriously satisfying protein-rich dinner.
High-Protein Lemon Garlic Prawn Gnocchi Recipe
Serves: 4
Prep + cooking time: Approximately 30 minutes
Protein: Approximately 45g per serve
Calories: Approximately 520 per serve
Ingredients
- 500g prawns, peeled and deveined
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 cup Greek yoghurt
- 400g potato gnocchi
- ⅓ cup grated parmesan
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach, chopped
Method
- Season the prawns with the garlic powder and lemon pepper seasoning.
- Heat a large frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil.
- Add the prawns and cook for approximately 1–2 minutes on each side, or until golden and cooked through. Transfer the prawns to a plate and set aside.
- Using the same pan, sauté the minced garlic for around 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the chicken broth and lemon juice.
- Reduce the heat before stirring through the Greek yoghurt and adding the potato gnocchi.
- Simmer gently for approximately 6–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the gnocchi is tender and the sauce begins to thicken.
- Stir through the parmesan and chopped spinach and cook until the spinach has wilted.
- Return the prawns to the pan and gently combine everything together.
- Remove from the heat and serve with an extra sprinkle of parmesan and fresh lemon if desired.
Is prawn gnocchi good for meal prep?
Yes – although seafood dishes are best eaten relatively quickly.
Once cooked, allow your Lemon Garlic Prawn Gnocchi to cool before dividing it between four airtight meal-prep containers.
Store refrigerated at 5°C or below and consume within 2–3 days.
When reheating, heat until steaming hot throughout, but avoid cooking it for longer than necessary. Overheating can make prawns rubbery and may cause the Greek yoghurt sauce to separate.
If your sauce becomes thicker in the fridge, simply stir through a splash of chicken broth or water while reheating.
A squeeze of fresh lemon before eating is also a great way to bring the flavours back to life.
Can you freeze prawn gnocchi?
We wouldn't recommend freezing the complete dish.
Greek yoghurt-based sauces can separate when frozen and thawed, while cooked gnocchi can become softer and prawns can lose some of their texture.
For the best result, enjoy this recipe freshly cooked or refrigerated for meal prep.
How to increase the protein even further
At approximately 45g of protein per serving, this recipe is already a high-protein meal.
But if you're following a higher-protein eating plan, you could increase the quantity of prawns slightly or serve the gnocchi alongside a simple high-protein side.
It's also worth looking at protein across your whole day, rather than trying to squeeze huge amounts into a single meal. Including a quality protein source at breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks can make reaching your daily target much easier.
Is gnocchi healthy?
No single food determines whether a diet is healthy.
Potato gnocchi provides carbohydrates, which are an important source of energy. By pairing gnocchi with a substantial source of protein such as prawns, plus Greek yoghurt and vegetables, you can create a much more nutritionally balanced meal.
This is exactly the approach we encourage at Zing Wellbeing: make healthy eating enjoyable, satisfying and realistic enough to continue long term.
You don't need to eliminate carbohydrates or your favourite comfort foods. Instead, look at what you can add – protein, vegetables, fibre and nutrient-rich whole foods.
And this creamy Lemon Garlic Prawn Gnocchi is a pretty delicious example.
Nutrition per serve
Calories: 520
Protein: 45g
Carbohydrates: 47g
Fat: 7g
Fibre: 4g
Sugars: 6g
Nutrition figures are estimates and may vary depending on the specific ingredients and brands used.
More healthy high-protein recipes
If you're trying to increase your protein intake without eating the same meals every day, Zing Wellbeing has hundreds of healthy recipes designed to make nutritious eating simple and enjoyable.
From quick high-protein dinners and meal-prep recipes to healthy snacks, breakfasts and family meals, our focus is on helping women eat well without feeling like they're on a restrictive diet.
Because healthy food should still be food you genuinely can't wait to eat.
You can join the Zing Wellbeing app and program with over 2,000 recipes here
