Gnocchi Bolognese

Gnocchi is one of my favorite pastas to cook with. It’s so soft and pillowy once boiled and pairs well with so many sauces. I recently make a Gnocchi Bolognese that was out of this world (or so I’m told)! As a non-beef eater, I must experiment with recipes and hope for the best. And usually ask for feedback so I know how the recipe turned out. I was told “it’s really good” and then after a few bites received a much better description… “rich, flavorful meat in each bite and the gnocchi melts in your mouth”. Which seemed like a better way to explain it to you all 😊

It’s the perfect recipe for a cold winter night but to be honest, I think it can be enjoyed year-round. This recipe fills you up without leaving you feeling too full or stuffed when done. The Bolognese sauce is light and not filling but paired with the gnocchi, which can be filling, it makes the perfect combination.

The recipe can be found here.

Start by prepping all your ingredients. Chop the onion, carrot, celery, and rosemary. Mince the garlic. Set all aside.

Heat oil in a Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook for about 8-10 minutes or until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and stir to combine. Cook for an additional 30 seconds. Add the ground beef and cook until completely cooked through, breaking apart as you go, about 5-6 minutes.

Add the wine and stir to combine. Let cook for 2-3 minutes or until the alcohol absorbs and evaporates. Add the tomato paste, thyme, rosemary, and red pepper flakes, and stir to combine. This is where you can make the dish extra spicy…spicier…add additional heat if that’s what you prefer. You get what I’m saying. The dish as the recipe is written is not spicy but you can add more red pepper flakes to kick up the heat a notch.

Add the entire can of crushed tomatoes, beef stock, and bay leaves. Stir to combine then bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce should thicken while simmering. I like to add a vented cover when I simmer red sauce. It prevents splashing and makes cleanup a bit easier. It’s entirely up to you if you want to do this, just don’t completely cover while simmering.

While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the gnocchi according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

Add the parmesan, basil, and gnocchi to the sauce and stir to combine. Remove from the heat and spoon into bowl. Garnish with additional grated parmesan and serve hot. Enjoy!

The recipe can be found here.

The sauce is perfectly seasoned, and the aroma is your house is quite lovely. Even for a non-beef eater 😊 I bet the smell is ALMOST as good as the taste!

Any leftovers should be cooled completely and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. The sauce almost tastes better the next day, or so I’m told. If you want to make the sauce ahead of time you absolutely can. I would stop after the sauce is finished simmering, let the sauce cool, and store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use. Then heat, add the parmesan, basil, and gnocchi, and serve. If you go this route, make the gnocchi fresh as the sauce reheats. Do not make the gnocchi ahead of time or it will all stick together and become mushy.

Happy Cooking!