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Italian ground beef gnocchi is an easy skillet dinner with flavors similar to lasagna. Pillowy gnocchi is baked in a ground beef marinara sauce topped with mozzarella cheese and dollops of creamy ricotta. It’s hearty, comforting, and ready to eat in 30 minutes!
This ground beef and gnocchi is a meal you’ll want to cozy up with after a long day or anytime you need a comfort food dinner. I love that it has all the flavors of lasagna, but without all the prep work. It’s a meal that’s not only great for weeknights, but it’s also worthy of serving to company.
This Italian gnocchi uses a couple shortcuts to keep it quick and easy. Store bought gnocchi, because who has the time to make homemade gnocchi? Jarred marinara sauce is the other time saver. I give it a boost of flavor with fresh parsley and balsamic vinegar. If you have extra time, skip the marinara sauce and make my homemade spaghetti sauce for this recipe.
Both kids and adults will love this cozy baked pasta and you’ll love that it’s all made in one pan making cleanup a breeze!
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
Gnocchi – Gnocchi is a potato based Italian dumpling. You can find them in the pasta aisle at the grocery store. If you need this recipe to be gluten-free there are gluten-free brands, such as Delallo.
Aromatics – Onion and garlic give the jarred marinara sauce a boost of flavor and make it taste more homemade. For the best flavor grate or mince fresh garlic. If needed, a 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder can be used a substitute.
Ground beef – Lean ground beef works best for this recipe. I use 90/10 lean to avoid having excess grease in the sauce. You can substitute with ground turkey or Italian sausage.
Marinara sauce – Use a good quality jarred marinara sauce to get the best flavor. I like Rao’s or Carbone. If you want to make my easy marinara sauce it’s delicious and freezer-friendly too.
Flavor boosters – To give jarred marinara sauce a boost of flavor and make it taste more homemade, I add chopped fresh parsley, Italian seasoning, and balsamic vinegar. Sometimes jarred sauce can be a little flat or feel like it’s missing something, but adding these creates a more well rounded sauce.
Cheese – Mozzarella cheese tops the baked gnocchi giving it that melted gooey consistency. You can substitute mozzarella with Fontina cheese like I used for this baked ravioli. The ricotta adds a rich and creamy element and gives it that familiar lasagna flavor.
Tips for Making Ground Beef Gnocchi
- Use a large oven safe skillet. I love my Staub 12 inch skillet, it’s a workhorse!
- Break up the gnocchi before adding them into the sauce. They come in a vacuum sealed package and will be clumped together. If you add them to the sauce in one clump you’ll be splattering hot marinara sauce all over the place while you try to break them apart.
- Grate the mozzarella yourself. Grating cheese from the block has better flavor and it melts better. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents added to it that prevent it from getting gooey when it’s melted.
- Use whole milk ricotta cheese. It has the creamiest consistency and richest flavor. Fat equals flavor. You can use part skim ricotta, but trust me, whole milk is better!
- Broil for a crispy cheesy top. If you like a lightly browned, crisp cheese topping, switch the oven to broil the last 2-3 minutes of baking time.
What to Serve with Ground Beef Gnocchi
I love to make a Caesar salad with homemade Caesar dressing to serve with the baked gnocchi. It’s fresh and crunchy and cuts through the richness of the sauce. This Italian chopped salad would be another great option. If you don’t want salad, roasted lemon parmesan asparagus pairs perfectly with it.
Storage and Reheating
Storage – Store the leftover Italian ground beef and gnocchi in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. It holds up great and the flavor is just as good on day 3 as it is the day it’s made.
I don’t recommend freezing this dish. The gnocchi and sauce get an unappealing gummy, mushy texture once they’re defrosted.
Reheating – Reheat the leftovers in the microwave until warmed through or in a skillet on the stove over medium-low heat. If the gnocchi is sticking to the bottom of the pan add a splash of water to loosen the sauce.
More Recipes Using Gnocchi
Ground Beef Gnocchi Skillet
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and black pepper to taste ( I used a 1/2 teaspoon fine kosher salt)
- 2 cloves garlic grated or minced (1/2 teaspoon)
- 24 ounces marinara sauce
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 16 ounces gnocchi
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° F.
- Add the olive oil to a large skillet and heat it over medium-high heat. Add the onion and ground beef to the skillet. Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Crumble and cook until it's browned and cooked through. Add in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Turn the heat down to medium and pour in the marinara sauce, balsamic vinegar, parsley, and gnocchi. Stir everything together.
- Sprinkle the mozzarella on top and spoon on dollops of ricotta. Place the skillet on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 15 minutes, until it's hot and bubbly. For a browned cheesy top, broil the last 2-3 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
If you make this Ground Beef Gnocchi, please leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love hearing from you and do my best to respond to your comments. And if you’re on Instagram tag @reciperunner so I can see your beautiful creations!
