This ground beef gnocchi recipe has a creamy tomato sauce and turns store-bought gnocchi into pillowy deliciousness. This one pan meal is quick and sure to be a family favorite!
Ok, so I have a ridiculous number of one-pan gnocchi recipes on here, but I somehow never made one with ground beef. I don't think so, anyway. 😛 In any case, I figured it was time. Beef and gnocchi is a good combo. And this recipe makes plenty of sauce. The longer you cook it, the more it thickens up.
I'll link to a few more of these gnocchi recipes like my sausage gnocchi, this gnocchi with tomato sauce, and my creamy spinach and mushroom gnocchi (the original that started it all back in 2017). Now I see these one pan gnocchi recipes everywhere... hmm. If you want the rest, you can just type "gnocchi" into the search bar on my blog and they'll all come up. 😉
This hamburger gnocchi recipe is sorta reminiscent of Hamburger Helper. I had a thought while I was cooking this... if you replaced the parm with some cheddar, you could definitely make it more like HH.
I think this dish would be delicious if you replaced the chicken broth with white wine... yes please!
Pro tip: I always get questions if the cream in recipes can be replaced with something else such as half-and-half or milk. With this one, I'd be cautious because the tomatoes and heat are likely to curdle the sauce or at least make it grainy if you don't use cream.
What kind of gnocchi to use?
I use the shelf stable gnocchi that you can find in the dry pasta aisle. You can use the refrigerated kind as well. Since I started making these one pan gnocchi recipes, Trader Joe's cauliflower gnocchi has become immensely popular, and I know a lot of readers have used it in various gnocchi recipes. You can use it, but you may need to use something like flour or cornstarch to thicken the sauce up a bit. The magic of using potato gnocchi is that the starch thickens the sauce quickly as it cooks. I don't recommend using homemade potato gnocchi - some readers have tried it with other recipes in the past, and the one pan method seems to be a bit too much for the delicate pasta.
There is no need to pre-cook the gnocchi. It cooks right in the sauce.
Other ground beef recipes you'll love:
- Easy Hamburger Soup
- Easy Taco Casserole Recipe
- Easy Beef Bowls
- Beef Ramen Noodles (Stir Fry)
- Creamy Taco Soup
- Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe
Do you love gnocchi as much as I do?
Questions? Leave me a comment below!
Ground Beef Gnocchi
This quick one pan ground beef gnocchi recipe has a creamy tomato sauce and turns store-bought gnocchi into a gourmet meal. It'll be a family favorite!
Ingredients
- 1 pound extra lean ground beef
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 dash Italian seasoning
- 1 (14 fluid ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
- 1/3 cup chicken or beef broth
- 3/4 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 1 pound uncooked potato gnocchi
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
-
Brown the ground beef and onion in a skillet over medium-high heat for 7-10 minutes. If there's lots of excess fat, spoon most of it out.
-
Stir in the garlic and Italian seasoning.
-
Add the diced tomatoes, chicken broth, cream, and gnocchi to the pan, and give it a good stir. Once the sauce starts to bubble again, cover the pan and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 5 minutes.
-
Uncover the pan, stir it, and let it cook for another few minutes, or until the gnocchi has cooked through and is nice and soft and the sauce has thickened to your liking.
-
Stir in the parmesan cheese and salt & pepper as needed. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
- There is no need to pre-cook the gnocchi. It'll cook right in the sauce.
- This dish would be excellent with fresh basil stirred in at the end.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Donna says
That was delicious !
Thanks for posting.
Natasha says
You're very welcome, Donna!
Tammy says
We love this recipe. It’s super fast to pull together. Really delicious. Tonight I used ground sausage in place of beef. So easy to adapt to what is in the pantry. Thank you!
Natasha says
Yay! I'm so happy you liked it!
Chris says
Can you substitute the heavy cream for half/half?
Natasha says
There’s a chance it’ll curdle but I think it should probably be fine in this recipe.
Valeria Faria Neves says
Just make it!! It is so good!
Thank you for the recipe!!!
Natasha says
Woo hoo!! You're welcome! 😀
Joc says
This was the best gnocchi I have ever made. Like, restaurant good! My only change was putting 1 cup of cream in because that was the whole of the little carton and I didn’t want to he left with any extra. Thanks for sharing!
Natasha says
That's awesome!! 🙂
Erika says
This was delicious and toddler approved. I was done within 30 min which is what I need!
Natasha says
That's what I like to hear!!
Kristeen says
Hi! If I’m making this dish as a make ahead for camping, should I just cook the sauce and then add the gnocchi when we are ready to eat at campsite? Thank you for your help!
Natasha says
Hi! I think that might be the best idea, yes!
Kristeen says
Thank you! I will let you know how it goes.
Jen S says
Delicious! Added some fresh mushrooms in as well! Easy and a big hit with the kids!
Natasha says
So glad to hear that, Jen!
Ashlee says
Delicious and easy. Added some frozen spinach at the end to incorporate more veggies. Definitely will make again.
Natasha says
So glad you enjoyed it, Ashlee! Thanks for leaving me a review. XO
Matt says
Now I'm gonna try this with ground sausage. Very good recipe, thank-you!
Natasha says
Good idea!! Yum!
Charlene says
I haven’t tried this yet as I’ve got to calculate the nutritional value of each ingredient - I’m on a restricted diet & need that info before I decide if I can make it heart friendly. It would be nice if your recipes included complete nutritional values! They all look so good!
Natasha says
Hi! I do include the nutrition info on select recipes (most of my newer ones, and I'm slowly going back and doing some older recipes), but please keep in mind that any online recipe's nutrition info is just an estimate, and ingredients can vary a lot depending on what you actually use/if you weigh it out or not (I am sure you know this!). I just plug it into a program like everyone else does, and it can definitely be off. I am not a trained nutritionist. With that said, I just added it for you... hope this helps!
Alina says
Absolutely loved this recipe, thanks for sharing! I did grate a carrot, sliced 3 baby bellas and a few slices of serrano pepper(had to use from garden) to cook with the sauce. Also, added broccoli when adding the gnocchi, all to get my veggies in. Had to sub the heavy cream for milk...still turned out delicious! Our apartment "smelled sooo good" when my boyfriend walked in too.
Natasha says
That's great! Love your additions!
Nicole says
Pretty good. I ended up adding way more Italian seasoning..wish this had a bit more flavour depth but otherwise still good! Thank you!
Natasha says
Yup, definitely one of those recipes that are easy to tweak to your own preferences. 😊
Kelley says
Made this last night for dinner. It was delicious! I used Penne noodle as I didn’t have any gnocchi and used onion powder as I didn’t have any onions. It was still SO yummy even with those substitutions. I’m loving your recipes because they are so quick and easy and taste so good. Thank you so much for sharing. I can’t wait to try some more.
Natasha says
So pleased you liked it! 🙂 Thank you!! Let me know if you make anything else!
Hannah says
Loved this! Super easy and delicious. It reminded me of goulash but easier and better bc I prefer the gnocchi over macaroni noodles. Thanks, love your recipes! I subbed cheddar for parmesan.
Natasha says
Wonderful! I'm so glad you liked it. 🙂 XO
Bridget says
This was quick, easy & delicious! All the things I'm looking for in a weeknight dinner. Will definitely make it again. Can't wait to try more of your recipes - they all look so good!
Natasha says
Wonderful!! I'm so happy you enjoyed it, and I'm so glad you're going to try more recipes. 🙂 XO
Karen says
This is a great recipe! Easy to make and super delicious! We will have this again!
Natasha says
Awesome!! So glad to hear it!
Jana says
Can I use a different pasta if gnocchi is heavy for me? Thx!
Natasha says
Hi! Gnocchi isn’t really the same as other pasta because it’s made from potatoes. You’d need way more water if you wanted to do this as a one pot meal (it would be a different recipe basically). You could maybe make the sauce separately and just add it to cooked pasta.
Nicole says
I have to say that the recipe is very forgiving even though I had to make a lot of substitutions! Couldn't find heavy whipping cream or regular diced tomatoes as supply chains continue to be affected by the [...]
I instead used regular whole milk instead of cream, added another cup of broth, and two heaping spoonfuls of tomato paste. To get my veggies in I also added some fresh green beans when I put in the gnocchi and finished with some leftover sour cream.
I'm the end I'm sure it's nothing like the original, but it was delicious! I can't wait to try it again when I have all the ingredients and encourage people to try the recipe as is or experiment.
Natasha says
So glad you were able to make it based on what you had on-hand. Yup, I love how forgiving these one pan gnocchi recipes are. 🙂 (I edited your comment to take out a buzzword associated w. current events since that apparently could impact my search rankings and I'm not taking any chances). Thanks for commenting!!
Elaine says
This sounds so good! I just printed it out! Will have to bake some of my Crusty Italian Bread to go with it!
Natasha says
I hope you like it, Elaine! I want some of your bread now... 😉
karenbe12 says
Do you have a side with it, like salad or a veggie? Trying to get complimentary ideas for a veggie side.
Natasha says
Hi! I would do a salad with a light dressing. Or since it’s summer, maybe grill up some veggies (corn, zucchini, peppers, etc.) and just serve it on the side.
Deanna says
Loved it
Natasha says
Yay!!
Marcie says
My husband won’t eat anything with chunks of tomato in it. Could I use tomato paste or sauce to get that flavor?
Natasha says
Yes, that would be fine 🙂
Tina says
I used white wine instead of broth like you mentioned and it was awesome! Gives it that twist.
Natasha says
Wonderful!
Amy says
I haven't made this yet but am wondering if it would get messed up if I used ground turkey. I'm not a huge fan of ground beef. Has anyone tried it with ground turkey? Is it worth it or should I just go for beef?
Natasha says
Hi! I don’t think it would necessarily mess it up, but it wouldn’t be as flavorful. I do eat a lot of ground turkey (I cook it for myself in tacos often), and I add a lot of seasoning to make it less bland. So you may need to experiment with seasonings. Let me know if you do try!
Aaron says
Great recipe with great balance. Personally, I up the seasoning on any recipe, including this one. My personal spin added some parsley flakes, Greek seasoning (Cavanders), garlic salt and black pepper. Overall I have to say this is the most balanced flavor profile meal I have made all year and its May!! You must try this recipe!!
Natasha says
That’s great! So pleased you like it. Yes, it definitely a recipe that lends itself to little tweaks.
Angela says
Got very fussy eaters. Tried Gnocchi for the first time tonight. They couldn't get enough of it. Very easy and quick to make. A big success. Will be making it again.
Natasha says
That makes me so happy!! Awesome! Thanks for commenting.
Emily says
SUPER hearty, delicious and filling. I shamefully got up in the middle of the night and ate cold leftovers out of the Tupperware- it’s that good. I followed recipe exactly (except for extra garlic which I do with everything) and It turned out perfect. I’ll definitely make this again and again.
Natasha says
Lol that made me laugh about the cold leftovers 😀 And you and me both on the extra garlic.
Mikaela says
I didn't feel this got as creamy or as thick as I was hoping for. I had some ricotta in the fridge so I put a dollop of that in the bowl and the gnocchi over top...... yum! It added more flavor and creaminess making it delicious. Loved how simple and easy this recipe was.
Natasha says
So glad it worked out!
Maria says
Don’t know where to start with this one. Perfection!! Fluffy gnocchi in a hearty beef and tomato sauce. Wow. We are an entire loaf of crusty bread with this one. Kids couldn’t get enough. Under 30 minutes, too!!
Natasha says
That's awesome!!
Kristen says
Love!! ❤️ Making this tonight again for the third time. This is easy, comforting, and just delicious. It’s a new family favorite. Thank you!!
Natasha says
I am so happy to hear that, Kristen!!
Iulia says
This was so amazing and easy to put together. I am so happy I found you, your recipes and simple + delicious approach to food is something I have been looking for, for inspiration, for a very long time!! I also followed you in Instragram and I can't wait to see what you make next 🙂
Natasha says
I am so glad you enjoyed it!! I'm happy you found me! 😀
Vanessa says
As soon as I saw this on my feed I had to make it for dinner last night! It was so easy to put together - I added shallots and some garlic powder and red pepper flakes to give it a little spice. Super easy with the shelf stable Gnocchi!
Natasha says
Yay!! So happy you enjoyed it, Vanessa! Thanks for letting me know!
Sarah says
This recipe was so delicious. I used a combination of cauliflower and potato gnocchi and my family could not decipher between the two. My husband was raving about it all night (and seriously that never happens)!
Definitely try it!
Natasha says
I am so happy to hear it!! Thank you!! ♥️
Lisa Rodgers says
I just received a package of gnocchi in a gift basket and had no clue what to do with it. I can’t wait to try this. Looks like comfort food to me.
Natasha says
Awesome!! Let me know if you make it! 🙂
Danielle says
Love how quick and easy this recipe is! I think I bought a different gnocchi haha but that’s on me.
However, as I was nearing the end and tasting the sauce, i felt like it lacked quite a bit of flavor!!!! Oy vey! Where are the spices?! So I added in cayenne pepper, cumin, chopped up a jalapeño pepper for an extra kick, added more garlic/salt/pepper/Italian seasoning. THEN it was perfect!
Natasha says
Hi! Your additions sound delicious. I always kick up the garlic and salt myself. If I had added all those spices, I would have gotten complaints unfortunately, though. 😆 Glad you liked it as a base recipe and found a way to tweak it to your liking. ♥️
Shannon says
Gnocchi is the best pasta ever. If it's on a restaurant menu, I order it. Especially love it with tomato/cream sauce. This looks amazing too. A nice combination. Looking forward to trying it out.
Natasha says
Thank you!! Let me know if you try!!