The Best-Ever Baked Bolognese Gnocchi
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The Best-Ever Baked Bolognese Gnocchi
Craving a comforting, cheesy meal? This Baked Bolognese Gnocchi is your answer! Soft gnocchi, rich bolognese sauce, and a golden, melty cheese topping make it the perfect cozy dish. Easy to make and even easier to devour! Dairy-free, Gluten-free + Meatless Option.
I’m a big fan of gnocchi pasta bakes—just check out my Skillet Baked Cheesy Pumpkin Gnocchi or Baked Tuscan Chicken and Gnocchi for proof! So, it felt a little crazy that I hadn’t made a Bolognese version until now. For this easy baked gnocchi recipe, I used ground turkey, but you can totally swap in beef, plant-based crumbles, or even use my Vegan Bolognese pasta recipe for a completely meatless option.
The best part? This Baked Bolognese Gnocchi is super customizable! It’s quick to put together on a busy weeknight, and I promise it’ll be a hit with everyone at the table. Cozy, cheesy, and totally satisfying—what’s not to love about this hearty pasta bake?
Jump to:
- What Is Baked Bolognese Gnocchi?
- What Is Gnocchi, and How Do You Make It?
- How Do You Pronounce Gnocchi?
- Ingredients For Baked Bolognese Gnocchi
- How To Make A Homemade All-Purpose Blend
- Why You Will LOVE The Best-Ever Baked Bolognese Gnocchi
- What Can I Eat With Baked Gnocchi?
- Best-Ever Baked Bolognese Gnocchi Q + A's
- More Comforting Baked Meals To Try Next!
- MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
- The Best-Ever Baked Bolognese Gnocchi
What Is Baked Bolognese Gnocchi?
Cheesy baked bolognese gnocchi is basically a cozy pasta bake, but with gnocchi instead of regular pasta—think soft, pillowy gnocchi smothered in rich, savory bolognese sauce, all topped off with a gooey, cheesy crust. It’s perfect for when you want something hearty + satisfying without too much fuss.
What Is Gnocchi, and How Do You Make It?
Gnocchi are soft Italian dumplings traditionally made with flour, eggs, and potatoes—though I used an egg-free version from Delallo Foods. Making them from scratch involves boiling and mashing potatoes, mixing the dough, shaping, cutting, and boiling. For a solid homemade recipe, check out AllRecipes!
How Do You Pronounce Gnocchi?
Gnocchi is pronounced "nyoh-kee."
The “gn” at the beginning is similar to the “ny” sound in “canyon,” and the double "c" has a soft "k" sound. So it's nyoh-kee—not "gah-nock-ee" (we've all been there!).
Ingredients For Baked Bolognese Gnocchi
- Uncooked potato gnocchi. Homemade or store-bought. To make this recipe gluten-free, you can just opt for gluten-free gnocchi
- Cheese. Shredded mild or sharp cheddar.
MEAT SAUCE:
- Ground turkey. I use organic 94% lean ground turkey (You can also do this with ground beef, pork, or chicken if desired). Or make it meatless with either meatless crumbles, or my vegan bolognese recipe.
- Extra virgin olive oil. Feel free to use your favorite high-quality EVOO. My fave tried and trusted brand is California Olive Ranch.
- Onion. Chopped (Feel free to use red, yellow, or white)
- Garlic cloves. Minced.
- Everything blend. You can purchase my On Everything All-Purpose Blend for authentic flavor or make your own blend---- See below on how to make your own.
- Seasonings. Smoked paprika, garlic powder + sea salt.
- Tomato paste. This adds a nice rich flavor.
- Tomato-on-the-vine. You can also use any tomatoes or a 28 oz. can of peeled tomatoes.
- Premium marinara sauce. You can also sub with tomato sauce.
- Brown sugar. This helps balance out the flavor.
- White cooking wine. Optional.
- Chicken stock. You can sub with veggie or beef stock, if desired.
- Freshly grated parmesan. For garnish.
How To Make A Homemade All-Purpose Blend
Just toss all your ingredients into a bowl and give it a good mix until everything’s nicely combined. It’s that easy!
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
SHOP MY FAVORITE TOOLS FOR BAKING, ESPECIALLY FOR THIS GNOCCHI BAKE!
Here, I’ve curated a list of baking essentials that I use to achieve my favorite baked goods, especially with this Baked Bolognese Gnocchi. Everything from my fave sheet pans, wooden spoons, parchment paper, and more. SEE THEM HERE!
Why You Will LOVE The Best-Ever Baked Bolognese Gnocchi
- Comfort food magic in baked pasta form
- Cheesy, saucy, cozy—basically everything you want in one bite
- Weeknight-friendly and easy to throw together
- Gnocchi gives it that soft, pillowy goodness
- Totally customizable—use turkey, beef, chicken or go meatless!
- Family-approved + perfect for pasta lovers everywhere
What Can I Eat With Baked Gnocchi?
I highly recommend some crusty bread to go with this mouthwatering Bolognese Gnocchi—it’s basically a must for scooping up all that saucy, cheesy goodness. I love:
- Cheesy Kale Garlic Bread
- Homemade Roasted Garlic Bread
- Cheesy Pesto Garlic Bread
- Homemade Texas Toast Garlic Bread
Best-Ever Baked Bolognese Gnocchi Q + A's
More Comforting Baked Meals To Try Next!
- Baked Buffalo Chicken Tacos
- Authentic Baked Jamaican Jerk Chicken
- Baked White Mac + Cheese with Bacon
- Air Fryer Bacon Baked Potato
- Garlic Chicken Broccoli Gnocchi
- Skillet Honey Garlic Baked Chicken Thighs
MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
If you tried The Best-Ever Baked Bolognese Gnocchi recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. And don't forget to tag @orchidsnsweettea_ on Instagram and hashtag it #orchidsandsweettea! I love hearing from you!
The Best-Ever Baked Bolognese Gnocchi
Ingredients
- 1 (16 oz). package uncooked potato gnocchi, homemade or store-bought
- 1-2 cups shredded Mild or Sharp Cheddar, organic
MEAT SAUCE:
- 8 oz. organic 94% lean ground turkey (You can also do this with ground beef, pork, or chicken if desired)
- 2 Tbsps Extra virgin olive oil
- ½ onion, chopped (Feel free to use red, yellow, or white)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon My On Everything Blend (You can purchase my On Everything All-Purpose Blend for authentic flavor or make your own blend----See Notes)
- 2 tsps smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 4 Tbsps tomato paste, organic
- 3 cups organic chopped tomato-on-the-vine (You can also use any tomatoes or a 28 oz. can of peeled tomatoes)
- 2 (15 oz) jars premium Marinara sauce (You can also sub with tomato sauce)
- 2 tsps organic brown sugar
- 2 Tbsps white cooking wine, optional
- 1 cup organic chicken stock (You can sub with veggie or beef stock, if desired)
GARNISH:
- Freshly-grated parmesan
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
TO MAKE THE MEAT SAUCE:
- In a medium deep skillet [oven-safe] or dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and let it heat. Add the minced garlic and chopped onions and sauté until fragrant and translucent, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add the ground meat, stirring until the turkey meat has browned, about 8-10 minutes-----breaking up the meat using a wooden spoon as your stir. Add in the On Everything Blend, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and salt-----stirring until combined and coats the meat.
- Stir in the tomato paste followed by the Marina sauce [or tomato sauce], chopped tomatoes, brown sugar, chicken stock, and white cooking wine, stirring to combine. bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low and let the sauce simmer, stirring occasionally until sauce begins to thicken slightly and the tomatoes become tender, about 10-15 minutes. Add in the uncooked gnocchi and stir to incorporate. NOTE: You can add additional ¼ cup of liquid stock to sauce to make it more "saucy", if desired.
- Remove from heat. In the same skillet, sprinkle the shredded cheese atop everything until fully covered.
BAKE EVERYTHING TOGETHER:
- Bake (without being covered) for 10-12 minutes or so, or until cheese has fully melted, the top is browned slightly, and the sauce is bubbly at the sides. NOTE: The gnocchi will be fully cooked and might "peak out" at the sides as they swell.
- Remove from oven and serve with your favorite salad or bread. Garnish with grated parmesan, if desired.
- Bon Appetit!
Tips & Tricks
- STORAGE: Any leftovers can be kept in a tightly sealed container and refrigerated for up to 3-4 days. To re-heat, simply heat in the oven for the best results or microwave for a minute or two until heated through.
- MAKE AHEAD: See FAQ section for details!
- MEATLESS OPTION: You can enjoy this baked gnocchi dish without ground meat and can substitute with plant-based ground meat or ingredients like quinoa.
- DAIRY-FREE + GLUTEN-FREE OPTIONS: See FAQ section for details!
- HOMEMADE ALL-PURPOSE BLEND: 1 teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, + 1 teaspoon dried parsley.
Nutrition
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This was amazing for dinner tonight!!!
Hi James! I'm so thrilled to hear that! Thanks so much! 🙂