Gnocchi Bolognese recipe

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This delicious gnocchi Bolognese makes a lovely change from spaghetti or pasta shapes. The texture of the soft gnocchi is perfect with the rich beefy sauce.

Bowl of gnocchi Bolognese
(Image credit: getty/artbypixel)
Serves4
SkillEasy
Preparation Time10 mins
Cooking Time40 mins
Total Time50 mins

SpagBol is one of the most popular dishes in the UK, but gnocchi Bolognese is quick and easy to prepare, and make a delicious alternative. 

You can buy ready-made gnocchi easily in supermarkets, usually in the fresh pasta fridge. Unlike pasta which is made with wheat flour, gnocchi is usually made with potatoes. The texture is just lovely - soft and pillow-like, with a little bit of of bite to it, a bit like pasta dumplings. And they cook in just three minutes. Once they're done, they rise to the top of the water so there's no chance of overcooking them either. You can simply toss gnocchi in a little pesto and grated cheese, but we love it with this meaty sauce for a comforting Friday night supper.

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 carrot, finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 500g lean beef mince
  • 1 tbsp tomato puree
  • 400g chopped tomatoes
  • 200ml beef stock
  • 2x 400g fresh gnocchi
  • 2 tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped

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Method

  1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and sauté the the onion and carrot for 10 mins until soft. Add the garlic for the last 2 mins.
  2. Stir through the beef mince and cook for 10 mins stirring frequently until browned.
  3. Add the tomato puree and stir until combined then pour over the chopped tomatoes and beef stock. 
  4. Leave to simmer for 20 mins until thick. Stir through 2tbsp basil.
  5. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil and add the gnocchi. Simmer for 3 mins then strain and fold through the bolognese. Scatter with the remaining basil to serve.

Top tip for making gnocchi Bolognese

Top with some grated Parmesan, pecorino or Grana Padano. 

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Octavia Lillywhite
Food and Lifestyle Writer

Octavia Lillywhite is an award-winning food and lifestyle journalist with over 15 years of experience. With a passion for creating beautiful, tasty family meals that don’t use hundreds of ingredients or anything you have to source from obscure websites, she’s a champion of local and seasonal foods, using up leftovers and composting, which, she maintains, is probably the most important thing we all can do to protect the environment.