Creamy Beef and Gnocchi Skillet

If you are looking for a one-pan dinner that can be on the table in 30 minutes, you’ll love my Creamy Beef and Gnocchi Skillet! It’s filling, comforting, and packed with flavor!

The gnocchi cook right in the skillet and get nice and tender. This recipe can be the whole meal since there’s veggies, protein, and carbs. If you want an extra side it’s good served with breadsticks or garlic bread and a salad!

I absolutely love dumplings of any kind! Gnocchi is a dumpling made with mashed potatoes, egg and flour.  They’re super easy to make homemade but they are also readily available pre-packaged in most grocery stores.  They are usually found in the dried pasta section, but they can also be found in the refrigerated pasta section and sometimes the freezer.

If you are looking for more easy, filling, and comforting dinners made with gnocchi check out my Crockpot Chicken and Gnocchi, Bacon Cheeseburger Gnocchi, and Creamy Chicken and Gnocchi.

Make One-Pan Beef and Gnocchi

To start making this easy skillet meal, heat a pan over medium-high heat.

Add your chopped onions and season with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and smoked paprika.

Once the fully cooked, drain any grease from the meat if necessary.

Next, add minced garlic, fire roasted tomatoes (not drained), spinach leaves, beef broth, heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, and one package of gnocchi. Stir everything together well and try to make sure the gnocchi are down in the liquid.

Bring your whole skillet to a quick boil, then lower your heat to medium or medium low and let it all simmer together covered for about 5 minutes. Remove your lid and give it a quick stir (this is the point where I sample my gnocchi) and simmer a few more minutes until your gnocchi is cooked through.

My favorite part of this recipe is the spinach (I know…seriously?)!  Here’s why I love it, though.  When you add spinach to pasta dishes or soups  it’s almost flavorless, and it cooks down and just blends into the dish.  Spinach is one of a handful of vegetables that is actually healthier for you cooked than raw!

When I add spinach I know I’m getting a huge boost of green veggies without having to sit down and eat a salad.  If your kids can handle a little more green, go ahead and add an extra handful of spinach.

Between the tomatoes and the spinach, my kids are getting a serving of veggies that are masked in creamy dumpling goodness, and there are no dinnertime fights over eating vegetables.

Serve Creamy Beef and Gnocchi Skillet

Once the gnocchi are nice and tender, it’s time to eat! I like to serve this meal topped with dried parsley, Parmesan cheese, and some red pepper flakes for my wife and I. I skip the red pepper flakes for the kids!

This one-pan dinner can be the whole dinner, but if you want an extra side serve this meal with breadsticks, garlic bread, or a salad!

If you have any leftovers store them in an air tight container in the refrigerator. Reheat leftovers in the microwave or on the stove over low heat until warm. The leftovers reheat well!

You will love this recipe because it’s an easy one-pan dinner, clean up is super easy, and it’s absolutely delicious!

Tips and Substitutions

• I used a package of store-bought shelf stable gnocchi in this recipe, but any gnocchi should work (homemade or refrigerated). The packages are usually 16-19 oz depending on the brand. Either size will work in this recipe.

• If you can’t find gnocchi at your grocery store, a bag of frozen cheese tortellini would be a good substitution.

• The gnocchi are not cooked prior to going into the skillet they will cook in the sauce.

• If you don’t have the fire roasted diced tomatoes, regular diced tomatoes will work, too.

• I used fresh spinach leaves, but you could swap that for frozen spinach.

• Italian sausage or ground turkey would also be good in this instead of the ground beef.

• For more spice top your plates with some red pepper flakes when serving!

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to boil the gnocchi before adding it to the skillet?

No, the gnocchi does not need to be cooked or boiled before adding it to the skillet. That’s the great thing about this recipe! Everything cooks in the pan in the liquid just like a hamburger-helper style recipe. The gnocchi gets nice and tender!

Can I substitute Italian sausage or ground turkey instead of ground beef?

Yes, if your family likes Italian sausage or ground turkey either would be a good substitution for the ground beef.

What kind of gnocchi is best for Creamy Beef and Gnocchi Skillet?

I like buying the shelf stable gnocchi from the grocery store. It usually comes in a 16-19 oz package. You could also make it homemade or even use refrigerated or frozen gnocchi if that’s all your store has. They should all still cook about the same in this recipe.

I can’t find gnocchi at my grocery store. What else can I use?

If you can’t find gnocchi at your grocery store a bag of frozen cheese tortellini would be a good replacement. It’s obviously not the same, but will still be really good! Frozen tortellini cooks right in the skillet and gets tender just like the gnocchi.