Description
Skillet gnocchi mac and cheese combines pillowy gnocchi with a creamy, cheesy sauce in a single skillet. This dish is a comforting twist on classic mac and cheese.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 packages (16-ounce) fresh or frozen potato gnocchi
- 3 cups whole or 2% milk
- 8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese (about 2.5 packed cups)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- ⅓ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the pasta water
- ¾ cup cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- Finely chopped fresh basil or parsley leaves, for serving
Instructions
- Gather all ingredients: kosher salt, potato gnocchi, unsalted butter, all-purpose flour, milk (whole or 2%), shredded sharp cheddar cheese, Dijon mustard, black pepper, paprika, grated Parmesan cheese (divided), and fresh basil or parsley for garnish.
- Boil a large pot of water and add a generous amount of salt to it.
- Cook the potato gnocchi in boiling water until they float to the surface; this typically takes about 2-4 minutes if using fresh gnocchi or slightly longer for frozen ones.
- Drain the cooked gnocchi and set aside while you prepare the sauce.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt unsalted butter until bubbly but not browned.
- Whisk in all-purpose flour gradually to create a roux; stir continuously for about one minute until smooth and golden.
- Slowly pour in whole milk while whisking constantly to avoid lumps; continue stirring until mixture thickens noticeably, this may take around 5-7 minutes.
- Add shredded sharp cheddar cheese into the thickened sauce along with Dijon mustard; mix well until completely melted and combined smoothly with no clumps remaining.
- Season your creamy sauce with freshly ground black pepper and paprika according to taste preferences before removing from heat.
- Stir half of the grated Parmesan into your cheesy mixture ensuring an even distribution throughout.
- Fold in cooked potato gnocchi gently so that each piece is coated evenly by that rich sauce.
- Transfer everything into an oven-safe dish if desired for baking later on top at higher temperatures when serving hot
- Top generously with remaining grated Parmesan before placing under broiler briefly just enough time needed till bubbling occurs lightly browning its surface nicely without burning
- Serve warm garnished with finely chopped fresh basil or parsley leaves enhancing both flavor profile visually appealing presentation!
Notes
Use fresh or frozen gnocchi for the best texture, and don’t forget to season your pasta water with salt before cooking.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 650 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 75 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg