This French onion gnocchi is hearty and delicious. With the beautiful flavours inspired by a classic French onion soup, with juicy beef mince, it is a perfect easy dinner.
The aromatics from this pasta are divine, the sweet caramelised onion and red wine will fill your kitchen with a gorgeous smell. The French onion gnocchi is indulgent and comforting, without having to put in too much effort and using minimal ingredients.
Key Ingredients
Fresh/Cold
- Onions: are one of the star ingredients in this French onion gnocchi. Cut into slivers and sautéed on low until they are a deep golden colour. The onions build an important base flavour for this dish, they’re sweet and are a perfect balance for the red wine and beef stock.
- Beef mince: is what gives this gnocchi its heartiness. It really beefed up the dish… ha. But in seriousness, it is perfect for soaking up the red wine and being a perfect vessel for the flavours of this French onion gnocchi. Normally I’m not too picky about what mince I use before I can drain the fat, but due to the beef going after the wine I would recommend using prime mince. If there’s one thing I hate, it’s a greasy mince dish.
- Butter + Olive oil: these two are used when caramelising the onions. Their flavours infuse with the onions and support it to get that luxurious texture and colour. When the onions are caramelising on low it also gives the butter a chance to brown without burning, adding another depth to the dish.
- Parmesan cheese: I am a parmesan girly at heart. If I’m adding cheese to almost anything, there’s going to be parmesan involved. Parmesan gives the pasta a slightly salty, nutty, flavour. Making it the indulgent dish it is. However, you can replace this with dairy free cheese if you need to alter this
Pantry
- Beef stock: gives this indulgent dish an umami boost. Using beef stock is perfect for balancing out the sweetness of the caramelised onions, and pairs well with the red wine. It adds a nice savoury element, without overpowering the key flavours.
- Red wine: the other star of this French onion gnocchi! By adding red wine to this dish you are adding a gourmet element. It deepens the flavour of the sauce, giving it a comforting richness. The alcohol cooks out of the wine, while also dissolving the fats in the dish releasing their delicious flavours.
- Tomato paste: adds to the French onion gnocchi its depth in flavour. When tomato paste is cooked without too much liquid it gets rid of the bitterness. In this recipe it is combined with the seasonings before being mixed into the mince, giving it a delicious herbiness.
- Gnocchi: are soft pasta pillows that have an amazing texture. They’re slightly chewy and are a perfect match with the rich mince and sauce. I used gluten free gnocchi, which admittedly is a little stodgier than regular gnocchi, but it was still scrumptious.
- Seasonings: are salt, italian herbs, and garlic powder in this French onion gnocchi. The salt is added to the caramelised onion, enhancing its flavours whilst slightly countering the sweetness. Italian herb mix brings a slightly earthy freshness. I chose to use garlic powder over actual garlic to allow the caramelised onions to shine, and let the seasoning act as more of an enhancer in the mince.
How to make this French onion gnocchi
Caramelise the onions.
Start by peeling the onions and cutting them in half. Thinly slice them into slivers. To a large pot at low-medium heat, add the onion. Douse in a fair amount of olive oil, as well as the butter and salt. Leave the onions to caramelise for about 20-25 minutes at this lower temperature. Check periodically so they don’t burn, but try not to disturb them too much. After 20-25 minutes turn the heat up to medium-high heat. Stir and let the onions deepen in colour for a few minutes. Then remove the onions from the pot and set aside.
Deglaze the pot.
Pour the red wine into the same pot the onions were in, use this to deglaze the leftover flavours. Bring the red wine to a light bubble to release the fond.
Make the beef mince mix.
Add the beef mince, use the spoon/spatula to break it up. Brown the mince until it is almost fully cooked. Push the mince to the edges of the pot so there is an empty space in the centre. Add the tomato paste, italian herbs, and garlic powder to the middle. Mix these ingredients together to create a herby tomato paste, let these cook for a minute or two to alleviate the bitterness from the tomato paste. Stir the tomato paste and mince to combine.
Leave the French onion gnocchi base to simmer.
Pour the beef stock into the pot, along with the caramelised onions. Put a lid on the pot, bring the temperature back down to low. Leave to simmer on low for 10-15 minutes, check about halfway to make sure it is not getting stuck to the bottom.
Cook the gnocchi.
Bring a separate pot of water to a rolling boil, add a light amount of oil and salt. Then cook the gnocchi as per packet instructions – typically about 2-3 minutes.
Assemble the French onion gnocchi.
Before draining the gnocchi once it has cooked, reserve ½ of the pasta water and pour it into the beef mince. Then add the drained gnocchi. Stir so that the pasta and mince are combined. Top with parmesan cheese and eat while it’s hot!
Storage
Because gnocchi is a starchier form of pasta, I would not leave it in the fridge too long for leftovers, otherwise it will cause the mince to taste floury. You also want to make sure you reheat the French onion gnocchi until it is hot in the middle, otherwise the pasta will still be hard. I would recommend keeping the leftovers for 2 days if there is gnocchi, or 3-4 days if it is just the mince.
More for pasta lovers:
- Chicken Bacon Pesto Pasta
- Sausage Tomato Pasta
- Rosé Pasta
- Japchae
- Spaghetti Bolognese
- Leek and Feta Ravioli
- Crispy Gnocchi with Sausage & Kale
Alrighty, ready to indulge in this divine French onion gnocchi? This is not a recipe to miss out on. So let’s go… treat yourself.
French Onion Gnocchi
Ingredients
- 3 brown onions (slivered)
- 750 grams beef mince
- 100 grams butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup beef stock
- ½ cup red wine
- 4 tbsp tomato paste
- 500 grams gnocchi
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp italian herbs
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- Parmesan cheese (to your preference)
Instructions
- Start by peeling the onions and cutting them in half. Thinly slice them into slivers.
- To a large pot at low-medium heat, add the onion. Douse in a fair amount of olive oil, then add the butter and salt. Leave the onions to caramelise for about 20-25 minutes at this lower temperature. Check periodically so they don’t burn, but try not to disturb them too much.
- After 20-25 minutes turn the heat up to medium-high heat. Stir and let the onions deepen in colour for a few minutes. Then remove the onions from the pot and set aside.
- Pour the red wine into the same pot the onions were in, use this to deglaze the leftover flavours.
- Add the beef mince, use the spoon/spatula to break it up. Brown the mince until it is almost fully cooked.
- Push the mince to the edges of the pot so there is an empty space in the centre. Add the tomato paste, italian herbs, and garlic powder to the middle. Mix these ingredients together to create a herby tomato paste, let these cook for a minute or two to alleviate the bitterness from the tomato paste.
- Mix the tomato paste and mince to combine.
- Pour in the beef stock and stir. Add the caramelised onion back in. Put a lid on the pot and leave to simmer on low for 10-15 minutes.
- Bring a separate pot of water to a rolling boil, and cook the gnocchi as per packet instructions – typically about 2-3 minutes.
- Before draining the gnocchi, reserve ½ of the pasta water and pour it into the beef mince. Then add the drained gnocchi.
- Top with parmesan cheese and eat while it’s hot!
