Sunday, August 29, 2010 · 74 Comments

The Best Gnocchi “Mac” and Cheese + VIDEO

Name: The Best Gnocchi Mac and Cheese
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 lb purchased or homemade gnocchi; 2 tbsps butter; 1 tsp minced garlic; 1 tbsp all-purpose flour; 3/4 cup whole milk; 1 tsp Dijon mustard; 1/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese; 1/4 cup shredded fontina cheese; salt and white pepper to taste; 1/3 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano; basil leaves for garnish, optional

Jump to Recipe

The Best Gnocchi Mac and Cheese – a mouth-wateringly complex blend of flavors. You are going to flip over the savory, richly-layered gnocchi cheese sauce in every bite.

Gnocchi “Mac” and Cheese Recipe

This Gnocchi “Mac” and Cheese takes comfort food to a whole new level. I thought I was in love with Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese and then rightly smitten with Ranch Mac and Cheese, but this dish, with the gnocchi cheese sauce, is over the top.

Employing gnocchi as the pasta in mac and cheese makes this grown-up version of a childhood favorite side dish so light, airy and puffy, there are no words. As adults we crave authentic, complex flavor profiles and this particular cheese mixture hits all the notes!

While making homemade gnocchi might be on your culinary bucket list, using good quality, purchased gnocchi for this mac and cheese works perfectly. Purchased gnocchi also makes this recipe very doable on a weeknight.

You are going to enjoy every bite of this dish!

Hopefully you have all or most of theses ingredients in your pantry or refrigerator. If not, they are all readily available at the grocery store.

Ingredients For Gnocchi “Mac” and Cheese

Pantry Ingredients

gnocchi – an Italian pasta most commonly known as potato gnocchi, made from mashed potatoes, flour and eggs. Found in the market alongside regular pasta.
all-purpose flour
salt -table salt
white pepper – pepper definitely changes the flavor of a dish and white pepper has a completely different flavor profile than black pepper.
Dijon mustard – do not use regular yellow mustard for this dish

Fresh Ingredients

butter – use European butter, like Kerrygold for a richer flavor
garlic
milk – use whole milk for the best flavor
Gruyere cheese – make sure to buy a block and shred yourself, Gruyere is a smooth-melting type of Swiss cheese that’s made from whole cow’s milk
fontina cheese – make sure to shred yourself, fontina is a semi-soft cow’s cheese with a gentle buttery, nutty flavor
Parmigiana-Reggiano – make sure to shred yourself, parm-reg is an Italian hard, granular cheese
basil – used as a garnish, but does add flavor to ever bite if sprinkled over the top

How To Cook Gnocchi

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, the same as you would do for pasta.

Add the gnocchi to the boiling water (they will sink) and wait until they rise to the surface, which takes 3-4 minutes.

Once the gnocchi have floated to the top, strain the water and they are ready.

How To Make Gnocchi “Mac and Cheese

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Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Prepare gnocchi according to package directions. Drain and place gnocchi in a single-layer in a 1.5 quart shallow baking dish sprayed with nonstick spray.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Whisk in flour until it thickens and bubbles, then whisk in milk and Dijon. Continue to whisk mixture and cook until slightly thickened, about 3-5 minutes.

Combine Gruyere and fontina, then add by the handful to milk mixture, stirring until melted before adding the next handful. Once all cheese is melted, season sauce with salt and white pepper.

Pour sauce over gnocchi and sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano over top.

Bake gnocchi until they puff and cheese is golden and bubbly, about 25 minutes.

Let gnocchi rest for 5 minutes before serving.

In order for all of your cheeses to melt smoothly in this dish, make sure to shred them yourself.

Already shredded cheese has a caking agent added to them, which keeps them from sticking together and melting smoothly.

Let gnocchi rest for 5 minutes before serving.

I know it’s hard to wait, but this gives the creamy cheese mixture a chance to set.

During the holidays I add cooked lobster before baking….it’s to die for and takes this dish to a whole other level!

Other Gnocchi recipes you might enjoy:

Gnocchi mac and cheese in a white serving bowl.

Print Recipe

5 from 19 votes

The Best Gnocchi Mac and Cheese

The Best Gnocchi Mac and Cheese - a mouth-wateringly complex blend of flavors. You are going to flip over the savory, richly-layered gnocchi cheese sauce in every bite.

Prep Time10

Cook Time25

Resting Time5

Total Time40

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Gnocchi Cheese Sauce, Gnocchi Mac and Cheese, The Best Gnocchi Mac and Cheese

Servings: people

Calories: 282kcal

Author: Cathy

Ingredients

1 lb purchased or homemade gnocchi
2 tbsps butter
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole milk
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
1/4 cup shredded fontina cheese
salt and white pepper to taste
1/3 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano
basil leaves for garnish, optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Prepare gnocchi according to package directions. Drain and place gnocchi in a single-layer in a 1.5 quart shallow baking dish that has been sprayed with nonstick spray.
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Whisk in flour until it thickens and bubbles, then whisk in milk and Dijon. Continue to whisk mixture and cook until slightly thickened, about 3-5 minutes.
Combine Gruyere and fontina, then add by the handful to milk mixture, stirring until melted before adding the next handful. Once all cheese is melted, season sauce with salt and pepper.
Pour sauce over gnocchi and sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano over top. Bake gnocchi until they puff and cheese is golden and bubbly, about 25 minutes.
Let gnocchi rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

The Best Gnocchi Mac and Cheese

Amount Per Serving

Calories 282 Calories from Fat 77

% Daily Value*

Fat 8.6g13%

Saturated Fat 5.9g37%

Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1g

Monounsaturated Fat 0.5g

Cholesterol 26.8mg9%

Sodium 151.4mg7%

Potassium 234mg7%

Carbohydrates 40.8g14%

Fiber 5.4g23%

Sugar 1.5g2%

Protein 10.1g20%

Vitamin A 5IU0%

Vitamin C 0.2mg0%

Calcium 22.4mg2%

Iron 12.5mg69%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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