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Gnocchi rank among the greatest of all pastas. They’re delicate potato pillows that efficiently transport tasty sauces directly to your mouth, satisfying your palate in multiple ways.
They’re also pretty difficult to make from scratch and can even be a little unnerving for youngsters used to spaghetti noodles. But a simple recipe for French Onion Gnocchi Casserole from Campbell doubles as a comforting dinner and a yummy introduction to these little nuggets of heaven.
With some assistance from herbs and quality cheeses, it might even get the thumbs-up from your foodie friends, too — high praise for a humble casserole.
First things first: The gnocchi. No need to look up any advanced pasta-making techniques, since this recipe relies on refrigerated, pre-made gnocchi from the grocery store. (Dried is OK, too, but it adds more time since you have to cook the gnocchi first.)
Gnocchi acquired, it’s time to grease up a 13-by-9-inch baking dish and crank up the broiler. While that’s heating, sauté onions on medium heat with a knob of butter.
You’ll want to take your time with the onions — the idea is to recreate the rich, deep flavors of French onion soup. Keep an eye on them, stir frequently and adjust the heat as necessary. If any onions start to go past brown and crisp up, turn down the heat right away, or just take the pan off until things cool down.
When you feel like you might just want to dive into the pan of golden-brown onions and start scarfing, add in more flavor. This recipe calls for garlic, thyme and pepper, but also notes that rosemary or sage would be good subs for the thyme.
Next up: The sauce. Deglaze the pan with a smidge of Worcestershire, then add in lower-sodium beef broth and beef gravy. Once that’s simmering, throw in the gnocchi for a warm-up.
Finally, the gnocchi and sauce go into a baking dish, then get a sprinkling of cheese — mozzarella and tangy Gouda. Pop the dish under the broiler to melt the cheese and you’ve got yourself a dinner!
Find the whole recipe and a few more tips here from Cook with Campbell’s.
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