5 from 66 votes
Gnocchi Bolognese Recipe
The Gnocchi Bolognese Recipe features tender gnocchi served with a richly flavored meat sauce made from ground beef, pork, and pancetta. The sauce incorporates classic aromatics like onion, celery, and carrot, simmered with San Marzano tomatoes, tomato paste, white wine, and broth. Seasoned with bay leaves and red pepper flakes, the sauce is hearty and balanced. Melting butter and olive oil start the base, ensuring a depth of flavor.
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
3 hrs 30 mins
Total Time
4 hrs
Servings:
8
Calories:
635 kcal
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
Italian
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 yellow onion , roughly chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1 celery roughly chopped into 1-inch pieces, stalk
- 1 carrot , peeled and roughly chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1 ounce can San Marzano Tomatoes about 3 cups, whole, in juice
- 8 ounces pancetta , cut into ½-inch chunks
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 pound ground chuck beef 80/20 blend
- 1 pound ground pork
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ cup white wine dry
- 1 cup milk 2% milk fat can be substituted, whole
- 2 cups beef broth or chicken broth
- 3 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 16 ounces gnocchi
- Parmesan Cheese for serving
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven or heavy bottom pot, add the olive oil and butter over medium heat. In a food processor, pulse the onion, celery, and carrot until finely chopped. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and golden, about 5-7 minutes.
- While the vegetables are cooking, add the tomatoes with their juice to the food processor and pulse 5-7 times until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Wipe out the food processor, then add the pancetta to the bowl. Pulse until the pancetta is a coarse paste. Set aside.
- Add the tomato paste to the Dutch oven and cook for about 10 minutes until the paste begins to brown, stirring when needed so it doesn't burn. Add the ground chuck, pork, and pancetta to the pot along with the red pepper flakes. Use a wooden spoon to break the meat apart as it cooks, just until lightly browned and the meat loses its raw edge. Add the wine and cook until the wine is almost all absorbed, about 10 minutes, stirring to scrape up any browned bits. Add the milk and cook until it has evaporated, which will take about 30 minutes, stirring and breaking up the meat more as it cooks.
- Add the tomatoes, broth, bay leaves, and kosher salt. Bring to a simmer then reduce the heat to the lowest setting so it cooks with barely a bubble breaking the surface occasionally. Cook for 2 ½ to 3 hours until the meat is tender and the sauce has reduced and thickened to become rich and dark in color. Toward the end of cooking, a layer of oil will likely rise to the top. Spoon off the oil or fold back into the sauce as desired. The longer you cook the sauce the better it will become. If the sauce seems to dry out, add ¼ cup hot water at a time as needed. Remove the bay leaves before serving.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 1-2 tablespoons of kosher salt. Add the gnocchi and cook until it floats to the top of the water, then 1 minute more. Use a spider or strainer to transfer the gnocchi to the warm sauce. Toss and cook for 1-2 minutes more. Serve with ground Parmesan cheese and fresh herbs like basil or rosemary if desired.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Make the sauce ahead of time and warm it gently in a skillet to save time on busy days.
- Serve the sauce tossed with freshly cooked gnocchi for best texture.
Nutrition Information
Calories
635kcal
(32%)
Carbohydrates
25g
(8%)
Protein
27g
(54%)
Fat
46g
(71%)
Saturated Fat
17g
(85%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
4g
(24%)
Monounsaturated Fat
20g
(100%)
Trans Fat
1g
(50%)
Cholesterol
115mg
(38%)
Sodium
1050mg
(44%)
Potassium
551mg
(12%)
Fiber
2g
(8%)
Sugar
3g
(6%)
Vitamin A
1572IU
(31%)
Vitamin C
3mg
(3%)
Calcium
83mg
(8%)
Iron
4mg
(22%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 8 Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 635
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 635kcal | 32% |
| Carbohydrates | 25g | 8% |
| Protein | 27g | 54% |
| Fat | 46g | 71% |
| Saturated Fat | 17g | 85% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 4g | 24% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 20g | 100% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 115mg | 38% |
| Sodium | 1050mg | 44% |
| Potassium | 551mg | 12% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
| Vitamin A | 1572IU | 31% |
| Vitamin C | 3mg | 3% |
| Calcium | 83mg | 8% |
| Iron | 4mg | 22% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.