Beef and Gnocchi Bake

This might not be the quickest dish to make that you will find on my blog, most of my recipes are pretty quick, with some that can be made in well under 30 minutes. Although this dish is one of the exceptions, it's still dead easy to make, even for a beginner.

And the favours are out of this world. Simply one of the best dish I have had in a while. I might not be cooking beef too often, mainly because I want it super tender to melt in the mouth, and that takes time, but I surely will be making this soon.

Gnocchi are such little beauties, and they cook so quickly. It's always handy to have some around when hunger strikes and we don't know what else to put on the table.

How to make beef and gnocchi bake

Don't get scared with all these photos above, it's actually super simple. And apart from checking on it now and then, you can totally get on with something else while it's cooking.

• heat up the oil, then add the diced beef and onion wedges, and leave to cook for about 5 minutes until the beef is no longer pink
• add the carrots and garlic together with 3 cups of beef stock (broth) and leave to cook with a lid on until the lid on until the liquid is evaporated
• add the tomatoes and more broth as needed until the beef is tender - I used about 6 cups of beef broth
• season with salt and pepper, and add the herbs too - you should not have too much liquid left at this point, maybe about one cup or so
• remove from the heat, transfer to an oven-safe dish and set aside
• bring a pan of water to boil, then add the gnocchi and leave to cook until the gnocchi float, that should take about 5 minutes
• drain the water, and top the beef casserole with the gnocchi, then spread grated cheese all over
• bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is melted
• ganish with chopped parsley

Expert tips

The beef needs to be slowly cooked, that's the secret about it being super douper tender. If you have a slow cooker, job done, super easy to achieve that, but on the stove top, it does take some patience. And checking on it from time to time.

I got this one cooked in about one hour and a half, but, depending on the heat, it might take longer. And it did turn out just the way I wanted it to be: flavourful, tender, incredibly tasty. That's one hell of a dish, if I say so myself.

First of all, don't rush it! I know, time is short, but trust me, this beef hot pot is worth waiting for. Set it on a low to medium temperature, and keep adding beef stock/broth now and then if needed.

Once it's cooked and tender, if there is still too much liquid left, not to worry, just let it evaporate, cooking for longer it's never a problem. You might want to add veggies later on, and now from the beginning, if you like them to keep their shape, otherwise, they will get mushy. I actually don't mind them mushy, to be honest, but hey ho.

Other beef recipes

Beef Hotpot

Irish Beef Stew

Beef Stew with Sweet Potatoes