Cheesy Bacon Gnocchi Bake

By Becky Hardin

Published Jan 30, 2018

This CHEESY BACON BAKED GNOCCHI is the ultimate comfort food! It's easy, full of everything I love (pasta, bacon CHEESE), and made in minutes. We are obsessed with this baked pasta. The entire family will love it. - 2

This Cheesy Bacon Gnocchi Bake is the ultimate comfort food! It’s easy, full of everything I love (gnocchi, bacon, and CHEESE), and it can be made in minutes. We are obsessed with this baked gnocchi casserole recipe. The entire family will love it!

Cheesy Bacon Gnocchi Bake in a baking dish with a spoon - 3

Cheesy Bacon Gnocchi Bake in a baking dish with a spoon - 4

Gnocchi Bake with Cheese and Bacon

Cheesy Bacon Gnocchi Bake for the win win win! Sometimes you just need an easy cheesy recipe that you can pop in the oven, let everything melt and bake together, and take it out and enjoy. This baked gnocchi recipe is the perfect cheesy dinner.

This is not the blog for making gnocchi by hand…so don’t you worry about that. This is the kind of blog where we take little shortcuts to get cooked meals on the table for your family, and this gnocchi bake is one of my recent favorites!

I love the flavor combination, I love the ease of the recipe, and I love the hearty comfort food feeling. Everyone loved it from my husband to my 10 month old…so it’s a winner for us! Are you ready to enjoy?

Cheesy Bacon Gnocchi Bake being scooped with a spoon - 5

Cheesy Bacon Gnocchi Bake being scooped with a spoon - 6

a scoop of Cheesy Bacon Gnocchi Bake in a blue baking dish - 7

a scoop of Cheesy Bacon Gnocchi Bake in a blue baking dish - 8

Baked Gnocchi Recipe

I’ve only ever eaten gnocchi one other time and I loved it that time as well. It’s such a thick and delicious pasta. All the flavor soaks right in.

Gnocchi bakes are a great alternative to traditional pastas. You can even think of this as a baked gnocchi casserole, the way the ingredients and flavors all bake together in perfect harmony.

You guys…the flavor is insane!

If you’ve loved some of my other recipes, like Chicken Parmesan Pasta or Baked Mexican Macaroni and Cheese , I believe you’ll love this recipe as well. Those are both so simple and tasty as well, and if you love those, you really get me.

Variations: Be sure to try our Chicken Alfredo Gnocchi Bake or Pepperoni Pizza Gnocchi Bake versions too!

Is Gnocchi considered a pasta?

In this gnocchi bake, we’re using gnocchi the same way we might use a pasta. Gnocchi is considered a dumpling, as it’s traditionally made out of dough or potatoes. While technically gnocchi is not pasta, it is used and eaten in the same manner. So often gnocchi is lumped in with pastas.

a spoon in a baking dish filled with Cheesy Bacon Gnocchi Bake - 9

a spoon in a baking dish filled with Cheesy Bacon Gnocchi Bake - 10

What to serve with gnocchi

Gnocchi is best served with sauces, cheese, and vegetables in the same way you would serve pasta. I can be served simply by pouring a fresh tomato sauce over the dumplings, or you can get more creative and serve them in a gnocchi bake or casserole.

This cheesy bacon gnocchi bake contains the most delicious ingredients

Fresh, melted mozzarella cheese
Fragrant basil
Savory bits of bacon
Grated Parmesan cheese

If that’s got your mouth watering, then you absolutely need to try out this baked gnocchi recipe!

I cannot wait for you to try this amazing gnocchi bake. This would be an awesome romantic meal to make for your honey for Valentine’s Day! We can keep it between us that it was SO DARN EASY to put together. No one needs to know that. Our little secret.

How do you cook gnocchi?

Gnocchi can be cooked in several ways. It really is so versatile! Making a gnocchi bake is just one of many ways to cook it.

You can also boil gnocchi the same way you boil pasta:

Bring salted water to a boil on high heat
Drop the gnocchi in and stir
Cook the gnocchi for just a few minutes (they don’t take as long as pasta)
Gnocchi will float to the top when they’re cooked
Don’t overcook the gnocchi–make sure you keep an eye on them!

top view of Cheesy Bacon Gnocchi Bake with a spoon - 11

top view of Cheesy Bacon Gnocchi Bake with a spoon - 12

I hope you love this cheesy bacon gnocchi bake as much as we do! This baked gnocchi recipe is a great alternative to traditional casserole dish.

See recipe card for details on how to make this Cheesy Bacon Gnocchi Bake. Enjoy!

Try these otherdinner recipeswhile you’re here:

One Pan Chicken Parmesan Pasta
Easy Chicken Pot Pie Casserole
Beef Ragu
Baked Pasta Primavera with Cream Cheese Alfredo
Stovetop Caprese Pasta Bake
Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu Recipe
Oven Baked Risotto

Ingredients1x2x3x

▢ 2 packages prepared gnocchi 13 ounces each
▢ 8 strips bacon bacon cut into ½ inch strips across the bacon
▢ 2 tablespoons fresh basil chopped
▢ 1½ cups half-and-half
▢ ½ lemon juice only
▢ ½ teaspoon garlic salt
▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
▢ ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
▢ 2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese

Topping:

▢ ¼ cup breadcrumbs
▢ 2 tablespoon Parmesan cheese grated
▢ 1 tablespoon butter

Optional Toppings

▢ .5 cup grated Parmesan cheese
▢ .25 cup fresh basil chopped

Instructions

Heat oven to 375°F and butter, or spray, a 2 quart baking dish.
Cook the gnocchi according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
In a large skillet over medium heat, fry the bacon pieces until cooked and just shy of crispy.
Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.
Pour the rendered fat into a heat-proof bowl for later use.
In the prepared casserole dish, add 1-tablespoon bacon fat, cooked bacon, basil, half-and-half, lemon juice, garlic salt, kosher salt, black pepper, cheese and cooked gnocchi. Stir well.
For the topping, melt the butter and mix in the breadcrumbs and Parmesan.
Sprinkle the gnocchi with the buttered breadcrumbs.
Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly.
Enjoy!

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Cheesy Bacon Baked Gnocchi

Ingredients

2 packages prepared gnocchi 13 ounces each
8 strips bacon bacon cut into ½ inch strips across the bacon
2 tablespoons fresh basil chopped
1½ cups half-and-half
½ lemon juice only
½ teaspoon garlic salt
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese

Topping:

¼ cup breadcrumbs
2 tablespoon Parmesan cheese grated
1 tablespoon butter

Optional Toppings

.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese
.25 cup fresh basil chopped

Instructions

Heat oven to 375°F and butter, or spray, a 2 quart baking dish.
Cook the gnocchi according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
In a large skillet over medium heat, fry the bacon pieces until cooked and just shy of crispy.
Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.
Pour the rendered fat into a heat-proof bowl for later use.
In the prepared casserole dish, add 1-tablespoon bacon fat, cooked bacon, basil, half-and-half, lemon juice, garlic salt, kosher salt, black pepper, cheese and cooked gnocchi. Stir well.
For the topping, melt the butter and mix in the breadcrumbs and Parmesan.
Sprinkle the gnocchi with the buttered breadcrumbs.
Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly.
Enjoy!

Nutrition

By Becky Hardin

Published Jul 12, 2017

This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.

Essential Grocery List

It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!

It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.

However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.

In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.

I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.

Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List

What to Buy at the Grocery Store

This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.

When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.

So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!