If you are looking to stretch your grocery budget a little, this Bacon Cheeseburger Gnocchi Casserole will do the trick without any lack of flavor. The perfect little pillows of potato gnocchi, paired with the salty bacon and hearty beef base will satisfy the taste buds of the whole family. Serve it up with Zucchini in Sour Cream Sauce and a fresh garden salad, and you have a complete meal.
Bacon Cheeseburger Gnocchi Casserole
We have been trying very hard lately to keep our grocery budget down. It can be challenging at times with two growing teenage boys and one very hungry husband. When I saw frozen gnocchi at such a great stock up price last week ($1.50 a bag) I knew this casserole absolutely had to go on the Menu Plan for the week! The teens LOVED it, and they didn’t even pick out the tomatoes or the onions! Here’s how we made it…
Bacon Cheeseburger Gnocchi Casserole
Ingredients:
- 4 slices of bacon
- 1 package frozen Gnocchi
- 1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef (or ground bison)
- 1 small onion – diced
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 2 Cups beef broth (or beef broth substitute)
- 1 large tomato – diced (you could also use 1 10 oz. can diced tomatoes)
- 3/4 Cup milk
- 1 1/2 Cups shredded cheddar cheese
Directions:
Slice the bacon into small strips and cook in a large skillet on medium-low until crispy. Remove the bacon pieces from the pan and drain on a paper towel. Set aside.
In the bacon drippings, brown up the gnocchi on both sides. Remove from the pan and also set aside. Drain any remaining bacon grease from the pan.
In the same skillet on medium heat, combine the lean ground beef, onions, onion powder, garlic powder, crushed red pepper and black pepper cook until browned and the onions are translucent. Drain off any excess grease from the pan.
To the ground beef, add the beef broth, diced tomato and the gnocchi that you cooked earlier. Cook on medium heat until most of the liquid is absorbed. Remove from the heat. Stir in the milk and 1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese.
Pour the gnocchi/beef mixture into a 9 x 13 pan. Top with remaining cheese and the bacon bits you cooked earlier.
Bake in a 350-degree oven for 10 – 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the top is golden brown.
Adding ground beef and vegetables to an inexpensive sauce made from ingredients that most people already have on hand is a frugal way to stretch your meal. Adding pasta, potatoes or rice to a dish will not only increase the number of servings, but it will also fill you up.
How do you stretch your budget by adding more to a meal?
- 4 slices of bacon
- 1 package frozen Gnocchi
- 1½ lbs lean ground beef
- 1 small onion – diced
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- 2 Cups beef broth
- 1 large tomato – diced (you could also use 1 10 oz. can diced tomatoes)
- ¾ Cup milk
- 1½ Cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Slice the bacon into small strips and cook in a large skillet on medium-low until crispy. Remove the bacon pieces from the pan and drain on a paper towel. Set aside.
- In the bacon drippings, brown up the gnocchi on both sides. Remove from the pan and also set aside. Drain any remaining bacon grease from the pan.
- In the same skillet on medium heat, combine the lean ground beef, onions, onion powder, garlic powder, crushed red pepper and black pepper cook until browned and the onions are translucent. Drain off any excess grease from the pan.
- To the ground beef, add the beef broth, diced tomato and the gnocchi that you cooked earlier. Cook on medium heat until most of the liquid is absorbed. Remove from the heat. Stir in the milk and 1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese.
- Pour the gnocchi/beef mixture into a 9 x 13 pan. Top with remaining cheese and the bacon bits you cooked earlier.
- Bake in a 350-degree oven for 10 – 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the top is golden brown.
Looks really good Heather! I’ll have to add this one to my dinner list for sure.
I like the idea of browning the gnocchi in the bacon grease and that it is a casserole with cheese!
Pardon the dumb question, but does it have to be frozen gnocchi? We don’t have that here. :-\
No not at all, you could use fresh or frozen. I would love to try this with fresh gnocchi.
I’ve made this too many times to count. My family absolutely loves this. I use pantry stable gnocchi and it’s fine. Also, I like to use a large cast iron skillet to both fry and bake in. One pan dinner!