One-pan gochujang gnocchi with garlic beef, where the gnocchi cook right in the creamy sauce so you only wash one skillet.
I’m Erin, a working mom of two with a full-time 9-5, and Default Dinner Diaries is the series where I share the dinners we actually make on weeknights in our house.
This is the one I make when I walk in from daycare pickup after a lonnnng day of Teams calls and I have zero capacity for a complicated recipe, I just need something simple and one dish, and when I tell yall this one is THAT GIRL !!
The gochujang gives it a little sweet heat, the half-and-half and parmesan make it rich and creamy, and it’s on the table in about 20 minutes, which means the time after dinner goes to my kids before bath and bed at 7.
Why this one made our default dinner rotation
- The shelf-stable gnocchi and the gochujang both live in my pantry, so the only thing I have to remember ahead of time is to thaw 1 lb of ground beef.
- The gnocchi soak up the sauce while they simmer, so there’s no pot of water to boil, no colander to rinse and only one skillet to wash at the end of the night.
- Every ingredient is at a regular grocery store, and the gochujang is usually in the international or Asian foods aisle.
- You control how spicy it is by how much gochujang you stir in, so it works for the grown ups and the spice-shy kids at the same table.
One-Pan Gochujang Gnocchi & Garlic Beef
This recipe makes 4 servings in a 12 inch skillet. If you’re making 8, use a dutch oven and give the gnocchi a few extra minutes to soften.
Ingredients
Steps
- Brown 1/2 lb1 lb2 lb ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high until cooked through. No need to drain unless it’s really greasy.
- Stir in 1 tbsp2 tbsp1/4 cup gochujang, 1 1/2 tsp1 tbsp2 tbsp soy sauce, and 1/2 tsp1 tsp2 tsp garlic powder (or 1 tsp2 tsp4 tsp jarred minced garlic). Cook 1 minute so the gochujang mellows.
- Pour in 1/2 cup1 cup2 cups half-and-half or heavy cream and 2 tbsp1/4 cup1/2 cup grated parmesan and stir until it turns into a smooth sauce.
- Add 8 oz1 lb2 lb shelf-stable potato gnocchi and 1/4 cup1/2 cup1 cup water or milk and stir to coat. Cover and simmer over medium heat for about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring once, until the gnocchi are soft and the sauce thickens.
- Top with sliced scallions and a pinch of red pepper flakes if you want them, then serve.
How I make it even easier on a weeknight
- If your kids are sensitive to spice, start with half the gochujang, taste it, and save the red pepper flakes for the grown up bowls.
- If you want a veggie without dirtying another pan, stir a 12 oz bag of frozen broccoli florets in with the gnocchi right before you cover it.
- If you’re out of garlic powder, jarred minced garlic works, just use twice as much.
- I keep a pack of shelf-stable gnocchi and a tub of gochujang in the pantry at all times, so this dinner is an option any night we have ground beef in the fridge or freezer.
- The gnocchi keep soaking up the sauce in the fridge, so add a splash of milk when you reheat the leftovers.
The system behind every dinner in this series
Every Default Dinner Diaries recipe is one of the dinners in our default rotation. Honestly I think most families are happy eating the same 21 dinners on repeat, the hard part is deciding which one every single night after work, so I built a system that makes that decision for me once a week.
Other dinners in our rotation
Before you make it
Is gochujang gnocchi spicy?
It’s mild with a little sweet heat because the half-and-half and parmesan calm the gochujang down, but some gochujang brands run hotter than others. If your kids are sensitive to spice, start with half the gochujang and taste it before you add more.
Where do I find gochujang?
Look in the international or Asian foods aisle of most regular grocery stores. It usually comes in a tub or a squeeze bottle.
Do I need to boil the gnocchi first?
No, the shelf-stable gnocchi go straight into the skillet and cook right in the sauce, which is why this recipe only uses one pan.
Can I use ground turkey or chicken instead?
Yes, either one works, just brown it all the way through before you stir in the gochujang and soy sauce.
How do I store leftovers?
Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, and add a splash of milk when you reheat them since the gnocchi soak up the sauce overnight.
Follow along for more Default Dinner Diaries
follow along on Instagram @kee_to_wellness for more Default Dinner Diaries, the easy one pan dinners that actually happen on a weeknight in our house (plus all the systems I use to keep a 9-5 and two kids running) 🫶
I also write The Mental Load Memo on Substack every Tuesday and Thursday, where I share the real systems that keep our house running with two full-time jobs and two little kids.
