Caroline's Cooking

Internationally inspired recipes for everyone to enjoy - mostly healthy, always tasty

Gnocchi with pork and fennel

by 31 Comments

This gnocchi with pork and fennel is a delicious combination of flavors that’s hearty and comforting. Easy and quick to put together, it’s a perfect any-day meal.

gnocchi with pork and fennel

Gnocchi are one of the most popular meals in our house. If you want a sense of how much my toddler likes them, basically there are two meals you can guarantee he will eat as fast as you: homemade gnocchi and chicken curry.

These days he usually eats as many gnocchi as us, after his requests for more. Despite his love for them, he’s not particularly flexible in how he enjoys them, though. I manage to get him to switch color between potato spinach gnocchi and acorn squash gnocchi, but always served the same. He likes them with green and red sauce (AKA homemade pesto and roast tomato sauce).

gnocchi with pork and fennel in bowl from overhead

Typically we just have the same, since it’s tasty and I don’t usually want to make a second meal. Recently, though, I have been trying some different sauces for us, in part to make it more filling since my toddler is eating so many. There are only so many gnocchi I feel like rolling!

This gnocchi with pork and fennel is one such recipe, and the result is both easy and tasty. The flavors are perfect for this time of year and the whole meal is also easy on your budget.

gnocchi with pork and fennel in skillet

I love fennel as an ingredient as it has a lovely flavor both raw and cooked, the two being quite different meaning it can be used in a range of ways. When it is cooked so that it starts to caramelize, a lovely sweetness comes out that goes really well with the pork and the softness of the gnocchi. The flavor goes particularly well with a fall-flavored gnocchi like squash, pumpkin or even sweet potato.

Gnocchi are generally cheap but even more so if you make your own (plus they taste better, I think). There’s not a huge amount of meat, and it’s not an expensive cut anyway, but the flavor really carries through.

making sauce for gnocchi with pork and fennel

How to make gnocchi with pork and fennel

All you do is:

  • Slice then soften the fennel.
  • Add the pork and brown all over.
  • Sprinkle over the thyme, add the stock and bring to a simmer.
  • Reduce heat, add sour cream and parmesan then stir through the cooked gnocchi.

sauce before adding gnocchi for gnocchi with pork and fennel

This gnocchi with pork and fennel is a hearty dish with a tasty range of flavors, despite being so easy to make and not having too many ingredients. It’s already become a new favorite of ours (even if I can’t get my son out of his rut).

gnocchi with pork and fennel

gnocchi with pork and fennel
Print Recipe
5 from 6 votes

Gnocchi with pork and fennel

This easy sauce adds tons of flavor to gnocchi for a hearty, tasty meal.
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time25 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: 30 minute meal, ground pork and fennel sauce, sauce for gnocchi
Servings: 3 approx
Calories: 596kcal
Author: Caroline's Cooking

Ingredients

  • 1 bulb fennel medium
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 lb ground pork 225g pork mince
  • 1/4 tsp thyme
  • 1/2 cup light stock 120ml, eg chicken
  • 2 tbsp sour cream
  • 1/2 cup parmesan 10g approx, finely grated
  • 1 lb gnocchi 450g, or 1 quantity acorn squash gnocchi, approx depending on appetites

Instructions

  • Slice the fennel and cut larger slices into chunks. Heat the oil in a skillet and cook the fennel over a medium-high heat until softened and starting to brown, around 7-10min.
  • Meanwhile, cook the gnocchi following directions on packet/ in recipe and keep warm in a covered dish.
  • Add the ground pork to the pan and brown, stirring frequently to break up the meat and ensure all is browned. Add the thyme to the pan then the stock.
  • Once it has come through the boil, reduce to a gentle simmer, stir in the sour cream and parmesan and stir until mixed through then add the cooked gnocchi to the pan, stir and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 596kcal

Try these other tasty ways with gnocchi:

Remember to pin for later!

This gnocchi with pork and fennel is a delicious combination of flavors that's hearty and comforting. Easy and quick to put together, a great any-day meal. #gnocchi #sauceforgnocchi #groundpork

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Comments

  3. Adrianne says

    5 stars
    This dish looks like it has great flavour and texture. I love that you have used fennel as some people are too afraid to try it. I think anyone would be happy with a big plate of this for dinner!

    Reply

    • Caroline's Cooking says

      Thanks, it does indeed! And I agree, fennel is a bit underused but I for one love it as an ingredient.

      Reply

  4. Jeannette (Jay Joy) says

    5 stars
    I have tried so many times to make gnocchi but it never comes out quite right. WIsh me luck! This combination of flavors sounds amazing and glad the recipe is easy and quick to put together.

    Reply

    • Caroline's Cooking says

      You can easily use store-bought gnocchi for this recipe, as the sauce has enough flavor etc, but definitely wishing you luck to try making your own again as well!

      Reply

  7. Petra says

    Acorn squash gnocchi sounds great! And with pork and fennel! It looks like a brilliant and cost effective recipe for the family to tuck in to and just enjoy! Perfect for Fiesta Friday! 🙂

    Reply

    • Caroline's Cooking says

      Feeding little ones can be interesting, but at least he has some great favorites like gnocchi. I’m sure breakfast isn’t so bad either!

      Reply

    • Caroline's Cooking says

      Homemade gnocchi really are delicious, definitely worth the effort I think, but even with store bough this would be good.

      Reply

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