Gnocchi with pork and fennel

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 midweek meal.

I’m not sure how it has been so long since I have posted a recipe involving gnocchi given quite how well-loved they are 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 by the time he has come back for thirds. But maybe my lack of sharing a recipe is we tend to stick to a few favorites, like potato spinach gnocchi and acorn squash gnocchi, and my son has to have his with green and red sauce (AKA homemade pesto and roast tomato sauce) which is pretty great so we usually join him. Not really opening itself up to sharing new recipes, as you see.

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, it leaves less for us unless I make a huge batch. 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.

The sauce here is almost not a sauce, as here’s not too much liquid in the end dish, but it’s definitely packed with flavor. There’s just enough parmesan and sour cream to make it gently creamy which goes so well with the caramelized fennel and pork. You can vary exactly how much gnocchi to sauce depending on your preference and how much you want to stretch it as well, but the below is a good guide.

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 – particularly if it’s a fall-flavored one 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. A little stock, sour cream and parmesan make for a surprisingly tasty and creamy sauce to bring it all together.

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).

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Gnocchi with pork and fennel

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

25 mins

 

This easy sauce adds tons of flavor to gnocchi for a hearty, tasty meal.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: 30 minute meal, ground pork and fennel sauce, sauce for gnocchi

Servings: 3 approx

Calories: 596 kcal

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

1. 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.
2. Meanwhile, cook the gnocchi following directions on packet/ in recipe and keep warm in a covered dish.
3. 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.
4. 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.

Recipe Notes

Suggest using with 1 quantity acorn squash gnocchi, which is slightly more than the weight above.

Nutrition Facts

Gnocchi with pork and fennel

Amount Per Serving

Calories 596 Calories from Fat 252

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 28g 43%

Saturated Fat 10g 50%

Cholesterol 69mg 23%

Sodium 880mg 37%

Potassium 589mg 17%

Total Carbohydrates 60g 20%

Dietary Fiber 5g 20%

Protein 26g 52%

Vitamin A 5.7%

Vitamin C 12%

Calcium 28.5%

Iron 38.3%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Try these other tasty ways with gnocchi:

See all the other budget-friendly ideas being shared at today’s event:

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Vegan Broccoli Cheese Soup by Pancake Warriors

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Mom’s Buttermilk Biscuits by Grumpy’s Honeybunch
Turkey Salad by Food Done Light

Money-Saving Mains:
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Chicken Tetrazzini by Renee’s Kitchen Adventures
Chimichurri Chicken Thighs by Life Tastes Good
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Easy Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce by Fantastical Sharing of Recipes
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French Onion Soup Twice Baked Potato by Sew You Think You Can Cook
Gnocchi with Fennel and Pork by Caroline’s Cooking (you’re here!)
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Lasagna Stuffed Acorn Squash by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
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Yakisoba (Japanese Stir Fried Noodles) by Curious Cuisinere

Don’t-break-the-bank Desserts:
Apple Pecan Bread Pudding by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Marshmallow Popcorn Balls by Pies and Plots
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And more saving suggestions from the Sunday Supper Movement:
Budget-Friendly Meal Ideas for #SundaySupper

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