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Easy Taco Gnocchi Skillet

Are you looking for a new easy dinner recipe with just a few ingredients? This Easy Skillet Taco Gnocchi is one of my new favorite quick ground beef dinners to make. Just six ingredients, loaded with flavor, and perfect for the whole family.

I have made this Easy Skillet Taco Gnocchi about five times over the last few months. It is great for Taco night to change things up. That’s actually kind of how I came up with this recipe. We had ground beef and I was feeling some taco flavored dinner. No tortillas led me into the cupboard to look for pasta or something….and GNOCCHI was staring me in the face.

Taco gnocchi in a cast iron skillet

Now I work in an Italian restaurant so I am used to seeing gnocchi with creamy sauces or meat sauce….and there is something about these little soft potato pillows that gets me every time. Then loaded with taco meat and cheese….yep winner winner gnocchi dinner! So if you don’t know what to make with gnocchi, this recipe is for you!

What I love about this Taco Gnocchi Recipe

  • Soft potato gnocchi takes place of pasta or tortillas
  • Perfect for something different
  • Easy with just six ingredients
  • Something the whole family even the kids will eat
  • Customizeable
  • An easy ground beef recipe (or ground turkey!)
Taco gnocchi ingredients

I kept it simple with meat, seasonings, tomatoes, cheese, and some jalapenos for a little heat. But go ahead and add in what your family likes. Like olives? Go for it. Want to toss in some diced onions or green peppers- do it. Then after its done you can top it off with sour cream, hot sauce, fresh tomatoes, guac, or whatever floats your boat.

I used my cast iron skillet so that I could pop the gnocchi in the oven to bake the cheese but you can use whatever skillet you have and just cover it with a lid to melt the cheese on the stove top, too.

Cheesy taco skillet

How to make this Easy Skillet Taco Gnocchi

First brown the ground beef or ground turkey with the chopped jalapeno is using.

While that is browning, start your pot of water to get it boiling and cook the gnocchi according to the directions. Once that is cooked drain the grease.

How to make taco gnocchi

Then add in the taco seasoning packet with the water it call for to the meat mixture along with the canned tomatoes with green chiles. Stir the mixture and let cook for a few minutes until the sauce thickens a bit. Add in the cooked gnocchi, stir, and add the shredded cheese on top.

Simple taco gnocchi

Then with put the cast iron skillet under the broiler to bake the cheese or add a lit and melt on the stove top. Serve hot with favorite toppings and enjoy.

Optional step

If you want to crisp up the gnocchi a bit, cook it first then drain. Return it to the pot with a little olive oil and sauté the gnocchi until they brown on the sides then add into the meat mixture.

gnocchi skillet

Ground Beef or Ground Turkey Recipe

Like I said I used ground beef in this taco gnocchi but ground turkey would work great, too! Ground turkey works well in taco recipes because of all the seasonings.

Cast iron taco gnocchi

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Easy Skillet Taco Gnocchi

This Easy Skillet Taco Gnocchi make a great quick weeknight dinner with just six ingredients that the whole family will love.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Course entree, Main Course
Servings 6 servings

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet or regular

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb ground beef or ground turkey
  • 1 Jalapeno diced (optional)
  • 1 15 oz. canned tomatoes with green chiles
  • 1 packet taco seasoning plus water it calls for
  • 1 16 oz. package of potato gnocchi
  • 1 ½ cups Mexican style shredded cheese more or less to your liking

Instructions
 

  • Heat your skillet over medium and add in the ground beef and jalapeno. Cook and drain any grease.
  • Meanwhile boil a pot of water and cook the gnocchi for 2-3 minutes until they float (according to instructions). (optional step: sauté the cooked gnocchi with some olive oil to add a little crisp)
  • Then add in the canned tomatoes, taco seasoning packet , and water to the meat mixture.
  • Stir and let cook until the sauce thickens for about 2 minutes.
  • Add in the cooked gnocchi, stir until all is combined, and top with the shredded cheese.
  • Place the cast iron under the broil in the oven until cheese melts/ is baked to your liking (or cover on the stove until melted).
  • Serve hot with additional topping of choice: sour cream, hot sauce, cilantro, salsa, etc!
Keyword cast iron skillet, easy dinner, gnocchi, ground beef, ground turkey, taco
taco gnocchi dinner