Million-Dollar Gnocchi

One spoonful of this million-dollar gnocchi will make you feel as if you just won the lottery. This rich and indulgent recipe tastes very similar to our beloved million-dollar soup recipe, which was our most popular recipe of 2025. So, if you loved our million-dollar soup, you’re sure to love the gnocchi version that repurposes many of the same ingredients in a new way.

Shared ingredients include the base of flavor from sauteed fennel, celery and garlic, as well as caramelized onions, which add another layer of umami. We turn these delicious aromatics into a creamy sauce with white wine, cheddar cheese and heavy cream, plus a few herbs and spices like thyme and cayenne. Cooked gnocchi luxuriate in the sauce alongside wilted spinach and crumbled bacon. The same toasted Parmesan bread crumb topping from the popular soup recipe crowns each bowl to make a new million-dollar masterpiece.

Million-Dollar Gnocchi Ingredients

• Gnocchi: You’ll find packages of gnocchi (small potato dumplings) stocked with regular or refrigerated pastas. They’re worth keeping on hand to make all kinds of tasty gnocchi recipes.
• Sweet onions: When making caramelized onions, I choose naturally sweeter onions such as Vidalia or Walla Walla. Cut them into thin slices so they cook down more quickly.
• Baby spinach: Small spinach leaves add a bit of earthy flavor to the sauce and wilt quickly once added to the pan.
• Cheddar cheese: I recommend shredding cheese yourself because it’ll melt more smoothly than pre-shredded cheese. Use a box grater or the shredding plate of your food processor.
• Bread crumbs: Use coarse-textured panko bread crumbs for an extra-crispy topping for the million-dollar gnocchi.
• Parmesan cheese: Grated Parmesan adds salty, savory flavor to the topping. It gets even more delicious as it melts and browns in the oven.
• Butter: Use unsalted butter to saute the vegetables in this dish and to moisten the bread crumbs for the oven-baked topping.
• Fennel bulb: Fennel is diced and sauteed as part of the base for the sauce. It has a unique licorice flavor that mellows with cooking.
• Celery: A small amount of fresh celery is finely chopped and sauteed with the fennel. Just as it does in a French mirepoix, celery helps create a savory base that makes the whole dish more flavorful.
• Garlic: Use kitchen tools like a ribbon grater or mini chopper to easily mince fresh garlic.
• Olive oil: Blending extra virgin olive oil with butter makes it easier to saute the vegetables without the butter browning too quickly.
• Flour: Whisking some all-purpose flour into the cooked, softened vegetables will blend it with the oil and butter to create a thickening roux.
• White wine: Use a splash of regular white wine to deglaze the pan after sauteeing the vegetables. That way, you won’t lose any of the good browned bits called fond at the bottom of the skillet.
• Heavy cream: Whipping cream will also work here. It’s simmered with the roux to make the sauce rich and creamy.
• Bacon: Cooked and diced bacon gives the sauce a touch of smoky flavor. You can cook bacon several ways, including in a microwave, in the oven or using a cast-iron skillet.
• Spices: Build the flavor in this gnocchi dish with salt, black pepper, dried thyme and a dash of cayenne pepper.
• Fresh thyme: The finishing touch to this gnocchi dish is a sprinkle of fresh thyme leaves. The herb echoes the flavor of dried thyme in the sauce and is delicious with cheddar and onions.

Directions

Step 1: Make the bread crumb topping

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment. Mix the panko and Parmesan cheese in a small bowl, then stir in the melted butter until the crumbs are coated.

Spread the bread crumbs on the baking sheet in an even layer. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring once, until they’re golden brown and crispy. Move the baking sheet to a wire rack and let the crumbs cool.

Step 2: Cook the onions

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced sweet onions and a pinch of salt, and cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Then, cover the pan and reduce the heat to low. Steam the onions until they’re soft, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring them occasionally.

Editor’s Tip: Use a pair of tongs to toss the onions in the melted oil and butter mixture before adding the salt.

Step 3: Cook the gnocchi

While the onions cook, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the gnocchi and cook them according to the package directions. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the gnocchi to a bowl; stir in a splash of olive oil so they don’t stick together. Set aside 1 cup of the gnocchi cooking water for the sauce later.

Step 4: Finish caramelizing the onions

Remove the lid from the skillet with the onions. Increase the heat to medium and spread the onions out into a thin layer. Continue cooking the onions for another 20 minutes or so, stirring them occasionally, until they’re very soft and a deep golden brown. Transfer the onions to a small bowl and set them aside.

Step 5: Saute the aromatics

Return the skillet to the burner set to medium heat, and add the butter. Add the diced fennel and diced celery to the skillet. Cook and stir the vegetables for about seven minutes, until they’re softened and lightly browned. Add the minced garlic and cook until it’s fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds.

Step 6: Make the sauce

Sprinkle the flour over the sauteed vegetables and stir until they’re coated. Cook for about 30 seconds. Pour the white wine into the pan. As it sizzles, stir the mixture and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom.

Slowly pour the warm heavy cream into the pan, whisking constantly. Whisk in the salt, pepper, thyme and cayenne. Bring the cream just to a simmer, then stir in the shredded cheddar cheese until it’s melted and smooth.

Then, stir in the baby spinach. Cook the sauce for about one minute until the spinach begins to wilt.

Step 7: Finish the dish

Stir 1/2 cup reserved pasta water into the sauce. Then, stir in the caramelized onions, cooked gnocchi and diced bacon. Keep the sauce just at a low simmer and cook for about five minutes, until the gnocchi is heated through and the sauce thickens.

Editor’s Tip: The sauce should be creamy and thick but still loose. If you want to loosen it a bit more, you can add a little more pasta water.

Step 8: Serve

Spoon the gnocchi and sauce into serving bowls. Top each dish with the Parmesan bread crumb topping and a sprinkle of fresh thyme leaves. Serve the gnocchi immediately.

Million-Dollar Gnocchi Variations

• Add some protein: Make a heartier meal by stirring cubed or shredded cooked chicken into the gnocchi and sauce.
• Stir in some beans: Stir white beans, such as cannellini, into the sauce to heat through along with the gnocchi.
• Try kale: Instead of spinach, blanch some chopped kale, then add it to the sauce along with the cheddar.

How to Store Million-Dollar Gnocchi

If there is any leftover gnocchi, it can be stored in the refrigerator and reheated later. Let the gnocchi and sauce cool, then transfer to a tightly sealed food container.

How long does million-dollar gnocchi last?

When stored in an airtight container and kept well-chilled, the million-dollar gnocchi will last for up to four days.

How should you reheat million-dollar gnocchi?

It’s important to reheat million-dollar gnocchi gently; otherwise, the cheese sauce will separate and become oily. If you prefer to use the microwave, spoon the gnocchi and sauce into a heatproof dish. Zap it in 30- to 45-second bursts, stirring well after each one, until it’s warmed through.

To reheat on the stove, transfer the gnocchi and sauce to a saucepan set over medium heat. Stir the gnocchi often until it’s heated through.

Million-Dollar Gnocchi Tips

Can you use homemade gnocchi for million-dollar gnocchi?

Yes, you can absolutely make gnocchi from scratch and use them in this million-dollar gnocchi recipe, following the steps to cook the gnocchi first. Homemade gnocchi may be more delicate than store-bought. To protect the texture, you can add the gnocchi to the sauce at the end of the recipe or even spoon the sauce over the gnocchi in a bowl.

Can you make this with another type of pasta?

Yes, the savory, flavorful and cheesy sauce is delicious with other pastas as well. Because the sauce is very thick, choose a sturdy, short pasta shape that will hold up well. Try making million-dollar cavatappi, million-dollar rigatoni or million-dollar ziti. For an extra-cheesy dish, spoon the sauce over cooked ravioli!

What can you serve with million-dollar gnocchi?

Since million-dollar gnocchi is so filling—and, well, rich—you can go cheap on the sides! I recommend serving the gnocchi with slices of buttered, crusty bread or potato rolls to sop up the cheesy sauce. A crisp and fresh green salad is a good choice to balance out the meal.