Meatball and Gnocchi Bake
Indulge in the comforting embrace of our Meatball and Gnocchi Bake—a hearty dish featuring succulent meatballs made from a blend of ground beef and Italian sausage. Baked to perfection and paired with pillowy gnocchi, the ensemble is bathed in a rich marinara sauce with hints of brown sugar and sautéed spinach. Elevated with decadent melted mozzarella and sealed with a basil garnish, this bake is a culinary delight.
Ingredients
Cooking Instructions
step 1
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (220 degrees C).
step 2
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together Eggland's Best Classic Egg (1) and Whole Milk (4 Tbsp), and add the Breadcrumbs (1/2 cup). Mix to well combined. Let sit for about 10 minutes.
step 3
Then, add the 80/20 Lean Ground Beef (1 lb), Ground Italian Sausages (8 oz), Garlic (3 cloves), Fresh Parsley (2 Tbsp), and Italian Seasoning (2 tsp). Gently mix with hands until combined. Use your hands to shape into 20 balls. Place in the baking dish, bake for about 15 minutes or until browned and cooked through, and drain out the extracted fat.
step 4
While meatballs are cooking, heat the Olive Oil (2 Tbsp) in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add Gnocchi (1 lb), and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until lightly browned.
step 5
Add Yellow Onion (1/2) and Garlic (2 cloves) and sauté until fragrant, around 3 minutes. Then add Fresh Spinach (5 oz) and sauté until it is wilted.
step 6
Lower the heat to medium, add the Marinara Sauce (14 oz) and Brown Sugar (1 tsp), cook, and stir occasionally until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat, taste, and season with Salt (to taste) and Ground Black Pepper (to taste).
step 7
Take out the baking dish from the oven. Add the gnocchi and sauce to the baking dish, and gently stir to mix. Top with Mozzarella Cheese (1 1/4 cups) evenly.
step 8
Return the baking dish to the oven, and bake for another 8-10 minutes until bubbling, the cheese is melted and the top is slightly brown.
step 9
Take it out from the oven and let it set for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with Fresh Basil (1 bunch).
