Baked Gnocchi Mac and Cheese: A Comfort Food Delight

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) package potato gnocchi
• 3 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1.5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1.25 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
• 0.25 teaspoon salt
• 0.75 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
• 0.5 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 0.5 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 0.25 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the gnocchi until they float to the top, about 2 to 4 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 1 ½- to 2-quart casserole dish.
3. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour until it's incorporated and foamy, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Add milk, cream, black pepper, and salt; stir constantly until the mixture thickens and bubbles gently, about 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in ½ cup of Cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese until melted.
4. Add the cooked gnocchi to the prepared casserole dish and cover with the cheese sauce. In a separate small bowl, combine bread crumbs with 1 tablespoon of melted butter; sprinkle this mixture over the casserole. Top with the remaining ¼ cup of Cheddar cheese and Parmesan cheese.
5. Bake in the preheated oven until the top is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly, approximately 20 minutes.

Nutrition

• Calories: 245 kcal
• Fat Content: 16 g
• Fiber Content: 1 g
• Sugar Content: 2 g
• Sodium Content: 344 mg
• Protein Content: 9 g
• Cholesterol Content: 48 mg
• Carbohydrate Content: 18 g
• Saturated Fat Content: 10 g
• Unsaturated Fat Content: 0 g