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This Gnocchi Chili is comforting, cozy, and filling. Add pillowy gnocchi to your favorite chili recipe to help stretch that goodness and feed a crowd or make your leftovers last longer. It's freakin' awesome.
Though we live in relative abundance today, there was a time in my younger life where I worried about every penny. I'm so grateful that I no longer have to worry about my grocery bill because I know the stress first hand. I'm also grateful to never have been truly food insecure. Having worked in food banks and homeless shelters, I know that the stress I faced having to decide what to put back from my grocery cart so I could stay in budget was still a blessing.
Hospitality has always been important to me as well, though. I would never want anyone visitng my home to feel deprived. Coming up with ways to stretch a meal to feed more people or make something humble seem extraordinary was key to making sure my house felt like a home to anybody who stepped foot in it. For people like me who have lived far from their family and place of birth, this feeling of ease and familiarity is so important.
What makes Gnocchi Chili so awesome?
This Gnocchi Chili is perfect for creating cozy comfort and feeding a crowd. A pot of chili is agreat crowd pleaser anyway, but bulking it up with fluffy gnocchi takes it even further. It also makes this chili seem fancier than it really is.
Mixed in with a basic beef chili, the gnocchi soaks up the spicy goodness. It adds amazing texture as well. I love to top this with shredded cheddar, sour cream, and chives or green onions. This chili also gets better the longer it sits, so even if you're just making it for one or two people, the flavors will continue improve each time you reheat it.
Make it magical
This recipe is the perfect opportunity to create a friendship spell and do some hospitality magic. Any time you're gathering with friends, I think it's always nice when each person contributes something to the meal. It adds a unique energy when everyone brings a dish they love or are proud of. Even people who don't cook can contribute by bringing the flowers, a delicious drink, or even a fancy store-bought condiment.
For this recipe, you could ask each person to bring a different ingredient to spread the cost around. One person brings the gnocchi, one person brings the meat, one person brings the tins and packets, and yet another can bring the toppings. Then you as the cook can contribute your time and energy, plus some spices from your pantry to actually bring all of these elements together and transform then into a hearty and comforting dish.
To learn about the correspondences and magical properties of the ingredients in this recipe, check the Kitchen Magick page.
Tips for making Gnocchi Chili
This basic concept can be applied to any chili recipe, but I like it as a way to jazz up a basic beef chili. We're browning ground beef, adding spices, tomatoes, and beans, and letting it all simmer together in a big pot. Make substitutions, additions, and adjustments to suit your taste.
If your chili has quite a lot of liquid in it already, you can cook the gnocchi right in the chili pot. If you like a chunkier, less soupy chili, you can just cook the gnocchi in a pot of boiling water like you would pasta, then use a slotted spoon to fish them out once they float to the top and stir into your pot of chili.
This is a fairly mild chili. If you like yours extra spicy, add your favorite hot sauce to your bowl so that each guest can control their heat level.
FAQ
I'm using ground beef here because as meat goes, it's generally the most affordable. But if health is a more important factor for you, you could definitely use ground turkey or a vegan mince. Or leave the meat out all together and go for extra beans.
Thankfully, we live in an abundant universe, and when we work together, there's bound to be enough for everyone. Make a pot of Gnocchi Chili with some friends. It's gonna be awesome.
Looking for more awesome chili recipes? Try this Cornbread-Topped Chili Mac or some Black Bean Chili with Bacon.
PrintGnocchi Chili
This Gnocchi Chili is comforting, cozy, and filling. Add pillowy gnocchi to your favorite chili recipe to help stretch that goodness and feed a crowd or make your leftovers last longer.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 30
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Tex Mex
Ingredients
- 1 package gnocchi
- 1 pound (500 grams) ground beef
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 packet chili seasoning
- 1 can diced tomatoes and chiles
- 1 can kidney beans
- Sour cream
- Cheddar Cheese
- Green Onion
Instructions
- Fill a medium sauce pan two thirds full of water and put on the stove over high heat to boil. Once the water is boiling, add the gnocchi and allow to cook until they float to the top.
- Meanwhile, in a medium pot or dutch oven over medium high heat, brown the ground beef. Add the salt, pepper, and chili powder as it cooks and break the meat apart with a wooden spoon. Drain the fat and return to the hot pot.
- Add the chili seasoning, then add the can of tomatoes and the can of beans without draining them. The liquid will help give the gnocchi something to soak in and get tasty. You may also want to add about a quarter cup of water depending on how thick you like your chili. I just filled my tomato can about halfway with water, swilled it about, then added it in. Allow the chili to come to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and simmer for about ten minutes.
- As your gnocchi start to float to the surface, scoop them out with a slotted spoon and add them to your chili pot. Give everything a stir and simmer all together for a few minutes.
- When the chili is ready to serve, add it to your bowl and top it with cheddar cheese, green onions, and sour cream.
Keywords: Chili, Gnocchi
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Christina @ Sweet Pea's Kitchen says
It is definitely cold where I am right now (Central Illinois). We are supposed to get about 8 inches of snow tonight and wind chill temperatures on Monday will be -45. I'm thinking this chili would be the perfect meal to warm us up! 🙂
mike says
@Chistina: Sfield,IL! Chilli capitol of the civilized f'in world!