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Baked French Onion Gnocchi

Baked French onion gnocchi with deeply caramelized onions and a golden Gruyère crust. Pillowy potato gnocchi get coated in a rich onion-broth sauce, then baked until bubbling and cheesy.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: French-American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Potato gnocchi
  • 1 lb potato gnocchi Keep uncooked.
French onion sauce base
  • 3 onions Thinly sliced.
  • 4 garlic Minced.
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter For caramelizing onions.
  • 1 tbsp olive oil For cooking onions.
  • 0.5 cup dry white wine or dry sherry Use for deglazing.
  • 2 cup beef broth Adds body to the sauce.
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce For savory depth.
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme Chopped or leaves only.
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream For a silky finish.
Topping
  • 2 cup Gruyere cheese Shredded, for a golden crust.
  • salt and pepper to taste Season to your preference.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Caramelize the onions
  1. Melt unsalted butter with olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet, then add the thinly sliced onions. Cook over medium-low heat for 35-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until deeply caramelized with dark golden-brown edges.
Build the sauce
  1. Pour in the dry white wine (or dry sherry) to deglaze, scraping up browned bits from the skillet. Cook for 2 minutes to reduce slightly.
  2. Add the minced garlic and fresh thyme, then cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Keep the heat medium-low so the garlic doesn’t brown too quickly.
  3. Add the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and heavy cream, then bring the mixture to a simmer. Once simmering, maintain a gentle bubble so it thickens slightly.
Bake until bubbly and golden
  1. Add the uncooked potato gnocchi and stir to coat in the sauce. Spread into an even layer so the gnocchi cook through without clumping.
  2. Scatter the shredded Gruyère cheese over the top in an even layer. Season with salt and pepper to taste if needed.
  3. Bake or broil at 425°F for 15-18 minutes until the gnocchi are cooked through, the sauce is bubbling, and the cheese is golden. Watch closely during the last minutes so the cheese browns without burning.

Notes

Pro tip: caramelize the onions slowly—deep color is what makes the sauce taste like classic French onion soup. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat gently in a covered oven-safe dish or microwave until steaming. Freezing is not recommended because the cream can separate when thawed. For a dairy-light swap, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream and a reduced-fat Gruyère-style cheese blend (texture may be slightly less creamy).