Gnocchi in White Wine Butter Sauce Recipe

Gnocchi in white wine butter sauce turns a batch of homemade potato gnocchi into a full skillet dinner with thin strips of seared beef, sliced carrots and scallions. The sauce is a simple pan sauce: white wine is reduced in the skillet the beef was browned in, broth is added, and cold butter is swirled in at the end until the liquid turns glossy.

Two details make it work. The beef is seared quickly in a very hot pan and taken out while still pink, then returned only at the end, so it stays tender. The butter goes in cold, over low heat, a piece at a time; added this way it emulsifies with the wine and broth into a light sauce that coats the gnocchi instead of separating into a greasy layer.

Any potato gnocchi can be used, fresh, frozen or store-bought. One batch of homemade gluten-free gnocchi makes about the pound needed here, holds up well in this sauce and can be boiled straight from the freezer. Inexpensive cuts such as sirloin, flank or top round are fine as long as they are sliced thinly across the grain.

Gnocchi in White Wine Butter Sauce

Potato gnocchi tossed with seared beef strips, carrots and scallions in a white wine and butter pan sauce.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 12 ounces beef sirloin flank or top round steak
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt plus more for the cooking water and to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut into 4 pieces
• 2 medium carrots peeled and sliced into thin coins (about 1/8 inch)
• 4 scallions thinly sliced, white and green parts kept separate
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup beef or chicken broth
• 1 pound uncooked potato gnocchi homemade or store-bought

Method

 

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the gnocchi.
2. Slice the beef across the grain into thin, bite-size strips, about 1/4 inch thick. Pat the strips dry and season them with the 1/2 teaspoon salt and the pepper.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the beef in a single layer, in two batches if needed, and sear for about 1 minute per side, until browned outside and still slightly pink inside. Transfer to a plate.
4. Reduce the heat to medium. Melt 1 piece (1 tablespoon) of the butter in the skillet, add the carrots and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they start to soften. Add the scallion whites and the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
5. Pour in the white wine and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until the wine is reduced by about half. Add the broth and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes more, until the carrots are tender and the liquid is slightly reduced.
6. Meanwhile, cook the gnocchi in the boiling water until they float to the surface, usually 2 to 3 minutes. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and let them drain.
7. Turn the heat under the skillet to low. Add the remaining 3 pieces of cold butter one at a time, swirling the pan or stirring constantly until each piece melts into the sauce before adding the next. Do not let the sauce boil once the butter is in.
8. Add the drained gnocchi and the beef with any juices from the plate. Toss gently for about 1 minute, until everything is coated and heated through. Taste and adjust the salt.
9. Scatter the scallion greens over the top and serve right away.

Notes

Gluten-free option: use gluten-free gnocchi and check that the broth is gluten-free. Everything else in the recipe is naturally free of gluten.

Dairy-free option: cook the carrots in 1 tablespoon olive oil, and finish the sauce with 3 tablespoons cold non-dairy buttery spread, or with 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil whisked in off the heat. The sauce will be a little thinner than with butter.

Without wine: replace the white wine with the same amount of broth plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white wine vinegar.

Partially freezing the beef for 20 to 30 minutes makes it much easier to cut into thin, even strips.

This dish is best eaten at once, because a butter sauce separates when reheated. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days and rewarm gently in a skillet with a splash of broth until they reach 165°F.