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Vegetarian, Northern, Eastern and Western France

Gratinéed Parisian gnocchi with salad

Parisian gnocchi gratin is a dish made from choux pastry poached in water, then baked under béchamel and gruyère. This recipe serves 4, takes about 1 hour, rates medium difficulty, and costs €1.80 per person. The key to success is poaching the gnocchi gently at a simmer and draining them well before mixing with the béchamel.

Tonight, Parisian gnocchi, light as air because they're made with choux pastry, gratinéed under a creamy béchamel.

Gratinéed Parisian gnocchi with salad
Total time
1 h
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€1.80
Calories per person
630 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Parisian gnocchi have nothing to do with Italian potato gnocchi. The base here is choux pastry, the same dough used for cream puffs or eclairs, poached in small pieces in simmering water. The result is a puffed, light texture, almost airy, that soaks up the béchamel without turning heavy. Gruyère brings the sharp flavor and golden crust that makes everyone at the table happy.

This is a winter dish, the kind you make on a slow Sunday evening or on a weeknight when you have a little extra time. Kids love the melty texture and the crisp top, adults appreciate how simple the ingredients are. A green salad on the side adds the freshness that balances out the richness of the gratin.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Wateroften in the pantry 25 cl
  • Flouroften in the pantry 200 g
  • Nutmegoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Vinaigretteoften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Butter 80 g
  • Eggs 3
  • Milk 60 cl
  • Grated gruyère 100 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Green salad 1

Allergens Gluten, Lactose, Eggs

The step by step recipe

  1. Bring the water to a boil with 40 g of butter and a pinch of salt, add 100 g of flour and dry out the dough over the heat. 5 min

    Stir vigorously until the dough pulls away from the sides of the pan.

  2. Off the heat, beat in the eggs one at a time, then add half the gruyère and the nutmeg.

    The dough should fall slowly off the spoon.

  3. Pipe the dough and cut small pieces into simmering salted water, lift them out once they float to the surface. 10 min

    Keep the water at a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil.

  4. Make a béchamel with the butter, 100 g of flour and the milk, season to taste. 8 min

    Cook the flour in the butter for a minute before adding the milk.

  5. Mix the gnocchi with the béchamel in a baking dish, sprinkle with gruyère and broil at 200°C, then serve with the salad. 20 min

    The gratin is ready when the surface bubbles and turns golden.

Our tips to get it right

  • Weigh the flour precisely for the choux pastry, too much will dry it out and keep the gnocchi from puffing up properly.
  • Pipe gnocchi of even size by cutting the dough the same length each time, so they all cook at the same rate.
  • If the béchamel thickens too much while it cools before baking, stir in a splash of milk to loosen it before spreading it over the gnocchi.

The variations

  • Swap the gruyère for comté or emmental if that's what's in your fridge, the flavor barely changes.
  • Stir chopped, cooked spinach into the béchamel for a more complete version, a good way to sneak greens in for kids.
  • For a quicker version, make the choux pastry and poach the gnocchi the day before, leaving only the béchamel and baking for dinner.

What to serve it with

  • Green salad with vinaigrette, as in the recipe
  • A glass of sparkling apple juice
  • Raw veggies as a light starter

Storage

The baked gratin keeps for 2 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. It doesn't freeze well because the béchamel can separate, so it's best eaten fresh. Reheat in the oven at 180°C for about 15 minutes to get a crisp top again.

Questions about this dish

Can you make Parisian gnocchi ahead of time?

Yes, you can poach the gnocchi the day before and keep them in the fridge on a kitchen towel. Make the béchamel and assemble the dish right before baking.

Why didn't my choux pastry puff up properly?

This usually happens when the dough was dried out too much over the heat or not enough eggs were added. It should fall slowly off the spoon, not too stiff and not too runny.

Can you use a different cheese instead of gruyère?

Yes, comté, emmental or a shredded cheese blend all work well. Pick a cheese that melts and browns nicely to keep that gratin effect.

How do you know when the gnocchi are cooked through?

They naturally float to the surface once cooked through, which is your cue to lift them out. This takes about 10 minutes at a gentle simmer.

How long does it take to make gratinéed Parisian gnocchi with a side salad?

Count 1 h in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in gratinéed Parisian gnocchi with a side salad?

About 630 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does gratinéed Parisian gnocchi with a side salad cost?

About €1.80 per serving, or €7.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose, eggs. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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