Some dinners act fancy without making you work for it. This steak and gnocchi combo absolutely knows that trick.
I made this when I wanted comfort food but not a sink full of regret. The foil pouches saved the mood.
Smoky butter, juicy steak, tender gnocchi—basically dinner showing off. And somehow, cleanup barely gets a speaking role.
Steaks with Smoked Paprika Butter and Primavera Gnocchi Pouches
EQUIPMENT (PAID LINKS)
- Citrus juicer
- Grill pan or heavy skillet
- Aluminum foil
- Oven
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt for the paprika butter
- 2 thick-cut steaks about 10 to 12 ounces each
- 2 tablespoons barbecue seasoning
- 2 cups frozen roasted vegetables
- 16 ounces gnocchi
- 1 cup tri-pepper mix
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt for the gnocchi pouches
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 tablespoons seafood lemon herb finishing butter
- 1 cup unsalted chicken stock
Instructions
- Melt the Butter: Place the unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir until completely melted.
- Cook the Garlic: Add the minced garlic to the melted butter. Cook for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant but not browned.
- Add the Smoked Paprika: Stir the smoked paprika into the garlic butter. Cook over low heat for about 30 seconds, stirring until the butter turns deep red and the paprika is evenly blended.
- Add the Lemon Juice: Stir 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice into the smoked paprika butter.
- Season the Butter: Add ½ teaspoon kosher salt and stir well. Cook gently over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, then keep the butter warm while preparing the rest of the meal.
- Season the Steaks: Coat both sides of the steaks evenly with the barbecue seasoning.
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat the oven to 425°F so it is ready when the gnocchi pouches are assembled.
- Sear the Steaks: Heat a grill pan or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned steaks and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare, or until they reach your preferred level of doneness. Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the steaks.
- Start the Gnocchi Pouches: Lay out four large sheets of aluminum foil. Divide the frozen roasted vegetables evenly among the centers of the foil sheets, using about ½ cup for each pouch.
- Add the Gnocchi: Divide the gnocchi evenly among the four pouches, using about 4 ounces per pouch.
- Add the Peppers: Divide the tri-pepper mix among the pouches, using about ¼ cup per pouch.
- Season the Pouches: Divide 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper evenly among the four portions.
- Add the Finishing Butter: Place 1 tablespoon of seafood lemon herb finishing butter on top of each portion of gnocchi and vegetables.
- Shape the Pouches: Bring the sides of each foil sheet together and fold them toward the center. Leave a small opening at the top so the chicken stock can be added.
- Add the Chicken Stock: Pour ¼ cup unsalted chicken stock into each foil pouch.
- Seal the Pouches: Fold and crimp the foil tightly to trap the liquid and steam inside. Place the four sealed pouches on a baking sheet.
- Bake the Pouches: Bake at 425°F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the gnocchi are tender and the vegetables are heated through.
- Rest the Steaks: Transfer the cooked steaks to a cutting board and let them rest for about 5 minutes before slicing.
- Slice the Steaks: Slice the rested steaks across the grain into thick slices.
- Finish with Paprika Butter: Spoon the warm smoked paprika garlic butter generously over the sliced steaks.
- Serve: Divide the sliced steak among four plates and serve with the primavera gnocchi and vegetables while everything is hot.
Video Recipe
Steaks with Smoked Paprika Butter and Primavera Gnocchi Pouches: Fancy Dinner, Sneaky Easy
This is the kind of dinner that looks like you tried harder than you did. I fully support that kind of kitchen deception.
Don’t Rush the Steak Rest
Give the steaks those few quiet minutes before slicing, even when everyone is hovering around the cutting board. Cut too soon and all that good juice ends up on the board instead of in your dinner.
Swap the Steak Without Starting a Crisis
Ribeye, strip steak, sirloin, or another thick-cut steak all work well here. I usually grab whatever looks good and isn’t priced like it came with a mortgage. Thickness matters more than having the fanciest cut in the meat case.
Use Whatever Roasted Veggies You Actually Like
A frozen vegetable blend keeps this gloriously low-effort, but broccoli, zucchini, bell peppers, green beans, or asparagus can step in. Just keep the pieces fairly small so they cook evenly inside the pouch. This is not the moment to prove your loyalty to a vegetable nobody in your house enjoys.
No Tri-Pepper Mix? Nobody Will Know
Use sliced bell peppers in any color you have, fresh or frozen. One pepper works just as well as three colors, because dinner does not actually become more sophisticated when the vegetables match a rainbow.
Make the Butter Your Own
If you don’t have seafood lemon herb finishing butter, regular herb butter or garlic butter makes an easy substitute. A little lemon zest or extra lemon juice can bring back that bright flavor. Compound butter is basically regular butter wearing nicer clothes.
Keep the Gnocchi Shortcut
Shelf-stable or refrigerated gnocchi are both good options, and there is absolutely no prize for making gnocchi from scratch on steak night. If your gnocchi pieces are especially large or dense, give the pouches a few extra minutes to steam until tender. Lazy genius beats unnecessary suffering every time.
Watch the Steam
Open those foil packets away from your face and hands because the trapped steam comes out fast. I learned this one with the confidence of someone who thought, “How hot could it be?” Very hot, apparently.
Make the Paprika Butter Ahead
The smoked paprika butter can be made earlier in the day and gently rewarmed before serving. Keep the heat low when reheating so the garlic stays mellow instead of turning bitter and dramatic.
Use a Meat Thermometer
If you cook steak often, a meat thermometer saves a ridiculous amount of guessing. Pull the steak a few degrees before your target temperature because it will continue cooking while it rests. Guessing doneness by poking the steak is a skill I personally prefer not to gamble dinner on.
Store the Leftovers Separately
Keep leftover steak and gnocchi in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. Reheat the gnocchi gently with a splash of chicken stock, and warm the steak just enough to take the chill off. Microwaving steak into shoe leather is technically reheating, but we can do better.
Turn Leftovers Into Lunch
Cold sliced steak is excellent over salad, tucked into a sandwich, or piled into a wrap. The leftover gnocchi can go straight into a skillet for a quick crispy lunch, which may actually be better than reheating it politely.
