Homemade Gnocchi
Super light, pillow-y and fluffy, AND SO EASY to make with just 5 ingredients! You won’t be able to go back to store-bought gnocchi!!!
I know we’ve all been experimenting quite a bit in the kitchen lately. I’ve made no knead bread at least 7 times now and sent over 4 dozen chocolate chip cookies as care packages.
But my new project is this: HOMEMADE GNOCCHI.
I know, it looks super daunting but it is unbelievably easy. It’s fool-proof and requires only 5 ingredients – potatoes, flour, ricotta, Parmesan and egg. THAT IS IT.
The end result? Soft, pillow-y, light gnocchi that just melts. in. your. mouth. Pan-fry them and serve with a quick tomato sauce, IP bolognese, or simply some butter, garlic and sage. YOU DO YOU because it is all good.
Except, stay tuned. I have an awesome baked gnocchi recipe coming soon, smothered in marinara sauce, ground beef and all the cheese.
Homemade Gnocchi
Ingredients
- 2 medium russet potatoes
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup whole milk ricotta
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 1 large egg
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Pierce potatoes with a fork; place potatoes onto the prepared baking sheet. Place into oven and bake until tender, about 1 hour. Let cool completely.
- Cut in half; scoop flesh into a medium bowl and mash. Transfer 1 1/2 cups to a large bowl; stir in flour, ricotta, Parmesan, egg, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
- Working on a lightly floured surface, divide dough into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece into an 18-inch long rope, about 1-inch in diameter, sprinkling with additional flour as needed to prevent sticking. Using a sharp knife, cut each rope into 3/4-inch bite-size pieces; transfer to baking sheet.*
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; working in 3 batches, cook gnocchi until tender, stirring occasionally, about 4-6 minutes. Drain well and transfer to clean rimmed baking sheet.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
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I made a double batch and kept about a third in the freezer for another meal. Turned out great. The only thing I did different was I microwave baked the potatoes (4) in a special pouch to save time. We did this as a family project while in the covid-19 lockdown for my wife’s birthday. Served with some homemade meatballs that I pan seared and baked. I used a very good bottled sauce from a local restaurant.
I don’t like parmesan I know don’t hate me.
Is there any idea what I could try? I do like old cheddar would that be similar?
Honestly, this recipe was a stay at home goal… met tonight!! And, I feel like a chef!! I love this recipe and they are delish!! Best Day Ever!!
Two questions. First, can I make ahead and place them in the fridge until ready to boil? Second, if you are planning to saute them, do you still need to do the boiling step?
Yes, if you sauté them, you shouldn’t need to boil, right?
The flour needs to be cooked so, yes, boil them. Boil, then drain well: put on kitchen paper or towel (they do stick sometimes) or on a rack.
If you use hot oil/fat to saute, they should be relatively dry – or enjoy the spatter from the wet surface. They will also take longer to brown and will toughen up.
However, if you’re adding them to a sauce, take them from the hot water right into the sauce. The sauce should be cooked and you’re just adding them to finish. They might suck up a lot of moisture from your sauce which you can make up for by adding some of the boiling water, where needed.
Could you please start including weight measurements with your recipes? Or at least a range, 2 medium potatoes (total of 400-450 grams) A medium potato can be interpreted in so many ways. Weights are always preferred over number of.
Kris, you are absolutely right. Potatoes can vary in size quite a bit so the recipe specifically indicates to use exactly 1 1/2 cups mashed potato. 🙂
A.MAZ.ING! We cooked this gnocchi last night. I have never made homemade gnocchi before as it always seemed tricky but as the whole world is in isolation because of COVID-19, we have lots of time and creativity to use – so Gnocchi it is! We loved it, adults and children gobbled it up. I doubled the recipe to feed 4 hungry people. Will certainly make it again.
I have a question. Can I use full fat sour cream instead of the ricotta? I really want to try making them because I’ve loved all your recipes.
I use gnocchi recipe from the north end of Italy and don’t use ricotta at all. Instead we use a tablespoon of olive oil!
You can save a lot of time by putting your potatoes in the microwave. Just be sure to stab them several times all over with a fork first.
Completed recipe up to placing on clean baking sheet. Now, do we fry, in butter, in pasta sauce, to complete recipe. Tried frying one in basil and butter, Gnocchi tasted good, but what is your finish?
I am wondering the same. After placing on a rimmed baking sheet, is it baked – or is that just to let it dry out? Thanks!
In this lockdown time, the only thing I am doing is trying to cook different recipes from your blog. I read this one & could say only one thing that you are amazing.
I make these several times a year in larger batches. Then on the cookie tray I freeze them. After they are frozen I separate them in portions. Cooking time is longer.
Hello Joe,
I would like to make a couple of batches and freeze. After you make them do you freeze them or do you cook them like the recipe says and then freeze them. Either way when ready to cook them how long do you cook you boil them once thawed?
Thank you,
Annette
I would like to know also…at which step can we freeze/make-ahead. Do we boil then freeze? Thanks
No I think you freeze the gnocchi uncooked.
I freeze them all the time at home like Joe suggests (uncooked). They are sticky little suckers, so lay them flat on parchment paper on a sheet in the freezer, then when they are fully frozen, separate them into portion bags. DON’T thaw them first before boiling …get an extra large pot of salted water at a rolling boil, and drop them in frozen. It will take longer to cook, but once they float, it’s just another 30 -60 seconds or so and they are done. If in doubt, test one and see. Make sure you don’t add so many that it cools the water too much. Hope that helps!
I rated your recipe a 5 without making them because I find all of your recipes delicious. I just wanted to tell you that as a kid I watched my mom make thousands of gnocchi. One thing that she did was roll each gnocchi off the back of a fork which made a little pocket in each. She told me the reason for that was so the sauce, usually tomato based, had a place to hide. The sauce didn’t just go on the outside of the gnocchi. Of course this took longer to make them but she always made them that way. So do I.
Hi Trudy,
Not sure what you mean by rolling the gnocchi off the back of a fork? Like stabbing the “pillows” with the tines? Thanks!
Making indentations like you see on some store bought gnocchi.
It’s a little flick of the fork to give the gnocchi ridges and slight dent, so the sauce sticks to them better. Check out a video on youtube for suggested techniques – you will get the hang of it with a little practice. But they taste just as delicious without : )