Homemade Potato Gnocchi is soft and tender as the main ingredient is potatoes, as the taste and texture are way better than store-bought. Watch the video tutorial where I shared all of my best tips for this fail-proof gnocchi recipe.
You’ll be happy to know that gnocchi is also freezer-friendly. This recipe makes a generous batch so you can freeze some for another meal.
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We love Italian Pasta Recipes from Baked Ziti to Shrimp Pasta. If you are a fan of comforting Italian dishes, this Gnocchi recipe is a must-try!
Homemade Gnocchi Video
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Gnocchi Recipe
Once your potatoes are cooked, with the right tools, Gnocchi is pretty easy to make. It’s a feel-good process—rolling out the dough into strips, cutting the pieces, and then shaping them. Little hands love to help with the process! If I’m being completely honest, gnocchi is easier than making pelmeni or potato pierogi from scratch, but they are just as satisfying.
My husband is particularly fond of them paired with Pesto Sauce, but this recipe is very versatile. You can saute it with butter and bacon as we did with our Pierogi, toss the gnocchi in Marinara Sauce, or serve them buttered up and dipped in sour cream.
Ingredients for Gnocchi
- Russet Potatoes – Russets or Idaho potatoes are best because they are starchy and least likely to get gummy. Scrub them clean and keep the skins on to cook them.
- Egg – adding a beaten egg helps keep the dough together
- Flour – plain all-purpose flour works great
- Ricotta cheese – optional, but makes gnocchi very soft and tender with a hint of sweetness (I learned this from Gordon Ramsay’s Gnocchi recipe)
- Salt and Pepper – these simple seasonings are all you need
How to Cook Potatoes for Gnocchi
Baking the potatoes is preferred over boiling because it helps to keep the moisture content low, resulting in a better dough consistency. With any method you choose, cook the potatoes until they are easily pierced by a knife inserted into the center.
- Baked Potatoes – Wash potatoes and pierce all over with a fork. You can make Instant Pot Baked Potatoes (my favorite speedy method!), Air Fryer Baked Potatoes, or Baked Potatoes in a conventional oven. Don’t forget to poke those potatoes with a fork so they don’t explode.
- Boiled potatoes can be more water-logged than baked potatoes and will need a little more flour (up to 1/2 cup extra). Boil whole potatoes with the peels on.
How to Make Potato Gnocchi
- Prepare Potatoes – Once potatoes are cooked, let rest until cool enough to handle then peel and cut into 4 slices. Use a potato ricer to press one piece of potato at a time over a clean work surface.
- Make Dough – drizzle potatoes with beaten egg and dot with ricotta cheese. Sift flour, salt and pepper over the potatoes.
- Knead Dough – Use a bench scraper or your hands to fold everything together, pressing down the dough gently. Dust the work surface with flour and knead/ roll the dough. Continue working until the flour is fully incorporated and a smooth dough has formed. Form a log with the dough.
- Divide the dough into 8 pieces then roll each piece into a long strip and cut into 1-inch pieces.
- Form Gnocchi – roll gnocchi over a floured fork or over a floured gnocchi paddle. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet dusted with flour, keeping them in a single layer.
- Cook Gnocchi in 3-4 batches in salted water (use 1 1/2 Tbsp salt for half of a 5-quart pot of water). As soon as they begin to float to the top, set a timer for 1 minute then remove them from the water with a sieve. Transfer to warm sauce or sautee in a buttered skillet.
How to Shape Gnocchi (with and without a paddle)
The shaping step is optional and gnocchi and be cooked without shaping, but I recommend shaping since the grooves help the gnocchi hold onto the sauce better.
- Fork method – You can roll gnocchi over a fork (dip the fork in flour to prevent sticking). Push the piece of dough down and off the fork with your thumb. A fork gives them a more pronounced shape.
- Gnocchi paddle is a special tool made for forming gnocchi. It forms gentle ridges as you push and roll the piece of dough down the paddle. You don’t need one to make gnocchi.
- Finger indent method – you could simply poke each gnocchi in the center with your fingertip and keep the shape very simple. This works great if you’re sauteeing since they lose their ridges anyways.
Frequently Asked Questions
Gnocchi is an Italian pasta made with potatoes, egg, and flour. They are essentially Italian potato dumplings. Sometimes ricotta is added or even used instead of potatoes.
You can leave out the ricotta altogether if you prefer, but it makes the gnocchi more tender and adds a mild sweetness which is nice.
You can use leftover boiled potatoes or baked potatoes.
You can substitute potato ricer with a box grater, either the large or small holes. If potatoes are too soft, they can clog up a fine grater so you would use the larger holes of a box grater in that case.
How to Serve Gnocchi
Prepare your serving method before cooking gnocchi because they cook fast and you want to be able to scoop them into the sauce or hot skillet right away.
- Gnocchi with marinara – heat marinara sauce in a saucepan and add cooked gnocchi as soon as they are cooked then toss.
- Gnocchi in pesto – spread pesto onto a platter, then cook the gnocchi.
- Sauteed Gnocchi – Brown some bacon in a non-stick skillet and remove bacon with a slotted spoon. Leave a couple tablespoons of bacon grease in the pan. Drain the boiled gnocchi well to avoid excess splatter and immediately transfer to the hot bacon grease. Sautee until golden on all sides. Sprinkle with bacon and serve with sour cream.
Tips for the Best Homemade Gnocchi
- Use starchy potatoes – russets or Idaho baking potatoes will give you the best texture
- Bake, don’t boil the potatoes – boiling can make them more waterlogged, affecting their texture. Also, make sure potatoes are fork-tender.
- Mash thoroughly – use a potato ricer, food mill, or box grater to ensure lump-free potatoes.
- Don’t add too much flour – We use just enough flour for the dough to hold together then dust generously as you roll and shape gnocchi.
- Knead gently – don’t overwork your dough or it can develop gluten and become tough.
- Consistent Sizes – roll the dough logs to 1/2″ thick in diameter and cut even 1-inch pieces so they cook evenly.
- Don’t overcrowd the pot – adding too many at a time can cool the water too much, leading to uneven cooking. Crowding the pot can also cause them to stick together.
Homemade gnocchi is comfort in a bowl. In the comments below, let me know your favorite sauces and toppings for gnocchi. I would love to hear from you!
How to Freeze Gnocchi
Transfer the formed gnocchi to a parchment-lined baking sheet (keep the gnocchi in a single layer so they don’t stick together). Pre-freeze for 2 hours or until firm, then transfer to airtight freezer zip-top bags and freeze for 2-3 months.
To cook the frozen gnocchi – cook in batches and drop frozen gnocchi into boiling salted water. Do not overcrowd the pot or the water will cool too quickly. The gnocchi are done when they float to the surface which takes about 3-5 minutes.
More Italian Recipes
We love re-creating our favorite Italian recipes at home. If you enjoyed this gnocchi recipe, here are some more must-try Italian-inspired dishes.
Gnocchi Recipe
Ingredients
Ingredients for Potato Gnocchi
- 2 lbs russet potatoes, 4 large
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, (add more if potatoes were boiled and more moist) plus 1/2 cup more to dust
- 1 tsp salt, plus more to boil gnocchi
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup Ricotta cheese, drained if liquid is present
Options To Serve:
- Bacon and sour cream
- Warm Marinara Sauce, garnished with Parmesan
- Pesto sauce
Instructions
- Wash potatoes and pierce all over with a fork. Bake or boil* the potatoes – you can do instant pot baked potato, air fryer baked potato, or oven-baked potatoes until easily pierced, then let rest until they are cool enough to handle. Peel potatoes and cut each one into 4 slices. Use a potato ricer to press one piece of potato at a time over a clean work surface.
- Drizzle 1 beaten egg over the potatoes and dot the top of the potatoes with bits of ricotta cheese.
- Mix salt and pepper into the flour then sift the flour mixture over the potatoes.
- Use a bench scraper or your hands to mix everything together lightly then use your hands to press dough together gently. Dust work surface and dough with flour as you gently knead, roll and fold the dough. Do not over-knead or smash the dough but keep it light and fluffy. Knead just until flour is incorporated and a soft and smooth dough has formed.
- Divide the dough into 8 pieces. Generously dust your work surface and roll each piece into a long, 1/2-inch thick strip and cut strips with a bench scraper or knife into 1-inch pieces. Roll gnocchi over a floured fork or over a gnocchi paddle for a ridge pattern. Transfer formed gnocchi to a parchment-lined and flour-dusted baking sheet, keeping them in a single layer. Repeat with remaining dough portions, dusting with flour as needed. Before cooking gnocchi, prepare your desired serving method (see below).
- Cook gnocchi in 3-4 batches in salted water (1 1/2 Tbsp salt for a half pot of water). Do not overcrowd the pot and give a light stir in case they are stuck together. As soon as they start to float to the top, cook for 1 minute then immediately lift with a sieve to drain then transfer to warm sauce or finish them in a skillet. Repeat cooking the remaining batches.
Notes
- Marinara – heat some marinara sauce in a skillet and add cooked gnocchi as soon as they are cooked. Gently stir to coat.
- Pesto – spread a couple of spoons of pesto onto a platter then add cooked gnocchi. Top with more pesto if desired and gently stir to combine.
- Sautéed with bacon – Brown bacon in a non-stick skillet and remove bacon with a slotted spoon. Keep 2 Tbsp oil in the pan. Carefully add well-drained gnocchi directly into the hot oiled pan and sauté until browned on both sides (watch out for grease splatter). Transfer to a plate, sprinkle with bacon, and serve with a dollop of sour cream.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
I was successful with this recipe. I was a bit in despair making it after reading some bad experiences but committed to giving it my best. I had two pounds of baby potatoes, mainly red some yellow and russet. I peeled and cooked in the pressure cooker for 7 minutes. I used the box grater method. I did 225 g of flour with more to roll the ropes out. It was a sticky dough, but nothing I couldn’t work with. I added an extra tablespoon of ricotta and a tablespoon of corn starch. I began using the fork to decorate but quickly gave that up because the definition just wasnt there. I began rolling into balls for a while and then got concerned I was overworking them, so I switched to folding and shaping lightly. Both methods produced delicious gnocchi. I did freeze the whole batch before boiling and topped with the perfect pesto.