Home > Main Course > Easy Gnocchi Recipe (VIDEO)

August 27, 2021

Easy Gnocchi Recipe (VIDEO)

Homemade Potato Gnocchi are soft and tender and way better than store-bought. Gnocchi is also freezer-friendly. This recipe makes a generous batch so you can freeze some for another meal.

This recipe is also very versatile. You can sautee it with butter and bacon as we did with our Pierogi, toss the gnocchi in Marinara Sauce or serve with Pesto Sauce.

Gnocchi served in two bowls with pesto and marinara

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We love Italian Pasta Recipes from Baked Ziti to Chicken Scampi. If you are a fan of comforting Italian dishes, this Gnocchi recipe is a must-try!

Homemade Gnocchi Video

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Ingredients for Gnocchi

Russet Potatoes – Russets or Idaho potatoes are the least likely to get gummy
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 (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

Baked Potato – baking is our preferred method. Wash potatoes and pierce all over with a fork. You can make Instant Pot Baked Potatoes, Air Fryer Baked Potatoes, or bake in a conventional oven at 450˚F for 45-60 minutes until easily pierced by a knife inserted into the center.
Boiled potatoes can be more water-logged than baked potatoes and will need a little more flour (up to 1 1/2 cups). Boil whole potatoes (with peels on) until easily pierced.

potato gnocchi with marinara and parmesan

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.

Step by step making potato gnocchi 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.

Ways to Shape Gnocchi

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.

shaping gnocchi with a paddle and a fork

Common Questions:

What is Gnocchi?

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.

Can I Substitute Ricotta?

You can leave out the ricotta altogether if you prefer, but it makes the gnocchi more tender.

Can I use leftover potatoes?

You can use leftover boiled potatoes or baked potatoes.

Is there a substitute for a potato ricer

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 use a potato ricer or a box grater for gnochi

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 gnocchi.
Sauteed Gnocchi – Brown some bacon in a non-stick skillet and remove bacon with a slotted spoon. 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.

Sautéed gnocchi with bacon and sour cream

How to Freeze Gnocchi

Transfer formed gnocchi to a parchment-lined and flour-dusted baking sheet (keep gnocchi in a single layer so they don’t stick together). Freeze for 2 hours until firm then transfer to a freezer plastic bag and freeze until ready to use.

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

4.98 from 118 votes

Author: Natasha Kravchuk

Homemade Potato Gnocchi is endlessly better than store-bought and they are freezer friendly. This recipe is also very versatile. We love to sauté them and serve with bacon and sour cream, or simply toss them in pesto sauce or warm marinara and parmesan cheese.

Save Pin Review Print

Prep Time: 45

Cook Time: 5

Total Time: 50

Ingredients

Servings: people

Ingredients for Potato Gnocchi

2 lbs russet potatoes, 4 large
1 large egg, beaten
1 cup all-purpose flour, (add more if potatoes were boiled and more moist) plus 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 the potatoes either in the instant pot, in the air fryer, or in the oven at 450˚F for 45-60 minutes 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 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper into 1 cup 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.
Roll dough into a log and divide it into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into thin strips and cut strips 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. 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

How to Serve Gnocchi:
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.
Sauteed with bacon – Brown bacon in a non-stick skillet and remove bacon with a slotted spoon. 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

168kcal Calories33g Carbs6g Protein2g Fat1g Saturated Fat1g Polyunsaturated Fat1g Monounsaturated Fat1g Trans Fat24mg Cholesterol311mg Sodium506mg Potassium2g Fiber1g Sugar65IU Vitamin A6mg Vitamin C37mg Calcium2mg Iron

Nutrition Facts

Gnocchi Recipe

Amount per Serving

Calories

168

% Daily Value*

Fat

Saturated Fat

Trans Fat

Polyunsaturated Fat

Monounsaturated Fat

Cholesterol

Sodium

311

Potassium

506

Carbohydrates

Fiber

Sugar

Protein

Vitamin A

Vitamin C

Calcium

Iron

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: gnocchi, potato gnocchi

Skill Level: Easy/Medium

Cost to Make: $4-$6

Calories: 168

Natasha Kravchuk

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.