Homemade Potato Gnocchi
An easy Italian Pasta Dish recipe, Homemade Potato Gnocchi, made with only 4 ingredients. Tossed in a simple tomato sauce. These soft, delicate Gnocchi will make a delicious Dinner idea.
Living in Italy has made me realize that the simplest dish can be made in so many different ways, depending on the region or even how the family cooks it.
That of course also includes how to make Gnocchi. I have been told to use just flour and potatoes, or use some milk instead. But the best way I found is flour, salt, potatoes and an egg.
My father-in-law would often tell this rhyme to his grandkids “Ridi, Ridi che la Mamma ha fatta i gnocchi” (laugh, laugh, because mommy made gnocchi). The origin is supposedly during times of poverty when children would be happy because their mother was able to make something delicious with potatoes and flour.
What are gnocchi?
They are small pieces of dough, usually round or oblong in shape that are boiled in water or broth and then tossed with different sauces.
The term gnocco (which is the singular form of gnocchi) mean knot (or nodo), it refers to something hard such as the knuckles (nocche) of a finger. It was probably invented around the 16th century when potatoes were imported to Italy from America.
Recipe Ingredients
- Potatoes – best to use Yukon Gold or Russet
- Flour – all purpose
- Salt
- Egg – room temperature
How to make them
- In a large pot boil un peeled potatoes until tender, remove from the pot and let cool enough to handle, then remove the skin.
- Then pass through a Potato Ricer or mash.
- On a flat surface mix together the flour and salt make a well in the middle and add the potatoes and egg, mix together with your fingers to form a soft dough, it should not stick to your fingers.
- On a lightly floured surface, cut small amounts of dough to form ropes and cut into 3/4 inch (2 cm) pieces, then slide each piece on a fork and squeeze a little (but not too hard).
- Sprinkle with a little bit of flour and toss, so they don’t stick together.
- Let the gnocchi rest for 20 minutes before cooking.
- In a large pot of salted boiling water cook the gnocchi, gnocchi are ready when they float to the top.
- Drain and toss with desired sauce.
So how did I come by this recipe?
I have a great little family owned supermarket just down the street from me where I can get fresh eggs and really good cold cuts, slabs of pancetta, fresh nuts and other goodies and my just-purchased pressure cooker.
If you need it, they have it!
Over the years the woman who owns the store has also become a friend. She is originally from the South of Italy and left her family to marry and move North.
With the store business and family to take care of she doesn’t see them as often as she wishes.
My move from Canada to Italy was a little more extreme, but it was something we had in common and gave us something to break the ice.
So over the years I have acquired a good friend and some good recipes. This Gnocchi Recipe being one of them.
Different sauces for Gnocchi
There are several ways that you can serve Gnocchi, probably the most popular being a simple tomato sauce, you could also toss them with Pesto, butter and salvia or even a simple cream sauce.
How to make a firmer Gnocchi
- Use a red skinned potato
- Boil the potatoes with the peel on, that way the potato absorbs less water.
- Peel the potato and place through a potato ricer immediately, because the cooler they get the stickier they become.
- An easy way to peel the potato is stick a fork through and peel it using a knife.
- Although you should wait for the riced potato to cool before adding to the flour (or denaturation may occur).
What are Pelati tomatoes?
Pelati tomatoes are skinned plum (san marzano) tomatoes that are canned in their own juice with no additives such as salt, garlic basil etc. You can also use canned chopped tomatoes or even passata as long as there is nothing added to the tomatoes.
What is the best Potato for making them?
The perfect potato is an old potato, in other words no new potatoes. New potatoes contain more water which absorbs too much flour. Go for Yukon Gold or Russet Potatoes.
What is the best flour to use?
I think it all depends on preference, I always use all purpose, in Italy it’s called Manitoba but some people prefer 00 or a lower protein flour. A lower protein flour will make them softer and more tender.
How long does it take to cook gnocchi?
Once they have been added to the salted boiling water give them a couple of stirs and watch carefully, it doesn’t take long for them to cook 1-2 minutes (sometimes less), once the float to the surface they are done. Remove them immediately. Over cooked and they will turn to mush.
Different ways to serve them
Gnocchi can be served on their own in your favourite sauce or you can also bake them in the oven as a typical Italian baked pasta dish. Two of our favourites are a Baked Creamy Cheese White Sauce Gnocchi and a Baked Gnocchi Double Cheese Tomato Sauce. Either or both are definitely worth trying.
How to Store them
Potato gnocchi can be left uncooked for no more than a couple of hours (covered). Cooking may be a little longer because they will have dried out a bit in the air.
Any leftover cooked gnocchi should be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated. They will last up to three days in the fridge.
The Gnocchi can also be frozen, place the uncooked gnocchi on a cookie tray in the freezer, leave for approximately 20 minutes then place them in an airtight freezer bag. They will keep for about 1 month.
When you cook them there is no need to defrost, just add them to boiling salted water.
Delicious Gnocchi Recipes
So anytime you are craving a tasty home-made pasta dish, and you need it now and fast, Gnocchi are perfect. In an hour you could have a delicious pasta dish on the table and you can say “I did it myself”. Buon Appetito!
Homemade Potato Gnocchi
Ingredients
FOR THE GNOCCHI
- 1 pound potatoes (Yukon gold or russet are best) (clean but not skinned / not new potatoes)
- 1 cup flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 medium egg (room temperature)
SAUCE
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (40 grams)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1-2 cloves large of garlic chopped
- 1 teaspoons oregano
- 5 leaves basil chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 2 dashes of hot pepper flakes (if desired)
- 1 can pelati tomatoes with sauce (1½ to 2 cups / 400 grams), nothing else added in the tomatoes
- ½ cup water
Instructions
GNOCCHI
- In a large pot boil the unpeeled potatoes until tender, remove from the pot and let cool remove the skin. Then pass through a potato ricer.
- Mix together the flour and salt, place on a flat surface, make a well in the middle and add the potatoes and egg, mix together with your fingers to form a soft dough, it should not stick to your fingers. On a lightly floured surface, cut small amounts of dough to form ropes and cut into ¾ inch (2 cm) pieces, then slide each piece on a fork and squeeze a little (but not too hard). Sprinkle with a little bit of flour and toss, so they don't stick together. Let the gnocchi rest for 20 minutes before cooking.
TOMATO SAUCE
- While the gnocchi are resting make the sauce. In a large saucepan add olive oil, tomatoes, salt, garlic, oregano, basil, hot pepper flakes and water, stir to combine, half cover and let simmer over medium heat until thickened. Remove cover for the last few minutes to thicken.
COOKING GNOCCHI
- In a large pot of salted boiling water cook the gnocchi, gnocchi are ready when they float to the top. Drain and add to the cooked sauce, add a little pasta water, cook for 30 seconds, gently tossing. Serve immediately topped with fresh grated parmesan cheese if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Updated from December 16, 2014.
This was easy and delicious. The gnocchi were light and fluffy. I used a pink vegetable sauce instead of this one but next time I will do this simple marinara with some cut up fresh mozzarella.
Hi Margaret, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed it, interesting pink vegetable sauce. Take care!
I didn’t think it was fair to rate the recipe poorly for my own failure as I’m sure it’s great if done properly.
For any beginners like myself, I suggest seeking a recipe that has cooked potatoes/flour listed by weight and investing in a good kitchen scale. Doughs are not forgiving when it comes to the ratio of constituents, so you measure ingredients by weight, you have talent, or you get lucky.
I’ll try again another time, but today I have a trash can full of mush and a fridge full of takeout.
Hi Dan, sorry it didn’t work out, the weight measurement is listed, where it says US Custom/Metric, click on metric and the recipe converts to weight. Also the blog post has all the info needed for the recipe to succeed, there’s even a video. 🙂
Soft, fluffy, delicious.
Hi Naomi, thanks so much, so glad you like them. Take care!
So good!!! Omgosh, what a keeper. I made a different sauce but my first time making gnocchi and it turned out delicious! I would attach a photo but it won’t let me. Thank you!
Hi Dee Dee, thanks so much, so glad you liked it. If you have instagram you can share and tag me there! 🙂 Take care and have a great weekend!
I made the gnocchi with gluten free flour a few times and also used the gluten free flour for the creamy white sauce. It worked very well, everyone loved it. I haven’t made gnocchi before with regular flour, so I can’t compare. I added guar gum as I always do, as a precaution. I think an egg acts as a binding agent anyway.
Hi Jelena, thanks glad it worked with gf flour and yes the egg is a binding agent. Take care and have a great weekend!
Loved this recipe, so did my family. Thankyou
Hi Philip, thanks so much, so glad you and your family enjoyed it. Take care!
Beautiful! This recipe worked out beautifully for me. I used russets and baked them in my air fryer for ease then followed the recipe as written. The dough was easier to put together than I expected and the gnocchi were light and fluffy, I made a different sauce but next time will do this sauce, I think a beautiful marinara and some salty parm is the perfect companion . Thank you!
Hi Marnie, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed them. Great idea using the air fryer! Take care and have a great week.
Can I make this with gluten free flour? Thank you!
Hi Kristi, I think you could, I have never made it with gf flour, if you try let me know how it goes. Take care!
The gnocchi was perfect, better than the one I got in a restaurant recently. Thank you for the recipe!
Hi Lisa, thanks so much and you’re welcome, glad you enjoyed it. Take care!
Is it possible to use whole wheat flour instead?
Hi David, yes you can substitute with whole wheat flour, although you may need to add an egg yolk also because whole flour absorbs water more than all purpose. Let me know how it goes. Take care!
Turned out great! I love cooking and baking but am a first-time pasta-maker. I doubled the recipe because I cooked extra potatoes. I used about two and a half fairly large russet potatoes. Starting with raw ingredients until the end it took me around 2.5 hours. I’m sure it would take less time if I didn’t double the recipe and if I chopped my potatoes into halves or quarters before boiling them. Forming the pasta took quite a bit of time, so I employed an extra pair of hands and I didn’t intentionally rest the dough (it rested a little just as I made pasta and queued them up for cooking. It was enjoyed by my family (three of us) and lots of leftovers.
Hi Grace, thanks so much, so glad you and your family enjoyed them. Take care and have a great week!
I enjoyed the gnocchi. I froze mine and cooked them for a small group of four. The small number made it fairly easy to cook the gnocchi and serve them immediately. My question is, how would you go about cooking gnocchi for a family inner of 15 people. It is not possible to serve them immediately. If you kept them in the oven with sauce would they get mushy by the time you finished the whole batch?
Maria
Hi Maria, I think you could put them in the pan with the sauce, they cook so quickly, I think they would be fine in the sauce. Or place them in a big bowl or a couple of bowls, add the gnocchi to the bowl(s) as they cook with some sauce on top, then toss it together. If your sauce is really hot and the gnocchi are hot just out of the water, I don’t think it would get cold, it doesn’t take long at all to cook them. Hope that helps. Let me know. Take care!
Thanks! Sounds good. I will give it a try.
Hi Maria, thanks I hope you enjoy them. Take care!
I have been cooking for decades but have never made fresh gnocchi before. I made some with this recipe and they were amazing! I didn’t make the sauce but used a brown butter and fresh garlic sauce I tossed them in. I don’t think I rolled the ropes small enough, but that didn’t matter! I will definitely be making this again and again!!
One question though: Should I drop them in the boiling water in small batches or all at once? I did batches because I wasn’t sure. Thanks!
Hi Tara, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed the recipe. I love the idea of the brown butter and garlic sauce. If it’s a big pot and they all fit with enough room that there is no chance that they could stick to one another, then yes you could do them all together, but if it’s a smaller pot I would do in batches. Take care!
Could I make these the day before and store them uncooked in the fridge?
Hi Heather, unfortunately it’s not a good idea to make them and put them in the fridge because the humidity from the potatoes while they sit will ruin them. Therefore they really should be made and cooked as soon as possible. The longest the can sit is no more than 2 hours. Hope that helps.
Great delicious recipe. What brand of potato ricer do you use in the video? You make it look so easy.
Hi Sue, I use a potato ricer I purchased from Amazon, I added a link to it in the blog post, hope that helps. Glad you like the recipe. Happy New Year!