Easy Gnocchi Recipe (VIDEO) (2024)

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.

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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.

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.

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.

Common Questions:

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.

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.

• Meaty 3-cheese Lasagna
• Caesar Salad
• Creamy Shrimp Pasta
• Focaccia Bread
• Burrata Salad
• Pizza Dough