The worlds’ most easy homemade gnocchi – by using ricotta instead of mashed potatoes, you can make gnocchi from scratch in just 30 minutes. The gnocchi is light and fluffy, like mini pillows of ricotta goodness. Toss ricotta gnocchi in a simple browned butter sauce or a tomato sauce – you choose!
EASIEST homemade Gnocchi recipe
Pillowy soft gnocchi is a thing of beauty. And while nowadays, we can get great store bought gnocchi, there is something so satisfying about making it at home.
So what if I told you that you can make homemade gnocchi from scratch in 30 minutes?
Start to finish, including cooking. With no special equipment required and very little mess!
This method I’m sharing today is a ricotta gnocchi. A much easier way to make gnocchi than the traditional mashed potato method, ricotta gnocchi is faster and virtually foolproof.
Anyone can make ricotta gnocchi, even beginner cooks. On the other hand, potato gnocchi is a recipe for capable cooks, requiring a deft hand, a gentle touch and a good feel for dough.
Ricotta gnocchi has both a similar texture and flavour to traditional potato gnocchi!
How to make really easy Homemade Gnocchi
Ricotta is the secret ingredient for this really easy homemade gnocchi. I call ricotta gnocchi “Italian fast food” – because it’s so quick to make!
Here’s what you need:
Ricotta
Parmesan
Flour
Eggs
Salt and pepper
Just mix them together, then use your hands to bring it all together into a soft dough.
Roll into ropes then cut into bite size pieces.
How to cook Gnocchi
Gnocchi is cooked in the same way as pasta – in boiling water. Fresh homemade gnocchi only takes a minute or two. You will know when gnocchi is cooked because they rise to the surface!
Then just drain and toss in your sauce of choice.
Best sauce for gnocchi
The classic sauce for gnocchi is butter sauce. I love butter sauce because it really let’s the flavour of gnocchi come through.
But sometimes, I like my gnocchi to be nice and saucy like pastas. On such days, I make a tomato pasta sauce instead.
Both are lovely, so you choose because both sauce options are provided! 🙂
Making gnocchi ahead of time
Gnocchi freezes brilliantly! Just freeze the uncooked gnocchi, then just cook from frozen. Imagine how smug you will feel if you have a stash of homemade gnocchi in your freezer!
Serve this gnocchi with a fresh garden salad tossed with Balsamic Dressing or Italian Dressing. If you want to go all out, add a side of Garlic Bread! – Nagi x
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Easy Homemade Ricotta Gnocchi
Ingredients
Gnocchi
Browned Butter Sauce
- 4 tbsp / 60 g unsalted butter
- 1/4 tsp cooking / kosher salt (omit if using salted butter)
- Black pepper
Tomato Sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves , minced
- 1/2 onion , finely diced
- 28 oz / 800 g canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 tbsp mixed dried Italian herbs (or any combination of dried parsley, basil, oregano and thyme)
- 1 tsp salt
- Black pepper
Garnish
- Freshly grated parmesan
- Fresh parsley , finely chopped (optional)
Instructions
Homemade ricotta gnocchi
- Mix – Put all the gnocchi ingredients in a bowl except the flour. Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to mix until combined (smear up the wall if needed, to help cream the ricotta).
- Add flour – Add 3/4 cup of flour and mix until just combined so it is a very sticky dough that will hold its shape in a mound, but is not runny and stir-able like a batter (see video for consistency). Stickier dough = softer gnocchi! Use the remaining flour, 1 tbsp at a time, if needed, but try to stick with 3/4 cup. (Note 3)
- Logs – Sprinkle a work surface with flour then scrape the dough out onto it. Sprinkle the surface lightly with flour then use your hands to bring the dough into a disc about 2.5cm/1" thick. Cut it into 8 wedges.
- Roll and cut – Roll each piece into a log 25cm/10" long, about 1.25cm / 1/2" wide. Cut into 1 1/2 cm / 3/5" pieces (I cut 4 logs at a time).(Can freeze at this point – Note 4)
Cook gnocchi
- Boil – Bring a large pot of water to boil. Tumble the gnocchi in and cook for around 2 1/2 minutes, or until the gnocchi is floating on the surface for around 30 seconds.
- Drain – Reserve 1 mug of cooking water. Then drain and add the gnocchi into the frypan with your sauce of choice (you only need one of them, not both). Follow the instructions below.
Browned Butter Sauce
- Melt the butter in a large fry pan over medium high heat. Let it bubble until it turns brown. Add the salt and pepper. If the gnocchi isn't ready yet, remove from the stove until ready.
- Add gnocchi – Pour the cooked gnocchi into the fry pan along with 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water. Gently stir, coating the gnocchi in the melted butter, cooking for 1 minute. This is the step when the butter and starch in the water emulsify so the sauce coats each piece of gnocchi.
- Do a taste test and add more salt if required. Serve immediately.
Tomato Sauce
- Sauté – Heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the garlic and onion. Sauce for 3 to 5 minutes until the onion is translucent. Add the remaining ingredients and cook for 10 minutes. Do a taste test and adjust saltiness to taste.
- Add the gnocchi and 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water. Cook for 1 minute, stirring gently. The olive oil and starch in the water will emulsify to thicken the sauce so it clings to the gnocchi better.
To Serve
- Serve immediately as the gnocchi will start to harden after about 15 minutes as it cools. You can reheat in the microwave to soften.
- Garnish with freshly grated parmesan and parsley, if desired.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition
Nutrition assuming 3 servings with Browned Butter Sauce (left) and Tomato Sauce (right).
Gnocchi Lovers!
Easy homemade Pumpkin Gnocchi with Sage Butter Sauce
Pan Fried Gnocchi with Pumpkin & Spinach – quick and easy, made with store bought gnocchi
Malfatti – Cousin of the gnocchi, made with spinach and ricotta
I love ricotta gnocchi too. The last time I had this gnocchi it was beautiful. The sauce was made by sauteing a million chopped onions and garlic in a bathtub full of butter while in another pot, fresh broccoli was being steamed to well overdone. After what seemed a lifetime, he tossed the broccoli in with the butter and it just fell apart to make a sauce. He seasoned it and mixed it in with the ricotta. One man at the meal had 5 bowls of it. That’s how many bowls of yours I want. How gorgeous the tomato sauce looks!
Bathtub of garlic butter? OOOOHHHH….now THAT’S my kind of bath!! 😉
You and I are simpatico – I always make gnocchi with ricotta. The funny thing is that it’s the first gnocchi I ever tried and we liked it so well that I’ve never attempted potato gnocchi. But from what you say, apparently that’s a good bet anyway. My recipe is different and I can’t wait to try yours. The gnocchi look perfect. And then there are the sauce choices – yes please! I’ll have to make both.
I can’t bear those competition cooking shows – they completely stress me out! It’s kind of like watching improv comedy, I always feel so nervous for the people on stage that I have a hard time enjoying the show! 🙂
I know! I get so worked up!! And I feel nervous for the people I like! 🙂 Ooh, I’m popping over to see if you have a recipe on your blog. 🙂 After writing this, my mother reminded me of my first attempt at making potato gnocchi when I was a youngster. Half the batch went black – you know how potato becomes discoloured?? TOO FUNNY!! 🙂
But of course ricotta gnocchi are the best gnocchi ever ! Like i put ricotta in everything, have you noticed ?? I already know these are the Bomb, and now you see why you are a girl after my own heart. Ok so here’s the deal: you fly out to Cali and make these ricotta gnocchi, and I make ricotta muffins and ricotta meatballs, and ricotta tomato tart bahahha
All I have to say to that is this: why don’t YOU fly out here to SYDNEY?! 😉 N x
That is on my Bucket List, so yeah it’s gonna happen !! 😉
Thanks for the excellent simple recipe. I plan on trying it both ways. I’ll make a double batch so we can have some of each. My son is 6′ 210lbs. He always has two plates. 😉
Now this is a GREAT carb load up for your won! He clearly needs the fuel! Hope you do try it, would love to know what you think! I have another batch in the freezer, looking forward to having them tonight!! 🙂
A year or so ago I came across a fantastic gnocchi recipe with only two ingredients from Irvin Lin over at Eat the Love. They are like soft pillows of wonderful. BUT this version with ricotta and no potato has me intrigued. Must try next weekend.
I think I would make one with pesto, but that browned butter and saucy tomato is beautiful.
2 ingredients? You have me extremely curious….
OK, be gentle, my photos were from a year and a half ago! BUT his recipe is a good one. http://www.keviniscooking.com/handmade-gnocchi-two-ingredients/
Feel free to delete this after you get the link if you like.
Oh Nagi, they drive me crazy but I watch them. Masterchef has become particularly stupid. Cooking 3 or 4 courses in two hours. No professional ever des that. They start the prep and sauces etc the day before. Just stupid. ( funny they always seem to finish though?)
Love Ricotta gnocchi in fact Ricotta is a bit of a minor miracle food really.
Ha ha ha!! I am SO GLAD you can relate!! 😉
Who would have thought 20 years ago that watching cooking shows elevates your blood pressure like a sporting event! Those competitive cooking challenges are brutal! This ricotta gnocchi sounds heavenly! I’m going to want both sauces because I don’t want to miss out on either one.
You make me laugh Thao!! I know, right?? Well, I must admit, no sport (other than soccer) ever got my blood boiling. But you are so right. Who would have thought? 😉
HI NAGI!!!! COLD in Sydney?- weeks and weeks in the 90’s in Portland, TOO hot for an Oregonian!! I HAVE been watching the blog and making your recipes and STILL making the family’s favorites–, the homemade teriyaki with chicken is made at least twice a month STILL! I am so happy to see a homemade gnocchi recipe. I JUST made gnocchi with browned butter and parmesan cheese last week another favorite and I cant wait to try this. Your FAITHFUL blog watcher who is STILL using Nagi recipes for her family and grandson! lol Lisa WAY TOO HOT IN PTOWN!
LISA! It’s so nice to hear from you! I sent you an email to say hi and give you a free copy of my wings cookbook, I hope you got it. 🙂
I can’t believe you just made gnocchi!! (Especially given it is in the 90’s!) I’m so happy to hear from you again, it hasn’t been the same without you around! I hope your family is well! N x
Now you KNOW I approve of these, Nagi! I’ve made them several times too and definitely prefer the ricotta version. Plus I’m starting to trust your mum’s opinion, so I reckon this is going to be a sound recipe to follow!
Once, my whole family got addicted to My Kitchen Rules. We watched them all afternoon long one after another on a food channel! Loved it! 🙂
Oh my gosh! I just remembered – you posted the giant ones last month!!! I totally forgot!!
That’s it! Nagi – I’m coming over for dinner! The “dough” using ricotta looks so insanely light and fluffy! I’ve never made gnocchi of any sort – and I -ugh- hate to admit this, but I’ve never eaten it either! I gotta try this though – soon as Summer ends and we are back on a schedule in our house!
Have you ever sen Cutthroat Kitchen w/Alton Brown? All the sabotages have me on the edge of my seat! My Kitchen Rules sounds fantastic!
What? Alton Brown has a cooking show? NO WAY! I have to get it!!!
PS Yes you need to change your gnocchi drought. You will LOVE them. Promise promise promise. 😉
Yup! This is what I do. I actually found out they are called gnudi! Meaning naked in Italian 🙂 I taught this recipe in one of my first group cooking classes and everyone almost lost their mind!!!! This looks so beautiful Nagi 🙂 you missed your calling as a chef honey.
NO WAY!! You are such a legend Mila!! You know, I was actually thinking of you when I did this post, thinking that it’s the kind of cool hack that you would know about 😉 Hope you had a great weekend!!
I’m no legend honey 😉 just have had the luck to be exposed to some pretty amazing chefs from all over the world and they taught me their favorite recipes 😉 I’m glad you think of me in the kitchen 🙂
I am in “pasta mood” this week and will be trying this recipe soon! Looks amazing! Love shows like Master Chef!
ME TOO!!! N x
Hi Nagi! Question – what time is dinner and can I have these with these with the brown butter sauce please? I’ll bring the wine! 🙂
Dorothy, YOU are welcome to dinner anytime!! When are you coming? 😉 Brown butter sauce is waiting for you!! (PS Darn, that’s 2 votes for brown butter, none for tomato. My mum is winning!)
I have never made gnocchi before but I think you have just inspired me to give it a try! This really looks amazing, not too difficult, and you described it wonderfully! Oh, and your comments about the cooking shows really made me laugh!
Thanks Sam! Ricotta gnocchi really is simple so it’s a great one to start with!!!
The cooking shows are entertaining, indeed! I get more amused than worked up, though. Your gnocchi looks awesome – I’d love them with either one of the sauces!
Ohhh, I know, I shouldn’t get worked up! I can’t help it!! 😉
I am the same with My Kitchen Rules. I get so worked up and cross with them. And when a team is openly mean I get instantly defensive of the maligned teamed. Every year I say I am not going to watch and every year I am hooked!
I love ricotta gnocchi, can’t wait to try your recipe.
I am definitely in your Mum’s camp, I don’t mind tomato based sauces on pasta, but creamy or buttery sauces always win for me.
Me too! I can’t believe people are so nasty about other teams on camera!!!
OK, so score one for my mum….interested to see what others think!! I’ll keep a tally! 😉