If you’ve never had fresh, homemade potato gnocchi before, I would highly recommend you try this recipe out, at least once. I’m convinced you’ll be hooked once you do. Homemade potato gnocchi are very different than what you get in the store. (And that’s not to say I never buy the premade store version.) The homemade version has a totally different, wonderfully light and airy texture, and they are distinctively potatoey in flavor.
This recipe is for a very classic potato gnocchi – simply boiled potatoes and flour. That’s it. And while you can get into adding eggs, cheese, or other flavorings like spinach, or even using a sweet potato, this is the most basic form of potato gnocchi I know. But fear not, there will be plenty of other gnocchi recipes to come.
There are lots of variations of gnocchi throughout Italy. Gnocchi simply means “dumpling” in Italian – so you’ll find ricotta, semolina, or other dumplings like malfatti or gnudi.
Gnocchi can be paired with a simple tomato sugo, or baked with some fresh mozzarella for a delicious Gnocchi alla Sorrentina. In spring when there is an abundance of fresh basil, gnocchi topped with some Pesto Genovese is absolutely out of this world. They can be paired with a Bolognese, Short Rib Ragu or even quickly sautéed with some brown butter and sage. They are very versatile, and once you have a batch ready, one of your best meals isn’t far away.
Homemade gnocchi freezes incredibly well, so you can make a big batch and have them on hand. And they’re a pasta shape that you really don’t need any special equipment to shape. The beauty is in how rustic they are – no need for perfection here.
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The homemade version has a totally different, wonderfully light and airy texture, and they are distinctively potatoey in flavor.
Homemade Potato Gnocchi Recipe: A Simple Guide to Making Traditional Italian Dumplings from Scratch
There’s something magical about transforming humble potatoes and flour into light, pillowy gnocchi. This traditional Italian potato gnocchi recipe requires just two simple ingredients and some basic technique to make these perfect little dumplings at home.
Quick Navigation
- Key Ingredients
- Step-by-Step Instructions
- Expert Tips
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Storage Instructions
- Serving Suggestions
Equipment Needed
- Large pot for boiling potatoes
- Potato ricer or food mill
- Bench Scraper and/or Knife
- Gnocchi board or fork (optional)
Ingredients for Perfect Potato Gnocchi
- Russet Potatoes – You want starchy potatoes when making gnocchi. Ideally, you want an older potato, maybe the ones that have been sitting in your pantry for a little too long… The low moisture and high starch content of these potatoes creates that light and fluffy texture.
- Flour – You can use either “00” flour or all-purpose flour for this recipe. The flour helps give structure to the gnocchi and acts as a binding agent to form a dough with the riced potato.
How to Making Homemade Potato Gnocchi
- Boil Potatoes – Clean the potatoes, being careful not to break the skin. Boil the whole, unpeeled potatoes until cooked all the way through, about 45-55 minutes. You want to be able to easily slide a knife into the center of the potato.
- Peel Potatoes – Remove the potatoes from the boiling water and let cool slightly. When still hot but cool enough to handle, peel off the skins.
- Rice The Potatoes while HOT! – Immediately rice the potatoes and spread into an even layer to allow excess steam to escape.
- Make Dough – Sprinkle over half of your flour and gently knead to combine. Add another half of the remaining flour and gently knead again. The dough will start to come together. You’ll notice it transforms from a mass of mashed potatoes to a very soft dough. Keep adding your flour just until your dough will hold together and the flour is combined. You may not need the entire amount of flour.
- Shape Gnocchi – To shape, cut off manageable portions of the dough and roll into long logs. Slice the logs into 1-inch pieces.
- Add Ridges – If desired, shape the gnocchi by gently pressing and pushing the pieces away from you with your thumb, or drag them across a gnocchi board to create grooves. A fork will also work to crate those nice grooves.
- Cook – Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season with salt. Add gnocchi and cook just until they rise to the surface or the water. Should take a minute or so. *For freezing instructions see recipe notes.
- Sauce and Eat! – Toss with sauce, top with cheese and serve immediately.
Some Expert Tips when Making Potato Gnocchi
Potato Selection and Preparation
- You want older russet potatoes, they’ll have a higher starch content which is what you want for light and fluffy gnocchi. Also, aim for potato that are a similar size, it’ll help with even cooking.
- Don’t cut or pierce the potatoes before boiling. You want to limit the amount of excess moisture in the potatoes. More moisture will make for dense gnocchi.
- Process the potatoes while they’re hot for the best texture. You want to release all that excess steam, remember, minimal moisture is your goal here.
Dough Handling
- You want to try and use as little flour as you can while still properly forming the dough. Add half the flour at first, then half of the remaining flour and slowly incorporate the rest as needed.
- Only knead the dough until everything is incorporated and it holds together. It will still be slightly sticky but you want work with it to roll out and shape the dumplings.
- Trust your instincts on this, the final amount of flour may vary since the moisture in your potatoes will vary.
Shaping and Cooking
- Keep work surface lightly floured to prevent sticking and don’t worry too much about creating perfect looking gnocchi. Try and keep them roughly the same size so everything cooks evenly.
- Don’t overcrowd the pot when boiling your gnocchi, give them plenty of room to cook.
Frequently Asked Questions when Making Potato Gnocchi
What sauce goes best with potato gnocchi?
Potato gnocchi goes well with a variety of sauces. I would recommend trying them with a simple tomato sauce, bolognese, short rib ragu, basil pesto or even brown butter and sage.
What is potato gnocchi made of? Is it really only two ingredients?
Traditional potato gnocchi consists of just two ingredients: starchy potatoes and flour. Some versions can included the addition of an egg to help bind the dough together, but this does change the texture a bit. If you’re nervous about your gnocchi holding together when you boil them, you can certainly add in an egg if you like.
What does potato gnocchi taste like?
Properly made potato gnocchi tastes like potato but the texture is light and pillowy. They are very much a “potato dumpling”.
Can potato gnocchi be frozen?
Yes! And I recommend it. Make a big batch, like this recipe, and then freeze whatever you don’t plan on eating right away.
- Arrange shaped, uncooked gnocchi on a floured tray
- Freeze until solid (about 2 hours)
- Transfer to freezer container
- Cook directly from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to cooking time
Are potato gnocchi gluten-free?
Traditional potato gnocchi contains wheat flour, so no, not gluten-free. However, you can make a gluten-free version by using alternative flours like rice flour or a gluten-free all-purpose flour blends.
Storage Instructions
Storing your Fresh Gnocchi
- Refrigerate: Up to 24 hours, lightly dusted with flour and covered
- Freeze: Up to 3 months in airtight container
Storing Cooked Gnocchi
This will be best served immediately, but if you have leftovers you can refrigerate them for up to 2 days, and either gently reheat them in a pan on the stove, or add in some cubes fresh mozzarella, top with parmesan and put it in the oven for a delicious baked gnocchi dish.
How to Serve Homemade Gnocchi
- Simple Tomato Sauce – Fresh basil, Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
- Brown Butter Sage – Crispy sage leaves, Toasted hazelnuts, Fresh cracked black pepper, Lot of Parmesan
- Pesto Genovese – Fresh basil pesto, Boiled Green Beans, Shaved Parmesan
- Potato Gnocchi with Sausage – Crumbled Italian sausage, A touch of cream, Fresh Basil
Potato Gnocchi
Equipment
- Ricer or Food Mill to process cooked potatoes into a puree
Ingredients
- 3 lbs potatoes about 5 medium russet potatoes
- 3 cups flour ~430g
Instructions
- Clean the potatoes, being careful not to break the skin. Boil the whole, unpeeled potatoes until cooked all the way through, about 45-55 minutes. You want to be able to easily slide a knife into the center of the potato.
- Remove the potatoes from the boiling water and let cool slightly. When still hot but cool enough to handle, peel off the skins.
- Immediately rice the potatoes and spread into an even layer to allow excess steam to escape.
- Sprinkle over half of your flour and gently knead to combine. Add another half of the remaining flour and gently knead again. The dough will start to come together. You’ll notice it transforms from a mass of mashed potatoes to a very soft dough. Keep adding your flour just until your dough will hold together and the flour is combined. You may not need the entire amount of flour.
- To shape, cut off manageable portions of the dough and roll into long logs. Slice the logs into 1-inch pieces.
- If desired, shape the gnocchi by gently pressing and pushing the pieces away from you with your thumb, or drag them across a gnocchi board to create grooves. A fork will also work to crate those nice grooves.
- To cook: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season with salt. Add gnocchi and cook just until they rise to the surface or the water. Should take a minute or so. *For freezing instructions see notes.
- Toss with sauce, top with cheese and serve immediately.
Notes
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