• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest
YouTube
TikTok

Jo Cooks

Simple - Easy - Comfort

  • All Recipes
    • Course
      • Breakfast
      • Appetizers
      • Lunch
      • Dinner
      • Desserts
      • Side Dishes
      • Soups
      • Salads
      • Sandwiches
      • Drinks/Cocktails
      • Sauces & Dressings
    • Method
      • Crockpot
      • Instant Pot
      • One Pot
      • Air Fryer
      • Casseroles
    • Season
      • Spring
      • Summer
      • Fall
      • Winter
    • Cuisine
      • Asian
      • Italian
      • Mexican
      • European
      • Indian
      • Romanian
      • Mediterranean
      • Middle Eastern
      • American
    • Ingredient
      • Chicken
      • Pork
      • Beef
      • Seafood
      • Lamb
      • Vegetarian
      • Pasta
      • Spices
    • Holiday
      • Christmas
      • Easter
      • Thanksgiving
      • Game Day
      • Valentine's Day
      • St. Patrick's Day
      • Cinco de Mayo
      • Mother's Day
      • Memorial Day
      • Father's Day
      • 4th Of July
      • Labor Day
      • Halloween
    • Recipe Index
  • Cookbooks
    • The Big Book of Jo’s Quick and Easy Meals
    • 30-Minute One-Pot Meals
  • Shop
  • About Jo
FREE recipe eBook!
Display Search Bar Search...
All Recipes
Instant Pot
30 Minute
One Pot Meals
Soups
Dips & Dressings
Baking
Pasta
Sandwiches
Sides
Pasta Italian
4.4 from 44 votes

Gnocchi Recipe

Jump to RecipeVideoPrintRate
By: Joanna Cismaru •9/28/22 22 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

My homemade Gnocchi Recipe calls for just 4 ingredients! These soft potato dumplings are a cinch to make. This recipe will give you the best gnocchi you can enjoy with any of your favorite sauces, complete with instructions on how to freeze them for later.

freshly made gnocchi on parchment dusted with flour
Table of Contents Open
  • Easy Gnocchi Recipe
  • What Is Gnocchi?
  • Ingredients You’ll Need
  • How to make my Gnocchi recipe
  • How to Serve Them
  • What Else Can I Make With My Gnocchi?
  • Leftovers
  • Freezing Gnocchi
  • Looking for More Pasta Recipes? Try These!
  • Gnocchi Recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Equipment
    • Video
    • Notes
    • Nutrition Information
  • Did You Make This?

Easy Gnocchi Recipe

Oh, gnocchi. Pasta always puts a smile on my face! Especially these little dumplings. They’re pillowy, soft, and with just the perfect amount of chewiness. Besides that, they’re incredibly easy to make with just 4 ingredients.

Gnocchi has to be the easiest type of pasta to make from home. The dough is fool-proof to make and you don’t have to roll out thin sheets! No fancy tools required to make this recipe. This is the perfect introductory course to your new homemade Italian food lifestyle.

two plates of cooked gnocchi with two different kinds of pesto

What Is Gnocchi?

Gnocchi are a traditional Italian potato dumpling that are small, thick, and soft, typically made with flour, semolina, or a mixture of the two. There are lots of ways that people make gnocchi, but one part stays consistent: they’re always made with potatoes.

Today I’ve just used flour to make my gnocchi recipe. I find that I can’t tell the difference in texture of these dumplings with semolina mixed in. One less ingredient to hunt down at the grocery store for you!

Ingredients You’ll Need

overhead shot of ingredients needed to make gnocchi

If you need to go to the grocery store at all, I have a feeling it’ll just be for the potatoes! With my gnocchi recipe, pasta has never been easier to make. Keep scrolling down to the recipe card for full ingredient amounts and instructions, or click the Jump To Recipe button at the top.

  • Russet potatoes – For this recipe, you need a nice and starchy potato. Russets are ideal, but yellow potatoes can be used if needed. Do not use red or white skinned potatoes.
  • Flour – I use all-purpose flour.
  • Salt – Season to taste.
  • Egg – I used a large egg.

How to make my Gnocchi recipe

process shots showing how to make dough for potato gnocchi
  1. Cook the potatoes: Add the potatoes to a pot and fill it with water to cover the potatoes by about 2 inches. Boil them until they’re fork-tender. Drain the water, let them cool down a bit, then mash them with a masher, fork, or potato ricer.
  2. Make the dough: In a medium-sized bowl, mix the flour and salt together. Add the eggs and the flour mixture to the bowl of potatoes. Use your hands to mix everything together until you don’t see any more dry flour. Lightly flour your work surface and turn the dough out onto it.
  3. Roll the dough: Knead the dough a few times until everything comes together into a smooth, slightly sticky, ball. Using a sharp knife or pastry cutter, cut the dough into 8 equal-sized pieces. Roll each piece into 3/4″ thick logs, flouring your surface as necessary. Cut the logs into 3/4″ pieces. Place your gnocchi on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, sprinkled with flour.
  4. Shape the gnocchi: You can boil the little gnocchi as is, or you can shape them to give the gnocchi ridges as I’ve done. Hold a fork in one hand and with the other, hold a gnocchi against the tines of the fork. With gentle pressure, roll the gnocchi down the tines to create ridges.

Pro tip: Make sure to keep you gnocchi dusted generously with flour as you work with it. The gnocchi can become very sticky, even on the parchment paper, and wreck your ridges and/or gnocchi shape.

If your gnocchi does end up sticking, don’t worry! You can re-shape them and just dust with more flour.

process shots showing how to cut and shape gnocchi

How to Serve Them

There are so many amazing ways to enjoy my gnocchi recipe! Want to make the beautiful skillet pesto gnocchi I have in these photos? Follow this super simple, 3-ingredient recipe:

  1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the gnocchi. When the gnocchi float to the top of the pot, they are done cooking. About 1-2 minutes. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon as they rise to the top.
  2. Add 2-3 tbsp butter to a skillet and melt over medium-high heat. Stirring occasionally, keep the butter over the heat until it begins to toast and brown.
  3. Turn the heat down to medium and add the gnocchi. Toss everything well. Add 3 tbsp pesto, and mix it in well. For these photos I made one batch with regular basil pesto, and the other batch with a red sun dried tomato pesto. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Top your gnocchi with parmesan cheese and serve.

I froze half of the gnocchi I made, and used the other half to make these two skillets.

process shots showing how to cook gnocchi

What Else Can I Make With My Gnocchi?

There are so many amazing ways to serve gnocchi! You can keep it simple like I’ve done today, or turn it into a full meal. Give some of these recipes a try:

  • One Skillet Ham and Cheese Gnocchi
  • Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Gnocchi
  • Sausage Leek Ragu Gnocchi
  • Garlic Parmesan Butter Gnocchi
  • One Pot Chicken Florentine Gnocchi
  • Gnocchi with Mushroom Ragu
overhead shot of gnocchi freshly made on a floured surface

Leftovers

If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days. It’ll reheat easiest in the microwave.

You can also reheat them on the stovetop. Add the gnocchi to a skillet over medium heat. Add a splash of chicken or veggie broth to make sure they don’t dry out. Cook, stirring occasionally, until your pasta is heated through.

Freezing Gnocchi

My gnocchi recipe is perfect for freezing. Here’s how you’ll do it:

To freeze uncooked gnocchi: Spread the gnocchi out, so they aren’t touching each other, on the well floured, parchment paper lined, baking sheet. Pop the baking sheet in the freezer for 2 hours then transfer all the gnocchi to a large freezer bag. They will last 4-6 weeks frozen.

Let your frozen gnocchi thaw completely in the fridge before boiling them.

To freeze cooked gnocchi: It isn’t ideal to freeze gnocchi after they’ve been cooked as the texture will change after freezing and thawing. They will become much more mushy. If that isn’t a problem for you, simply transfer the gnocchi with the sauce into an airtight container and freeze for 1 month.

Reheat cooked gnocchi either in the microwave, or let it thaw in the fridge overnight and use the stove-top method I’ve described in the section above.

overhead shot of two plates with gnocchi cooked with 2 different kinds of pesto

Looking for More Pasta Recipes? Try These!

  • Aglio e Olio
  • Pesto Shrimp Asparagus Pasta
  • Spaghetti Bolognese
  • Creamy Tomato Chicken Pasta
  • Arugula and Walnut Pesto Pasta
  • Cacio e Pepe
  • Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs
  • One Pot Pasta

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

side view close up shot of homemade gnocchi
Print
4.39 from 44 votes

Gnocchi Recipe

Prep 20 minutes
Cook 20 minutes
Total 40 minutes
Rate Recipe
My homemade Gnocchi Recipe calls for just 4 ingredients! These soft potato dumplings are a cinch to make. This recipe will give you the best gnocchi you can enjoy with any of your favorite sauces, complete with instructions on how to freeze them for later.
6

Ingredients

  • 2 pound russet potatoes (peeled (about 4 medium))
  • 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour (more for kneading and rolling)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg (beaten)

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

Instructions 

  • Fill a pot of water with enough cold water to cover the potatoes by at least 2 inches. Add the potatoes to the pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. Drain and cool, then mash them using a fork or potato masher.
  • Lightly flour your work surface. In another medium bowl mix the flour with the salt.
  • Add the egg to the potatoes, then add the flour mixture. Using your hands, mix until the flour is moistened then transfer the dough onto the floured work surface. Gather the dough together and start kneading until the flour is fully incorporated into the dough. The dough is done when it's smooth and a little sticky. Do not over knead the dough or the gnocchi will be tough.
  • Cut the dough into 8 equal sized pieces. Roll each piece into long snake-shaped log, that's about 3/4 of an inch in diameter.
  • Using a sharp knife or dough cutter, cut the logs into small 3/4 inch pieces. Place finished gnocchi onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, while you're working with the rest of the dough. Dust each gnocchi with a bit of extra flour.
  • To shape the gnocchi, hold a fork in one hand and place a gnocchi against the tines of the fork. With a light touch, use your thumb and press in and down the length of the fork. This step is optional.

Cook the gnocchi

  • Bring a pot of salted water to a boil then add gnocchi to the pot. The gnocchi is done cooking when they pop to the top. Use a slotted spoon to remove the gnocchi from the water. Serve gnocchi as desired.

Equipment

  • 3-Quart Saucepan with Lid
  • Potato Ricer
  • Gnocchi Board

Video

Notes

  1. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days. It’ll reheat easiest in the microwave.
  2. You can also reheat them on the stovetop. Add the gnocchi to a skillet over medium heat. Add a splash of chicken or veggie broth to make sure they don’t dry out. Cook, stirring occasionally, until your pasta is heated through.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 247kcal (12%)Carbohydrates: 51g (17%)Protein: 8g (16%)Fat: 1g (2%)Saturated Fat: 1g (6%)Cholesterol: 35mg (12%)Sodium: 409mg (18%)Potassium: 677mg (19%)Fiber: 3g (13%)Sugar: 1g (1%)Vitamin A: 51IU (1%)Vitamin C: 9mg (11%)Calcium: 30mg (3%)Iron: 3mg (17%)

Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.

side view close up shot of homemade gnocchi

Did You Make This?

We love seeing what you made! Tag us on Instagram at @jocooks or hashtag #jocooks so we can see your creations!

Rate Recipe
Add Your Photo!
  • 310
Home Recipes
Joanna Cismaru

Joanna Cismaru

I’m Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

Read More
iPad showing title of ebook 30 recipes from around the world
Subscribe

Get our FREE recipe eBook + weekly newsletter!

Loading

guest
Did you make this recipe? Rate it:




The comment form collects your name, email and content to allow us keep track of the comments placed on the website. Please read and accept our website Terms and Privacy Policy to post a comment.

guest
Did you make this recipe? Rate it:




The comment form collects your name, email and content to allow us keep track of the comments placed on the website. Please read and accept our website Terms and Privacy Policy to post a comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

22 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Stephanie K
Stephanie K
Posted: 20 days ago

Made this tonight and I give my effort a solid B. It was pretty good. Tossed it with some store bought pesto as a side to my steak. Ill definitely be making it again.

0
Reply
Stephanie Zick
Stephanie Zick
Posted: 2 months ago

5 stars
This was a little iffy at first when bringing the dough together because we had one russet potato and 4 large sweet potatoes. We had to use a lot of flour but oh my goodness they turned out amazing, the kids loved helping make them and they are delicious! Thank you for the wonderfully adaptable and understandable recipe!

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Stephanie Zick
Posted: 2 months ago

My pleasure, glad you guys enjoyed it!

0
Reply
Miranda
Miranda
Posted: 3 months ago

Could someone tell me roughly how many cups of Gnocchi this makes? Thanks! 🙂

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Miranda
Posted: 3 months ago

I would say roughly about 6 cups of gnocchi.

0
Reply
Madeline
Madeline
Posted: 6 months ago

Hi Jo,

For dietary reasons, I am thinking of subbing the potatoes with white sweet potatoes and the flour with cassava flour. Can you give me a guess as to whether this work?

Thanks for all of your great recipes. I have tried many and your recipes rank high in my food preparation.

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Madeline
Posted: 6 months ago

I know you can make this with sweet potatoes but I’m not familiar with cassava flour. If you do give it a try, I’d love to hear how they turn out for you.

0
Reply
Dawn E
Dawn E
Posted: 1 year ago

5 stars
Loved this recipe! So light & delicious. Thanks for sharing with detailed instructions.

0
Reply
The Food Wonder
The Food Wonder
Posted: 1 year ago

5 stars
Love your content. Very impressed with the knowledge you have. I am a professional chef and this is something that i would actually cook in this way, is a great article. Very good photos and explanation. I will come back often to find some inspiration, keep up the great work.

1
Reply
Jo Cooks Team AMJ
Jo Cooks Team AMJ
Reply to  The Food Wonder
Posted: 1 year ago

Thank you so much Matteo!

0
Reply
Milissa Bushner
Milissa Bushner
Posted: 2 years ago

Hello. Can I prep the gnocchi earlier in the day and cook when ready to serve?

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Milissa Bushner
Posted: 2 years ago

Yes, absolutely! Just make sure you flour them well so they don’t stick together.

0
Reply
Jody Rach
Jody Rach
Posted: 2 years ago

Made these with my daughter. They were perfect in every way! Thanks for another wonderful recipe.

0
Reply
Michelle Pagnotta
Michelle Pagnotta
Posted: 2 years ago

Can you make these ahead of time, or do you need to cook them fresh?

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Michelle Pagnotta
Posted: 2 years ago

Nope, you can make them ahead of time, there are instructions in the post on how to freeze them.

0
Reply
Jocelyn Varela
Jocelyn Varela
Posted: 2 years ago

5 stars
1st time ever making gnocchi and I’m so happy with how it turned out thanks to your amazing recipe! I’ve loved so many of your recipes and save them and this is a new fav. Now whenever I look up a recipe and see it’s from JoCooks I’m so relieved because I know its a good one! Thank you!

1
Reply
Jo Cooks Team
Jo Cooks Team
Reply to  Jocelyn Varela
Posted: 2 years ago

That’s fantastic! Thank you, Jocelyn. We’re so happy you’ve been loving our recipes.

0
Reply
Flo
Flo
Posted: 2 years ago

I am a beginner , an I do well looking at the videos. For some reason or reasons they won’t play lately.

0
Reply
Jo Cooks Team
Jo Cooks Team
Reply to  Flo
Posted: 2 years ago

Can you still see the video in the recipe card and just the play button won’t work? Or the video doesn’t show up?

0
Reply
Jen
Jen
Posted: 2 years ago

Watched my Italian Grandmother creates these beauties, don’t recall her using a ricer. Can this be accomplished without one?

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Jen
Posted: 2 years ago

Yes just mash the potatoes as you normally would for mashed potatoes, you can use a potato masher or a mixer.

0
Reply
Patti
Patti
Reply to  Jen
Posted: 2 days ago

The potatoes can also be grated with a box grater using the smallest grate/holes.

0
Reply

sidebar

Headshot of Joanna Cismaru

Hey there!

I’m Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

Read More
Collage of recipe ebooks
Subscribe

Get our FREE recipe eBook + weekly newsletter!

Loading

Pasta Favorites

baked mac and cheese in a black cast iron skillet.
45 mins

Baked Mac And Cheese

freshly made crack chicken penne with a wooden spoon in a skillet.
40 mins

Crack Chicken Penne

chicken pot pie pasta in a white serving bowl with a wooden serving spoon.
50 mins

Chicken Pot Pie Pasta

freshly made one pot pasta in a dutch oven.
20 mins

One Pot Pasta

tomato spinach chicken pasta in a white bowl.
30 mins

Tomato Spinach Chicken Pasta

homemade hamburger helper lasagna from scratch in a skillet.
30 mins

One Pot Hamburger Helper Lasagna

baked feta pasta in a white bowl garnished with fresh basil.
50 mins

Baked Feta Pasta (Tik Tok Pasta)

sideview shot of chicken fajita pasta in a white bowl with a fork inside
45 mins

Chicken Fajita Pasta

side close up shot of swedish meatball pasta in a beige braised garnished with parsley
30 mins

Swedish Meatball Pasta

overhead shot of a bowl of haluski
40 mins

Haluski (Cabbage and Noodles)

A stack of cookbooks
Grab a copy!

My Cookbooks

Order Now: Amazon | Indigo | Barnes & Noble | Indie Bound | Books-A-Million

Dinner Favorites

smothered pork chops in a skillet garnished with parsley.
1 hr 15 mins

Smothered Pork Chops

a wooden spoon lifting a salisbury steak out of the skillet
30 mins

Salisbury Steak

beef lo mein in a black wok.
30 mins

Beef Lo Mein

side shot of beef and broccoli in a skillet
15 mins

Easy Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

shepherd's pie in a skillet with a serving taken out of it.
1 hr 25 mins

Skillet Shepherd’s Pie

a serving spoon inside a skillet with chicken broccoli rice casserole.
30 mins

One Pot Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

side view shot of two italian stuffed peppers in a bowl
2 hrs 30 mins

Italian Stuffed Peppers

side view shot of a bowl with a scoop of spaghetti bolognese in it
40 mins

Spaghetti Bolognese

Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest
YouTube
TikTok
Visit our Other Site: Craving Home Cooked

Explore

Recipes
Cookbooks
About Jo
Contact

Legal

Privacy Policy
Accessibility
Disclaimers
© 2023 Jo Cooks
Site Credits
Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled
Back to Top
wpDiscuz