I grew up in a big Italian American family, surrounded by aunts, uncles, cousins, my cousins’ family members from Italy, parties, babies, hugging, kissing, everyone talking at the same time ... and then there was the food. There was always so much food. My siblings and cousins all have our favorite meals and secretly have our favorite cooks, too (my Aunt Bobbi made the best lasagna!).
Growing up, I felt like I’d eaten every Italian food that existed. My mom and her three sisters seemed to know how to make every dish, and desserts, too. But in all those years, across all the holidays, big family meals and parties and celebrations, I never ate gnocchi. I had never even heard of it as a kid. And I didn’t try it until I was an adult.
When I was teaching at St. Lawrence University in northern New York, one of my Communication students, Sara, was working on her senior project which involved Italian culture. This included time spent cooking traditional dishes with her Italian grandfather. As part of her project presentation, she invited her senior project committee to a dinner. She and her grandfather served potatognocchi, which they cooked themselves. The gnocchi was outstanding and the evening one of the most special and memorable of my teaching career.
My husband happens to love gnocchi and often orders it when we eat out at one of our favorite local Italian restaurants, where we know it’s homemade. But could we make it ourselves? It always seemed intimidating. But the answer is yes, we can! And so can you! I was surprised to find out that there are only four ingredients. Between that and the short cooking time, you’ll have soft, delicate gnocchi with a silky smooth texture in no time. Gnocchi is delicious served with brown butter sage sauce, marinara sauce, pesto,basil sauce or rose sauce (aka pink sauce).
Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4 to 6
Ingredients
- 2 pounds potatoes (Yukon Gold are best)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- salt
Here’s how to make it:
- The most common way to prepare gnocchi is to combine boiled, peeled and mashed potatoes with flour to form soft, bite-size little pieces of dough, like miniature Italian dumplings. To do so, boil the potatoes with the skins on. Don’t over-boil; cook them just until tender. Allow potatoes to cool for 30 minutes. Then peel the skin off with your hands and mash the potatoes with a potato masher or potato ricer.
- Add potato, flour, salt and eggs to a large bowl and stir well. You should end up with a round ball of dough. Next, boil salted water in a saucepan.
- While the water heats to a boil, cut the round “ball” into four parts on a floured surface. Using the palm of your hands more than your fingers, roll the four parts into four “snakes,” about 3/4- to 1-inch thick. Cut pieces about 3/4 inches wide. Next, add the “ridges,” used for both aesthetic appeal and also to hold the sauce (functional and decorative, too!). You can do this by rolling each piece of gnocchi down the tines of a fork or by pressing your thumb into each piece (as some nonnas tend to do!) to create a ridge. If you want to get fancy, use a gnocchi board!
- Place gnocchi on a floured cloth then cook in the boiling water until they “float,” a sign that the gnocchi is cooked. This should take about 2 to4 minutes. (Note that gnocchi also tend to sink when they are overcooked, so be sure to remove them from the boiling water while they’re floating.) Drain with a slotted spoon and cover with sauce of your choice.
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FAQs
Nutritional Value
Believe it or not, regular pasta is actually more carb-heavy than gnocchi, coming in at around 2 times the amount of carbs per serving. Gnocchi is also notorious for having a lot more sodium, with over 200 grams of it per serving. Regular pasta doesn't have nearly as high of a sodium content.
What do Italians eat gnocchi with? ›
It can be sauced and served in typical pasta style or tossed with fresh veggies for a lighter dish. Gnocchi can be added to soups and stews, fried until crispy or roasted in the oven with meat and vegetables for a sheet pan dinner.
What is the best potato to use for gnocchi? ›
The Best Potatoes for Gnocchi
Step one: Start with Yukon Gold potatoes. Russets will do, but Yukon Golds have more of the nutty flavor of the yellow-fleshed boiling potatoes used by the Italian and Provençal cooks who have mastered gnocchi.
Which is better potato or ricotta gnocchi? ›
Ricotta gnocchi may be a better option than potato gnocchi for those looking to gain muscle, since there is a higher protein content in the cheese-based dough.
Is gnocchi more unhealthy than pasta? ›
pasta, neither is really the better option. Regular pasta is higher in protein and has small amounts of some nutrients, while gnocchi is lower in calories and carbohydrates. But because gnocchi is smaller and denser, it's likely that you'd end up eating bigger portions than if you were eating regular pasta.
How healthy is potato gnocchi? ›
Gnocchi and pasta can be part of a balanced diet. Gnocchi, made from potatoes, may offer slightly more nutritional value than traditional pasta. However, portion control and overall dietary choices matter most for weight loss. Whole-grain options and pairing with vegetables enhance the nutritional profile.
Do Italians boil or fry gnocchi? ›
Traditionally gnocchi are boiled in a pan of salted water. Being a purist I poured scorn on the notion of frying them, but I did roast gnocchi in the oven on a sheet pan. They form crunchy crispy little parcels that are actually surprisingly good.
Why do Italians eat gnocchi on Thursday? ›
Gnocchi, a substantial, high-calorie dish, was prepared on Thursday in anticipation of Friday, when, according to Catholic tradition, people fasted, abstaining from meat. On Friday, Romans traditionally ate fish-based dishes, such as chickpeas and cod, a dish still served on Fridays in the old-fashioned Roman taverns.
What meat do you eat with gnocchi? ›
Beef and gnocchi is such a good combo! There's also no need to pre-cook the gnocchi. It cooks right in the sauce, which is convenient and helps with cleanup. This hamburger gnocchi recipe makes plenty of delicious sauce.
What is the best flour for gnocchi? ›
Some gnocchi recipes recommend floury potatoes instead, such as Idaho potatoes or Russet potatoes, but I don't always agree. They're too mealy. Tipo 00 Flour is a soft, fine milled flour from Italy. It's a must-have for light and tender gnocchi and homemade pasta.
Unlike potato gnocchi, Roman gnocchi (Gnocchi alla romana), are made with semolina instead of potatoes and flour, that's why they are also called Semolina gnocchi. Roman gnocchi are shaped differently than potato gnocchi.
Is gnocchi better with or without egg? ›
Egg yolk added to your gnocchi dough helps improve texture, and keep it together while cooking. Gnocchi is traditionally made with eggs in Veneto and no eggs in Piedmont, the two Northern Italian regions famous for gnocchi. We vote for egg yolks at the rate of 1 per (500g) 1 lb of uncooked potatoes used.
What are the 3 types of gnocchi? ›
Gnocchi alla zucca: Pumpkin gnocchi served with butter and cheese. Ndunderi: The Amalfi Coast specialty originally made with farro and curdled milk. Gnocchi alla Romana: Made with semolina and milk, this variety is shaped into squares and baked rather than boiled.
How many gnocchi per person? ›
Typically, Italian guidelines recommend the following quantities of uncooked pasta per person: 60-100g of dried pasta. 70-120g of fresh pasta. 100-130g of gnocchi.
Is Penne or gnocchi healthier? ›
Penne pasta is generally considered healthier than gnocchi, as it is lower in calories and carbohydrates, but the overall healthiness depends on portion size and sauce choice. The healthiness of gnocchi versus penne pasta depends on factors like ingredients, preparation, and personal preferences.
What has less calories pasta or gnocchi? ›
If you are going by carbohydrates potato has lot less. So Gnocchi will have less calories than pasta but lot more than potato by weight.
Is potato gnocchi bad for cholesterol? ›
Potato Gnocchi is an italian dish. Potato Gnocchi is high in vitamin C and it is relatively low in cholesterol. 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of potato gnocchi has 122 calories and 17 calories from fat. It contains 3.8 grams of protein and 1.9g fat.
What is the difference between potato gnocchi and regular gnocchi? ›
Unlike potato gnocchi, Roman gnocchi (Gnocchi alla romana), are made with semolina instead of potatoes and flour, that's why they are also called Semolina gnocchi. Roman gnocchi are shaped differently than potato gnocchi.
