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If you’ve never tried homemade ricotta gnocchi, brace yourself, because once you do, there’s no going back to the store-bought stuff. These soft little dumplings are impossibly pillowy, cook in minutes, and turn even the simplest sauce into something swoon-worthy. Bonus: no fancy equipment or potatoes to peel.
Here’s Why This Ricotta Gnocchi Recipe Works
No potatoes: Ricotta gnocchi skips the fuss of boiling and peeling potatoes. Just drain your cheese (store-bought or homemade ricotta) and mix.
Tender and pillowy: With the right flour ratio and a gentle hand, these come out cloud-like and delicate, not chewy.
Quick to cook: These babies boil up in under 3 minutes. Dinner is dangerously close to done.
Sauce magnets: That optional fork ridge move? It’s not just for looks, it helps the gnocchi grab onto all that garlicky tomato goodness.
Recipe Tips
Drain your ricotta well: Too much moisture will make the dough sticky and hard to work with. Press out as much liquid as possible before mixing.
Start light with flour: Too much and you’ve got lead weights. Start with ¾ cup and add only if your dough is super sticky.
Test before shaping: Pinch off a small piece of dough before you roll and cut. Boil it, if it floats and holds together, you’re good. If it falls apart, mix a bit more flour into the bowl.
Handle gently: This dough isn’t meant to be kneaded. Mix and roll just enough to bring it together and shape. Overworking makes it tough.
Fork ridges are optional but fun: Want that classic gnocchi look? Give each piece a quick roll down a floured fork, just don’t squish them flat.
Crisp it up: For a little texture, pan-sear the cooked gnocchi in a bit of butter until golden. Game-changer.
Love these gnocchi? You’ll probably fall for our malfatti dumplings too. Same fluffy ricotta base, different shape, equally addictive.
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Ricotta Gnocchi Recipe
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Ingredients
- 12 ounces ricotta cheese, about 1½ cups;
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- ¾ to 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- Salt and pepper
- Semolina flour, for dusting
- 2 cups Garlic basil tomato sauce, or use your favorite, Sage Brown Butter is a great choice too
Instructions
- Drain the Ricotta: Line a large plate with three layers of paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Spread the ricotta over the towels using a rubber spatula. Top with another triple layer of paper towels or another towel and press firmly with your hands to remove excess moisture. Peel off the top layer and discard.
- Place a large bowl on a kitchen scale and zero it. Add the ricotta to the bowl and adjust the amount to 8 ounces or 1 packed cup. Save any excess for another use.
- Add the Parmesan, ¾ cup of flour (start here and add more only if needed), the egg, egg yolk, and a good pinch each of salt and pepper to the bowl. Mix with a rubber spatula until the dough comes together and is sticky but not wet or loose. If it’s still very moist after mixing for a minute, add more flour a tablespoon at a time.
- Lightly flour a work surface. Turn out the dough and dust the top with flour. Flatten into a 4- to 6-inch disk and cut into quarters.
- Working with one quarter of dough at a time, cut it in half and roll each half into a log about 12 inches long and ¾ inch thick. Repeat with the remaining quarters to make 8 logs total.
- Use a bench scraper or knife to cut each log into 8 to 10 gnocchi pieces. Transfer them to a parchment-lined baking sheet dusted with semolina flour (all-purpose flour also works). Shake the pan gently to coat and prevent sticking.
- Optional: To create the classic ridges, take each gnocchi piece and gently roll it down the back of a floured fork. This helps the gnocchi hold onto sauces better. Transfer each shaped piece back to the floured baking sheet.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the gnocchi to the boiling water, stir gently, and cook until they float and remain at the surface for 30 seconds, about 3 minutes total.
- Optional: After boiling, for extra texture, sauté the gnocchi. Heat a bit of butter or olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the drained gnocchi in a single layer and cook without stirring for 2–3 minutes per side, or until golden and lightly crisped.
- To serve: Toss the gnocchi in your choice of warm tomato sauce or sage brown butter. Stir gently to coat evenly, then serve immediately, topped with grated Parmesan and freshly ground pepper, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!Storing Leftovers
Refrigerate: Store any cooked gnocchi in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keep the sauce separate if you can.
Freeze: Arrange uncooked gnocchi on a baking sheet and freeze until firm, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a zip-top bag and store for up to 3 months.
Reheat: Boil frozen gnocchi straight from the freezer, no thawing needed. If already cooked, gently reheat in a skillet with a splash of water or sauce until warmed through.
Gnocchi with Ricotta Cheese
Homemade ricotta gnocchi are your new secret weapon: soft, fast, and freakishly easy. Keep it simple with tomato sauce or go full fancy with brown butter and sage—either way, you’re winning dinner.
