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
This looks like a wonderful recipe. I only have light ricotta in the fridge – I wanted to check if this would still work?
Hi Julia! It will work just fine 🙂 N x
I made this. I doubled the recipe. It was incredible.
Glad to hear that Kiara! Thanks for letting me know! N x ❤️
Hi Nagi today I cooked your ,,Ricotta Gnocchi,, ( from scratch ) and was absolutely delicious.Definitely I keep this recipe.Thank you very much.
Oooh I’m so pleased to hear that Anna! Thanks for letting me know! N xx ❤️
Nagi you have fabulous recipe.Absolutely delicious.I am very happy.Once more time big thank you to you XXX.
That’s so great to hear Anna!! Thanks for letting me know! N xx
WHOOT! So great to hear that Anna, thanks for letting me know! N x ❤️
Hi Nagi, l am cooking your pumpkin and spinach gnocchi for friends on the weekend, l have made it before and it was amazing, possibly the best l have eaten. Just wondering as one of them is Gluten intolerant , would these gnocchi be okay with rice flour or Maise flour? Thanks Melinda Hogan
Hi Melinda, sorry for the late reply! I’m afraid I don’t know the answer to that, I have a hunch it won’t work. Sorry to disappoint! N x
Nagi! This recipe is incredible, I am 14 and this was my first ever try at making gnocchi. It was simple, easy and came out perfectly. I will definitely be using this recipe in the later years of my life for my kids and family one day. Thank you!
I’m so pleased to hear that Ava! Wow, only 14 and you made this? You’re amazing! N xx ❤️
Hi Nagi I have only discovered your site recently and I love your recipes.
I am making your slow cooked shredded beef ragu pasta tomorrow night and was wondering if your ricotta gnocchi would be ok as the pasta element?
Thanks,
Mel
Gosh that would be amazingly indulgent! 👌🏻
Thanks for your reply Nagi on where to find this recipe for the plain ricotta gnocchi. Very much appreciated!
Just made this tonight and it’s amazing…. I always struggle to make potato gnocchi, but this recipe is super easy and anyone can make it. The notes are really helpful and the end result is delicious 🙂
I’m so happy to hear that Ivy! Thank you for taking the time to come back and let me know – N xx
I am making this tonight & so looking forward to it… Looks so simple… Have been totally put off buy all of the prep of the potato version… So glad I found this site… Will serve with a Blue Cheese Sauce which is to die for & so simple to make.
I hope you love it!!! Wait until you see the pumpkin gnocchi I just published literally 30 minutes ago…. N xx
Hi Nagi, thank you for posting this amazing gnocchi recipe! I made it last night and my whole family loved it.
I needed to double the recipe and realised that I had only bought 375g of ricotta rather than 500g. To make up the missing 125g, I added marscapone to the mix. I was worried that it might not work when cooked but it was perfect. I didn’t make your sauce as I had left over spaghetti sauce in the freezer which saved me some time.
That’s so wonderful to hear Alison! I also recently created a pumpkin gnocchi which, if I do say so myself, is even more amazing than this and just as simple! I’m publishing it soon and I’m so excited because I made a video too. 🙂 N xx
I have fresh shredded ricotta solada (it came in a hard wedge and not like the kind that’s cream cheese consistency) would that ricotta work for this? I have a bunch of this left after making lasagna
Sorry Jessica, I don’t know, I haven’t tried 🙂
Not as a sustitute for the ricotta, but yes as a substitute for the other cheese.
Just made this for brekky, pan fried in a Garlic butter sauce. Yum! So easy, so quick, so DELICIOUS.
PS. I understand your MKR addiction (I’m addicted too) only i don’t get frustrated with contestants lack of culinary skills, but rather their manners! They can be sooo rude!
Thanks for this recipe, will definitely make again 🙂
It’s become a soapie! it’s all about the storyline and personalities, less about cooking 🙁
Hi! I haven’t tried making these yet. But I am wondering if it is possible to pan fry these gnocchi? Instead of boiling them?
Hi Flo! You will still need to boil them to cook through then you could pan fry them briefly (use the steps in my Pan Fried Gnocchi 🙂 ). Hope you try these, they are crazy delicious!!
I was searching for a ricotta gnocchi recipe on Pinterest and came across this one. Without paying much attention, I opened it, read the post and then realized it was on your site. That convinced me right then and there that this is the recipe I must try, since your other recipes I’ve tried have been out of this world!
Ooh! I do hope you enjoy this Nichole, I am literally obsessed with it!
Is it possible to make these in the morning and cook them that night, but in the mean time just refrigerate them until ready to cook?
Hi Emma! Yes definitely 🙂 Just store in single layers with paper in between each layer in an airtight container. Oh and dust lightly with flour so they don’t stick together!
I would like to make these but without Parmesan. Is this possible will it upset the consistency?
Hi Victoria! Actually I am pretty sure it will be ok 🙂 Just add an extra pinch of salt!
I did this with your Ragu! Amazing! Finished it all in the frypan with the olive oil and water from the gnocchi – both great receipes – thank you!!
It’s so wonderful to hear you enjoyed it Abby, thank you for letting me know!! N x
Thank you for sharing this recipe!! It was so easy to make and my god it was delicious, best gnocchi ever and the tomato sauce was amazing too! I can’t eat garlic or onion so we just omitted those two ingredients, but it was still full of flavour. I can’t wait to make it again and try more of your recipes Nagi! 🙂
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Emily! Thank you for letting me know! N x
Wow!! I never ever leave comments but this recipe deserves it….5 stars all the way!! Took me 15 minutes to make this recipe and results were fantastic!!
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it Andrea, thanks for coming back to let me know! N x
I made this last night as a gluten free version with the tomato sauce (I used my own recipe for sauce, its very similar to yous).The gnocchi was light and fluffy, I had some leftovers with lunch today with some added pulled pork and grated zucchini. Thanks for sharing recipe!
Fantastic to hear Tracey! I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thank you for taking the time to come back and let me know! N x