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Home Main Dishes

Easy Homemade Ricotta Gnocchi (from scratch)

By:Nagi
Published:13 Jul '15Updated:22 Jun '21
205 Comments
Recipe v

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!

Easy Homemade Ricotta Gnocchi with Neapolitan sauce

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!

Closeup of ricotta 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.

Closeup of rolled and cut Ricotta Gnocchi

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! đꙂ

Closeup of ricotta gnocchi with tomato sauce

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


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

30 Minute Homemade Ricotta Gnocchi - made from scratch in 30 minutes! So easy to make, and no special equipment required. Serve with a tomato sauce or browned butter - your choice!

Closeup of ricotta gnocchi with tomato sauce Plated ricotta gnocchi topped with grated parmesan

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30 Minute Homemade Ricotta Gnocchi - made from scratch in 30 minutes! So easy to make, and no special equipment required. Serve with a tomato sauce or browned butter - your choice!

Easy Homemade Ricotta Gnocchi

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 30 mins
Pasta
Italian
4.95 from 54 votes
Servings3
Tap or hover to scale
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Using ricotta, you can make homemade gnocchi from scratch in less than 30 minutes. It's real Italian food - fast! The gnocchi is light and fluffy, just like potato gnocchi. I've provided two sauces because I can't decide which is better so choose which one you prefer! The browned butter lets the flavour of the gnocchi shine through. But you can't be too generous with butter and I like my pasta saucy, so I've provided a classic tomato sauce too.

Ingredients

Gnocchi

  • 8 oz / 250g ricotta - ordinary supermarket ricotta , not expensive fresh Italian ricotta (Note 1)
  • 3/4 cup / 75 g freshly grated parmesan cheese (Note 2)
  • 3/4 to 1 cup / 112 - 150g plain flour , plus more for dusting (Note 3)
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • Black pepper

Browned Butter Sauce

  • 4 tbsp / 60 g unsalted butter
  • 1/4 tsp salt (or omit if using salted butter)
  • Black pepper

Tomato Sauce

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves , minced
  • 1/2 brown 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

Gnocchi

  • Combine the gnocchi ingredients in a bowl except the flour.
  • Use a rubber spatula to mix until the egg is partially mixed into the ricotta. Then add 3/4 cup of flour and mix until just combined so it is a sticky very soft dough, but not like batter. Use the remaining flour, 1 tbsp at a time to get the dough consistency right. I find 3/4 cup is enough. (Note 3)
  • Turn it out on a work surface lightly dusted with flour, sprinkle a tiny bit of flour on top then pat it down to a disc about 1"/2.5cm thick. Cut it into 8 pieces.
  • Roll a piece into a log about 3/5" / 1.5 cm in diameter and about 10"/25cm long. Repeat with remaining dough.
  • Line 4 logs up, then cut them into 3/5" / 1.5cm pieces. Repeat with remaining 4 logs. (Note 4)
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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

  • 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:

1. Fresh, soft Italian ricotta you can get from specialty delis is not suited to this recipe. You can use it, but you'll need around 15 oz / 450 g and will need to extract excess liquid by placing it in a paper towel lined colander for 30 minutes to an hour until it has thickened. Then measure out 8 oz / 250 g and proceed with the recipe.
Much easier and cheaper to use run-of-the-mill supermarket ricotta. Either over the counter from the deli or from the refrigerator section.
2. You really need to use freshly grated parmesan cheese for this because it is lighter and finer than store bought pre grated parmesan so it dissolves into the gnocchi better.
3. KEY TIP: The less flour you use, the lighter, softer and fluffier your gnocchi will be.
4. If making ahead to freeze, sprinkle very lightly with flour then place a single layer in a container. Place a layer of cling wrap or parchment paper (baking paper) on top, then top with another layer of gnocchi. Repeat until all gnocchi is in the container. Place airtight lid on then freeze until required.
To cook, place into boiling water from frozen, cooking for an extra 1 minute.
5. Recipe adapted from various sources, including Gourmet Traveller, Serious Eats, and SBS (Margaret Fulton recipe).
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @recipe_tin.

Nutrition assuming 3 servings with Browned Butter Sauce (left) and Tomato Sauce (right).

Gnocchi Browned Butter Sauce Nutrition    Gnocchi Tomato Sauce Nutrition

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Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative!

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205 Comments

  1. Denise Ing says

    December 20, 2022 at 1:50 pm

    5 stars
    These were delicious little pillows of delight. I normally feel so heavy after having potato gnocchi, but these were so light. They were so simple!

    Reply
  2. Deb says

    October 12, 2022 at 11:06 pm

    5 stars
    So delicious and so easy!
    Can’t believe how quick it was to make. Will be making again, however I will make the sauce first so it has longer to simmer.

    Reply
  3. Bell says

    October 2, 2022 at 1:51 pm

    5 stars
    Made this last night. I had doubled the recipe and put in 1.5 cups as suggested, but found it too dry. I think it was because my ricotta was quite dry (I made it and squeezed out loads of liquid). So I just added some whey/milk until it was the consistency I thought it should be. Also made it with whole meal flour and…. used a bag parmesan from aldi since I didnt have fresh parmesan, I put it through the processor first to break it up! It was pretty tasty, I imagine if I followed the recipe more closely it would be even tastier!

    Reply
  4. Lauren says

    July 31, 2022 at 6:56 pm

    5 stars
    This was so easy and the texture was amazing.
    Would it be okay to omit the parmesan cheese from the gnocchi next time? It’s quite expensive!

    Reply
  5. Susan Scarr says

    June 5, 2022 at 12:36 pm

    whats the best flour to use? Pasta \bread /tip00 or normal?

    Reply
  6. Tim says

    May 28, 2022 at 9:09 am

    5 stars
    Great Recipe! I made this for the first time instead of making potato gnocchi, and it came out wonderful. The texture was better than potato gnocchi and it was easier to prepare. My wife was very pleased with the results. I opted for the tomato sauce over the butter sauce. This will be my ‘go to’ recipe for gnocchi from now on. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      May 28, 2022 at 11:11 am

      Woo hoo Tim! That’s amazing!! I am so glad you both enjoyed it! N x

      Reply
  7. Meg says

    May 16, 2022 at 10:34 am

    Wonderful recipe Nagi! Had gluten free guests and made the gnocchi using gluten free flour. I would advise only using half the amount of regular flour as stated in the recipe, and add more if necessary. It was a triumph! Everyone absolutely loved it. Thank you

    Reply
  8. AMF says

    April 21, 2022 at 11:53 am

    5 stars
    This was awesome, and so easy! Full disclosure: I only made the gnocchi and used marinara I had on hand, but I will try one of the sauces the next time since I am definitely making it again! I doubled the recipe and it fed four of us…but there was absolutely nothing left over. I would probably make more the next time. Thank you Nagi, for sharing your incredible talent. The whole family loved it!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      April 21, 2022 at 2:36 pm

      Thanks AMF!! I am so glad that you liked it!! N x

      Reply
  9. Beth says

    March 26, 2022 at 11:32 am

    Can’t wait to try this. Whole milk or part skim ricotta?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      March 27, 2022 at 8:35 am

      Whole milk Beth! N x

      Reply
      • Beth says

        March 28, 2022 at 6:23 am

        Thanks!

        Reply
  10. Chris says

    September 8, 2021 at 10:25 am

    Hi Nagi
    Love your recipes! Just a quick question. I have just made these (doubled recipe) and the mixture seems very dry, not at all sticky. I used the ricotta that comes in a basket from the supermarket and I only used 220g flour. I feel like I could have used less. Just wondering what you think might have happened.

    Reply
    • Bell says

      October 2, 2022 at 1:59 pm

      I found mine dry too, I used ricotta I had made and most of the liquid was out. Just added milk until it was the consistency I assumed it was meant to be

      Reply
    • Michele says

      January 4, 2022 at 12:29 am

      You put too much flour. Only need 112-150g of flour, but you put 220g.

      Reply
      • Sinead says

        March 29, 2022 at 1:50 pm

        she said she doubled the recipie

        Reply
  11. Anisha says

    August 16, 2021 at 8:54 pm

    Gnocchi was a winner.
    I see from some of the comments your readers were confused which ricotta to use, tub or fresh. I used fresh, the dry crumbly type and it worked like a dream. If you could amend your instructions please.as they a bit confusing. Love your food blog.

    Reply
  12. Di says

    August 13, 2021 at 6:16 pm

    5 stars
    Thanks For this fabulous recipe. I Made the ricotta gnocchi it was delicious! didn’t boil the gnocchi just pan fried it cooked and served with a tomato sauce, beautifully. X

    Reply
  13. Kate says

    July 26, 2021 at 7:03 pm

    We used the second half of a large batch of gnocchi made and frozen a few weeks ago, with shredded leftovers from your slow cooked beef cheeks recipe. Soooooo good and moreish, and a great combination.

    Reply
    • Kim says

      October 2, 2021 at 8:49 am

      Hi Kate, did you cook the gnocchi first then froze it? Or did you just freeze it uncooked?

      Reply
      • Kate says

        October 2, 2021 at 11:24 am

        Hi Kim, we froze uncooked – separately the layers between with cling wrap.

        Reply
  14. Sam says

    July 2, 2021 at 6:50 pm

    5 stars
    Absolutely delicious!! And so much easier/quicker than normal gnocchi. Thanks for another fabulous recipe Nagi!!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      July 2, 2021 at 7:00 pm

      Yes aren’t they?! I’m so glad you enjoyed them Sam!! N x

      Reply
  15. Kathy says

    May 31, 2021 at 1:32 pm

    5 stars
    I made these gnocchi for the second time today, and they were again so light and lovely. If doubling the recipe, I’d suggest cooking the gnocchi in two batches, as they seem to come out looking prettier.
    Also, if serving as a main course, the standard recipe (3 servings) only feeds 2-2.5 people at my house, because everyone wants seconds.

    Reply
  16. Georgia says

    April 27, 2021 at 11:00 am

    5 stars
    Amazing gnocchi! Also fun to make with kids. Guests loved it. A quick question, I know you can freeze it but would it work if I made it a few hours earlier than cooked it at night?

    Reply
  17. Jenni says

    April 2, 2021 at 2:00 pm

    5 stars
    So easy and yummy

    Reply
  18. Lynne Quimby says

    February 23, 2021 at 7:30 pm

    5 stars
    I made the gnocchi tonight paired with your recipe for creamy tomato pasta (just the sauce), so good! The gnocchi was lovely and light and the sauce was just the right amount of tasty, and not overpowering.

    RecipeTinEats is my go to Nagi…it always turns out great. Thank you!

    Reply
  19. Licia stazzonelli says

    December 8, 2020 at 1:12 am

    Will try and make them and inform you of the results
    Thank you
    From fremantle Western Australia

    Reply
  20. Ebony says

    November 2, 2020 at 9:47 pm

    Hi Nagi! If I wanted to prepare the gnocchi earlier in the day for cooking that night, what’s the best way to store it (without freezing)?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      November 3, 2020 at 11:14 am

      Hi Ebony, dust well with flour and pop them on a baking tray, cover loosely with cling wrap and pop in the fridge 🙂 N x

      Reply
      • Ebony says

        November 3, 2020 at 1:28 pm

        Thankyou!! Can’t wait to make them 🙂

        Reply
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