Gnocchi di ricotta (ricotta gnocchi), made from scratch in 30 minutes – no potatoes required! Soft, pillowy dumplings made with smooth ricotta cheese, flour, fresh parmesan and a hint of lemon, served in a rich tomato sauce. Comfort food at its best.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Quick and easy – these delicate, fluffy gnocchi are much quicker and easier to make than traditional potato gnocchi. Perfect for when you are short on time!
- So good! Cheesy, melt-in-your-mouth pillows covered in a fast but flavourful tomato sauce and served with basil and plenty of parmesan cheese. A simple dish that is sure to please everyone.
- Freezer-friendly – make a double batch and freeze half for next time. Just boil and serve with your favourite sauce.
- Vegetarian – perfect for a meat-free lunch or dinner!
- Versatile – make it with a simple tomato sauce (recipe below), or add your favourite pasta sauce and add-ins!
Ingredients you will need
** This post contains tips and instructions to achieve the best possible results. The photo above is a great guide for when you are in the supermarket, but for full ingredient quantities and methods, please scroll down to the detailed recipe card below!
- Ricotta – Use regular, full-fat smooth ricotta found in tubs in the supermarket. There is no need to use fresh ricotta, as it will be too watery. I use Woolworths smooth ricotta cheese (full fat). * The moisture content of ricotta will vary from brand to brand. See notes below regarding additional flour.
- Egg – binds the dough together. Use one large, free-range egg plus one extra egg yolk.
- Flour – use ‘00’ bread/pasta flour to make it light and fluffy, or swap for plain (all-purpose) flour if that’s what you have on hand. I recommend using a kitchen scale to accurately measure the ingredients, for best results.
- Parmesan cheese – finely grate your own block of fresh parmesan or pecorino cheese, as it will melt into the dough much better than pre-packaged shredded cheese. Choose a sharp cheese for maximum flavour and make sure the fluffy cheese is firmly packed into the measuring cup.
- Lemon – a little zest is used to flavour the gnocchi and the juice is used to balance the sweetness of the pasta sauce.
- Nutmeg – because nutmeg + ricotta is a classic combination! It adds a lovely, subtle flavour to the gnocchi. Use ground, dried nutmeg, or leave it out if preferred.
- Canned tomatoes – use canned, crushed tomatoes (polpa) with no additives or extra flavours.
- Garlic – adds a base-flavour to the tomato sauce. Crush fresh cloves of garlic, or use minced garlic.
Step by step instructions
**Full ingredient list and detailed step-by-step instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
Step 1 – Make the tomato sauce;
Cook the olive oil and garlic together over very low heat, until soft and fragrant. Add the canned tomatoes, salt and pepper, lemon juice and basil leaves and bring to a low simmer for 5 minutes, or until the sauce reduces slightly. Leave the sauce on low heat while you make the gnocchi, or allow it to sit and reheat immediately before serving.
Step 2 – Mix the dough;
Start by combining the wet ingredients and spices together in a bowl (ricotta, egg, yolk, cheese, nutmeg, lemon zest and salt and pepper) until completely combined.
Add the flour and stir until everything just comes together. Don’t overmix.
Gently place the dough on a floured surface (bench or cutting board) and shape it with your hands into a rough circle.
Step 3 – Roll and cut the dough;
Using a knife, cut the dough into four even wedges.
Using your hands, gently roll out each wedge into “sausage” shaped ropes. A little more flour may be sprinkled over the ropes of dough if they are a little sticky. They should not stick to the surface or your hands.
Cut the ropes into bite-sized pieces. You can then use a fork to gently roll a little dent over the top, but this is not essential.
Place the gnocchi on a baking tray or board with an additional coating of flour. The extra flour will prevent the pieces from sticking together.
Step 4 – Cook the gnocchi;
Carefully add the gnocchi pieces to a large pot of boiling, salted water. After about 2 minutes, they will gently float to the top. Once they are at the top of the boiling water, they are ready! Carefully drain them and serve them in the tomato sauce (or your sauce of choice), some basil leaves and extra parmesan cheese.
Expert tips
- It is important to measure your ingredients accurately. The amount of flour required will depend on the amount of moisture in your ricotta. Start with 1 ½ cups (210 grams) and check the dough. It should be soft, without being too sticky. Add a little more flour if needed, but only use as much as you need to bind the dough.
- Don’t overwork the dough. Overworked dough or too much flour will make the gnocchi hard and tough. Use a spoon to mix the dough until just combined. Then, shape, roll and cut.
- Use the gnocchi recipe as a base and coat it in your favourite sauce! While I have included a simple tomato sauce recipe below, it is completely adaptable. Try tossing the cooked gnocchi through some brown butter and sage leaves, basil pesto or a cream-based sauce with loads of parmesan if you prefer.
- Fry your gnocchi if you’d like them a bit crispier. Cook and drain the gnocchi as normal. Then, place them into a hot pan with a little oil or butter for a few minutes until crispy and golden.
FAQs
As ricotta gnocchi has a mild flavour, it can be paired with just about any of your favourite pasta sauces. While I’ve included an easy tomato sauce below, you are limited to your imagination with the sauces and add-ins you use. Try some burnt butter, sage, toasted pine nuts and pumpkin or your favourite cream-based sauce. You can also pair it with some garlic bread or a side salad like this roast pumpkin salad.
To freeze, place the individual gnocchi pieces on a baking tray lined with paper and a little flour. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and place the baking tray into your freezer and wait until the gnocchi is hard (around 1 hour). Then, add the gnocchi into freezer-safe bags or airtight containers. Allowing them to partially freeze on the trays first will stop them from sticking together. Freeze for 2-3 months. When you’re ready to cook, place the frozen gnocchi into boiling water and cook until they float to the top.
The gnocchi can be made ahead and stored on a flat, floured tray in the fridge for a few hours, before cooking. Uncooked gnocchi can also be frozen, ready to add to a pot of salted, boiling water. The cooking time will increase if the gnocchi is chilled or frozen.
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Gnocchi di Ricotta (Ricotta Gnocchi)
Ingredients
For the tomato pasta sauce
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 4-5 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 3 cups canned tomatoes crushed
- salt and pepper
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves
- 1-2 teaspoons lemon juice
For the gnocchi
- 375 grams smooth ricotta 1 ½ cups (measure accurately). Use a tub of smooth ricotta from the supermarket.
- 1 egg
- 1 extra egg yolk
- ¾ cup Parmesan or pecorino cheese freshly grated and firmly packed
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg ground.
- salt and pepper
- pinch lemon zest
- 210 grams 00 flour 1 ½ cups when fluffed and levelled. Plus extra flour for rolling and coating.
To serve
- fresh parmesan or pecorino cheese grated
- basil leaves
Instructions
For the tomato sauce
- Place the olive oil and garlic into a large frying pan and cook over very low heat until the garlic softens and becomes fragrant. Keep an eye on it to prevent burning or turning brown.
- Add the canned tomatoes, salt and pepper, basil leaves and lemon juice and simmer over low heat for five minutes, or until the sauce reduces slightly.
- Keep the sauce on low heat while you prepare the gnocchi, or set aside and quickly reheat when ready to serve.
For the gnocchi
- Place the ricotta, egg, yolk, parmesan, nutmeg, lemon zest and salt and pepper into a mixing bowl. Stir to combine.
- Add the flour to the mixture and stir until just combined. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky, but not stick to your hands. A little more flour can be added (if needed), but only add a little at a time.
- Place the dough onto a lightly floured board and shape it into a round disk.
- Cut the dough into four even portions and use your fingers to roll each dough portion into a rope shape.
- Using a knife, cut the rolled dough into small, bite-sized pieces. Sprinkle with a little extra flour to prevent the pieces from sticking together.
- Place the gnocchi into a large pot of boiling, salted water. The gnocchi will start to float to the top when it is ready (around 1-2 minutes). Test a piece of gnocchi by removing it from the water. If it is soft and cooked through, it is ready!
- Remove from the heat and gently drain. Serve immediately topped with the tomato sauce or your sauce of choice, additional parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves.
Notes
- Ricotta – Use regular, full-fat smooth ricotta found in tubs in the supermarket. There is no need to use fresh ricotta, as it will be too watery. I used Woolworths smooth ricotta cheese (full fat). * The moisture content of ricotta will vary from brand to brand. See notes below regarding additional flour.
- Flour – use ‘00’ bread/pasta flour to make it light and fluffy, or swap for plain (all-purpose) flour if that’s what you have on hand. I recommend using a kitchen scale to accurately measure the ingredients, for best results.
- It is important to measure your ingredients accurately. The amount of flour required will depend on the amount of moisture in your ricotta. The less moisture, the less flour you will need. Start with 1 ½ cups (210 grams) and check the dough. It should be soft, without being too sticky. Add a little more flour if needed, but only use as much as you need to bind the dough.
- Don’t overwork the dough. Overworked dough or too much flour will make the gnocchi hard and tough. Use a spoon to mix the dough until just combined before shaping, rolling and cutting the dough.
- Use the gnocchi recipe as a base and coat it in your favourite sauce! While I have included a simple tomato sauce recipe below, it is completely adaptable. Try tossing the cooked gnocchi through some brown butter and sage leaves, basil pesto or a cream-based sauce with loads of parmesan if you prefer.
- Fry your gnocchi if you’d like them a bit crispier. Cook and drain the gnocchi as normal. Then, place them into a hot pan with a little oil or butter for a few minutes until crispy and golden.
- Make ahead; The gnocchi can be made ahead and stored on a flat, floured tray in the fridge for a few hours, before cooking. Uncooked gnocchi can also be frozen, ready to add to a pot of salted, boiling water. The cooking time will increase if the gnocchi is chilled or frozen.
- Freezing; To freeze, place the individual gnocchi pieces on a baking tray lined with paper and a little flour. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and place the baking tray into your freezer and wait until the gnocchi is hard (around 1 hour). Then, add the gnocchi into freezer-safe bags or airtight containers. Allowing them to partially freeze on the trays first will stop them from sticking together. Freeze for 2-3 months. When you’re ready to cook, place the frozen gnocchi into boiling water and cook until they float to the top.
- Please note that the nutrition information is based on the gnocchi and tomato sauce being divided into 4 individual bowls, with one bowl being one serve. The nutritional information is an estimate only and does not take into account any additional toppings, sides or sauces served with the gnocchi.
- This recipe is made using Australian cups and spoon measurements. Due to cup sizes varying from country to country, I advise adjusting if necessary.
Nutrition
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Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in May 2019, but was re-published with new information, helpful tips and photos in June 2022.
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