A simple guide to how to fry gnocchi, to make light and fluffy dumplings with crispy edges. They're so much better than boiled!
If you've only ever had boiled gnocchi, you must learn how to fry gnocchi. It ends up like an entirely different food! No more dense, stodgy dumplings - fried gnocchi is crispy on the outside, and light and fluffy in the middle. Plus it's really easy to do!
What is gnocchi?
Just in case you're wondering what I'm on about, I'll quickly explain what gnocchi is!
Gnocchi are little dumplings made from mashed potato, with a bit of flour added to hold it together. As you might expect, gnocchi don't have a huge amount of flavour on their own, so just like pasta, they're perfect for serving in a tasty sauce.
Boiled vs fried gnocchi
I always used to find gnocchi a bit disappointing - I never order it at a restaurant because I find it's usually been boiled, which I don't particularly enjoy. But then I discovered that it's so much better when it's fried / sautéed!
Perhaps I'm just a gnocchi snob, but the difference between boiled gnocchi and sautéed gnocchi is pretty amazing. Boiled gnocchi can be a bit stodgy, a bit slimy, a bit heavy... fried gnocchi is perfectly crispy and fluffy and light and toasty and all sorts of other lovely adjectives.
What type of gnocchi can you fry?
This is the type of gnocchi I use - just your bog standard packet of potato gnocchi (gnocchi di patate).
The photos show the brand I happened to have in the cupboard, but you can use any brand you like - it doesn't need to be anything fancy (honestly I usually just buy the cheapest one I can find).
Usually this type of gnocchi comes either vacuum-packed, or just loose in a plastic packet like this one. I almost always keep a pack of gnocchi in the cupboard, as it's usually got a pretty long date on it (this one had about 9 months from the time I bought it!), and it makes a nice change from pasta.
How to fry gnocchi
There's not much that needs to be said really - just cook the gnocchi in a frying pan with a bit of oil and / or butter (I like to use a bit of both!).
That's all there is to it. Easy peasy.
Just cook it in the pan, stirring occasionally, until the gnocchi ends up nice and golden brown all over. It will be beautifully crispy - the noise it makes when you stir it around the pan is pretty amazing.
Do you need to pre-boil the gnocchi?
Nope!
The cooking instructions on the packet actually say you should boil the gnocchi, but I always ignore this like the rebel I am, and just skip straight to sautéing the gnocchi in a frying pan.
It does take a little longer (15ish minutes to fry, compared to just a couple of minutes to boil), but believe me, the extra time is well worth it.
Can you fry homemade gnocchi?
If you don't have any shop-bought gnocchi in your kitchen, it's really easy to make your own!
Homemade gnocchi only needs a few staple ingredients, so you can probably make it with what you already have at home. If you make it from scratch, it's not particularly quick to make, but I always make my gnocchi using frozen mashed potato, which cuts down the prep time dramatically (don't ever say I'm not there for you with a top tip to help you be more lazy).
If you prefer a potato-free version, ricotta gnocchi is even easier to make, and can be on the table in no time!
Homemade gnocchi can absolutely be fried, just like you can with the shop-bought stuff. I've always boiled my homemade gnocchi first, then sautéed it afterwards - it's a bit more delicate than shop-bought, and boiling helps to firm up the dumplings a bit. You could definitely try skipping this step though, if you're short on time (let me know how you get on!).
Sauces for gnocchi
Even though it's less stodgy when it's fried, gnocchi is still a hearty, filling dish, so you don't want to add any sauce that's too thick or heavy.
Quite a thin sauce is perfect - just something to nicely coat the dumplings without being too much. A few of my favourites:
- cream cheese (just melt it over the gnocchi in the pan, with a dash of water to thin it out)
- pesto (especially homemade!)
- a light tomato sauce (or even just some chopped fresh tomatoes)
- a creamy tomato and mascarpone sauce
- garlic mushrooms cooked in butter
Don't forget to add some veggies too, to lighten things up further (this time I used frozen veg because #quarantinelife) - gnocchi primavera is one of my favourites. And definitely don't forget how to fry gnocchi - you'll never want it boiled again!
📖 Printable Recipe
How to fry gnocchi
If you've cooked this recipe, don't forget to leave a star rating!
Print Pin CommentIngredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 500 g ~ 1 lb potato gnocchi
Instructions
- Gently heat the oil and butter in a frying pan until the butter has melted. Add the gnocchi. Don't overcrowd the pan - you want the gnocchi to be spread out in a single layer across the bottom of the pan. Cook over a medium heat, stirring every few minutes, until crisped up to your liking (around 10-15 minutes).
- Serve the sautéed gnocchi with a light sauce (see the blog post for some ideas).
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on your exact ingredients. Please calculate your own nutritional values if you require accuracy for health reasons.
Don't forget, homemade gnocchi is easy to make, especially this super quick ricotta gnocchi!
shawna says
Awesome! Quick and easy for a weeknight dinner. I sauteed it in a plant based "butter" substitute with a little conola added with 2 cloves of finely diced garlic, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper, and 1 tsp of itatian seasoning. My family made lots of yumyum noises as they ate.
Becca Heyes says
Sounds great! Glad you enjoyed it :)
Pat says
You are right: there is NO comparison! The fried gnocchi is so much better than the boiled. I always thought you had to pre-boil until I came across your recipe. I'll never go back! Thanks for sharing.
Becca Heyes says
No, don't bother! It works without boiling! :)
Kieron Harrop says
Fried home made from left over mashed potato, stayed together perfectly and made great dumplings, with no sauce tasted a bit like dough balls. Used a spicy tomato based sauce, 😋
Becca Heyes says
Sounds great, glad you enjoyed it!
Carrie says
Hi Becca - I've got some gnocchi stuffed with tomato and mozzarella I bought in Aldi....have you tried frying any stuffed ones? Bought on a whim!
Becca Heyes says
Yes! They work well! Enjoy :)
Nana the Rancher says
LOVE this! - Added cooked shrimp, mushrooms cooked in butter and olive oil and a very spicy marinara sauce Our propane stove in the country just takes forever to bring big pots of water to boil, so I've really limited my meals plans to things that don't have to BOIL!! - And going there this weekend with a grown grandson who has hollow legs and giant appetite after working all day always gives me the opportunity to cook and cook and bake! It's much more difficult to plan great meals for just two people now, so visitors are always welcome! Really enjoy your recipes!
Becca Heyes says
Thanks for the lovely comment! Definitely sounds like sautéed gnocchi will be better for you than waiting ages to boil it - and tastier too! :)
Neil says
Try roasting gnocchi in an air fryer. Serve it with a sauce of your liking.
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Loved your instructions for pan-frying Halloumi. I was given some in a box of cheese and had no idea what to do with it :-) It is in a sealed plastic pack with a use by date of January 2024
Cindy says
Pan fried gnocchi is the only way to go! After l fry mine, as per recipe, l put them on a plate (or shallow bowl) and top with grated cheese. Pop it in the microwave just long enough to melt the cheese. Sprinkle with diced green onions and serve with a dollop of sour cream! Soooo good! 🤤
Becca Heyes says
Sounds incredible!!
Candace B says
I am so mad I have no sour cream!!!
Larilyn Swanson says
Use greek yogurt instead. You can hardly tell the difference.
Jody says
What a way to cook gnocchi! I would never have tried it, now I will never boil it again.
Becca Heyes says
Haha me neither! It makes all the difference doesn't it!
Dorothy Uhler says
I fried my gnocchi for the first time on Saturday for a church dinner. They were a big success. I made my own Version of olive oil primavera with garlic, parmigiano, and my ripe garden vegetables. I made it to taste using my own home grown herbs. Needless to say, there was none left.
Becca Heyes says
Oh my goodness, that sounds incredible, especially with homegrown veg! Really glad you enjoyed it :)
Sarah says
I turned off the heat on my cast iron pan after 10 minutes of frying, then threw cream cheese, spinach, mozzarella and salt into the pan and stirred. So creamy, so crispy! So good!!!
Finding packaged gnocchi that didn't require refrigeration really upped my hiking game when I was sick of Ramen and mashed potatoes on trail last year. I just love the consistency of packaged fried gnocchi!
Oh so good and so quick and easy!
Thanks again!
Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says
Sounds amazing! :)
rosie says
I already fry Perogies, and now I'm doing it to gnocchi. OMG this is heaven.
Becca Heyes says
I wish pierogies were a thing here, they sound like something I'd love!
Terry says
Hi Becca!
Holly @ spendwithpennies.com has a great perogi recipe, with several variations listed throughout the article.
Though I'm replying really late - blame it on being a 1st time visitor, from Alberta, Canada 🍁 🇨🇦
And now that my gnocchi dilemma is resolved (I bought them on a whim 😬), I'm off to check out some of your other recipes!
Thanks for this one!
Becca Heyes says
Thanks Terry, glad to have you here!