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How to make Homemade Gnocchi

An easy guide to making your own homemade gnocchi from scratch, including a handy tip that will save you heaps of time!
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 3
Calories: 379kcal
Author: Becca Heyes

Recipe printed from www.easycheesyvegetarian.com

Ingredients

For the homemade gnocchi:

  • 500 g mashed potato (~ 2 cups)
  • 120 g plain flour (~ 3/4 cup), plus a little more for rolling
  • 1 egg
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • 1/2 tbsp oil
  • 1/2 tbsp butter

For the kale pesto:

  • 1 small clove garlic, peeled
  • Small handful kale
  • A few sprigs fresh parsley or coriander (cilantro)
  • 1 tbsp pine nuts
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp cream cheese
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • 9 cherry tomatoes, halved

Instructions

  • If using frozen mashed potato, defrost it thoroughly in the microwave.
  • Combine the mashed potato, flour and egg in a large mixing bowl, along with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Using clean hands, mix well, and knead lightly to form a dough. If the dough is too sticky, just add a tiny bit more flour.
  • Roll out the dough (or just press it out with your hands) until it's around 1.5 cm thick, and cut into 1.5cm strips. Roll each strip a little on the worktop to form a sausage, and cut into pieces - mine measured around 3cm long. Use a fork to add grooves if you wish (I didn't bother).
  • When all of the dough has been used to form the gnocchi, bring a large pan of water to the boil. Add some of the gnocchi - you'll need to cook it in 2 or 3 batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. When the gnocchi floats to the surface (which should take less than a minute), give it another 20 seconds or so, then remove it from the water using a slotted spoon. Repeat until all of the gnocchi have been cooked.
  • The gnocchi are now edible, but I think they're much nicer if you fry them a little first. Heat some oil and butter in a frying pan, and add some of the gnocchi (again, cook it in a couple of batches so you don't overcrowd the pan). Cook over a medium heat for a couple of minutes each side, until golden brown and crispy.
  • Serve the gnocchi with your choice of sauce. I used a creamy kale pesto - if you'd like to do the same, just add the garlic, kale, coriander, and pine nuts to a mini food processor and blitz until a paste is formed. Add the extra virgin olive oil and cream cheese, along with a good pinch of salt and pepper, and blitz again. Serve the gnocchi with the pesto and a few cherry tomatoes.

Notes

There's no shame in using frozen mashed potato to make homemade gnocchi. The good quality stuff has a very short ingredients list (just potatoes and salt!), and it saves so much time. Gnocchi is also a great way to use up leftover mashed potato from the night before, if you prefer!

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
How to make Homemade Gnocchi
Amount Per Serving (1 portion)
Calories 379 Calories from Fat 113
% Daily Value*
Fat 12.5g19%
Saturated Fat 3.5g18%
Cholesterol 61mg20%
Sodium 602mg25%
Potassium 572mg16%
Carbohydrates 56.9g19%
Fiber 3.4g14%
Sugar 2.4g3%
Protein 9g18%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on your exact ingredients. Please calculate your own nutritional values if you require accuracy for health reasons.