Posted Aug 18, 2024, Updated Oct 12, 2024 Who else loves homemade pasta? Homemade is always so fresh and delicious, and so much better than store bought, especially when it comes to gnocchi. Did you know I went years without buying boxed pasta?! Literally years. I always opted to make my own because I just love it so much! Gnocchi is a dumpling shaped, potato-based pasta that is hearty and satisfying, and this homemade gnocchi is the best. Plus, in our recipe we boil the gnocchi to cook in and then brown it in a mixture of oil and butter – a step that takes your pasta from good to – knock-your-socks-off amazing. I often only cook half of the gnocchi recipe, and freeze the rest for later. It can be cooked in boiling water straight from the freezer, so it’s great to have on hand! Serve it with homemade marinara sauce, pumpkin pasta sauce, pesto, or meat sauce!
Potato Gnocchi: Ingredients & Substitutions
Potatoes. Any variety of potato works well in this recipe, even sweet potatoes. My favorites are Yukon Gold, russet and red potatoes. Flour. you can substitute up to half of the flour with white whole wheat flour. Or, use all-purpose gluten-free flour to make it gluten-free. Parmesan cheese. cheddar cheese is a good substitute.
How to Make Potato Gnocchi
As always, I love giving you as much information as possible to help ensure your success when you choose to make one of my recipes, and don’t forget to watch the video.
Cook the Potatoes
Wrap the potatoes in foil and bake at 450 degrees F for 60-90 minutes or until soft. (Baking time will vary depending on the size of your potatoes). Once the potatoes are cool, remove the skin and place them in a food processor.
Make the Dough
Use a food processor fitted with an “S” blade to make the potato gnocchi dough. Start by adding the egg, salt and cheese and process until combined (do not overprocess). Then, add 1 ½ cups flour and process until combined. If needed, add up to ¼ cup of additional flour until the dough forms a tacky ball. Turn dough onto a well-floured surface, and use the remaining ¼ cup flour to knead the dough until it is no longer sticky. Put dough on a well-floured surface and cover with a bowl and let rest for at least 30 minutes.
Form the Potato Gnocchi
After the dough has rested, divide it into four equal parts and roll into thin ropes (about ½ inch thick). Then, cut each rope at ½ or 1” intervals (depending on how big you want your gnocchi). This will yield square gnocchi. If you prefer round gnocchi, you will need to roll each piece by hand to form an oval/round shape. Once you have your desired shape, press a floured fork into the top of each gnocchi.
Cook the Potato Gnocchi
This homemade potato gnocchi always needs to be boiled first. It cooks relatively fast, (in 3-5 minutes). You will know the gnocchi has finished cooking because it will float to the top of the boiling water. Lay it out in a single layer on a baking sheet to flash-freeze, then transfer frozen potato gnocchi to an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. At that point, remove it with a slotted spoon and transfer it to a colander to drain any excess water. If you want to take your homemade potato gnocchi to the next level, I highly recommend you do not skip the browning in butter/olive oil step. Add 2 Tablespoons of cooking oil/butter to a large sauté pan. Melt/warm over medium heat. Add ½ batch of gnocchi and stir to coat with oil. Cook gnocchi on one side for about 5-10 minutes until golden-brown. Flip and cook another 3-5 minutes on the second side until golden brown. Transfer cooked gnocchi to a covered baking dish in the oven set to “warm” to keep it warm while you cook the remaining pasta or wait to serve.
Serve
Serve this homemade gnocchi with your favorite pasta sauce. Here are a few suggestions:
Make this cheesy sausage gnocchi – it’s delicious. Serve with marinara sauce or meat sauce. Toss it with some pesto sauce or avocado pasta sauce. Serve with homemade meatballs or turkey meatballs! In the fall, make this pumpkin pasta sauce and serve it with homemade gnocchi!
Store
Store leftover cooked gnocchi in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freeze
As mentioned above, I suggest freezing uncooked gnocchi in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Then, you cook potato gnocchi from frozen. Just bring a pot of water to a boil and add the frozen gnocchi. Cook until the noodles float to the top of the water then follow the recipe. If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can see your creations!
