Homemade Potato Gnocchi - CopyKat Recipes (2024)

Potato Gnocchi can be hard to find in some grocery stores. But never fear you can make your own homemade potato gnocchi. It is very inexpensive to make and you can feed a very large family on a big pot of potato gnocchi.

Potato gnocchi can be hard to find in some grocery stores. But never fear, you can make your own homemade potato gnocchi and feed a lot of people with a big pot of these delicious little potato dumplings. Leftover cooked potatoes make great potatoes for gnocchi – you get to use them up and make a filling and inexpensive meal. Plus, potato gnocchi is even tastier if you make it from scratch.

What Is Potato Gnocchi?

Gnocchi are doughy, pillow-like dumplings that are treated much like pasta. They are boiled and served with a potato gnocchi sauce of your choice. While it is a little messy, you will find that this is an easy and versatile pasta dish with just a few ingredients – potatoes, flour, eggs, and salt.

You can use this gnocchi in another potato gnocchi recipe, such as Alfredo sausage gnocchi bake or Olive Garden chicken and gnocchi soup. Or you can serve it with any sauce that you like. I love a dish like this because it can help you extend leftover sauces as well as use up leftover potatoes.

Are Gnocchi Pasta or Potato Dumplings?

Pasta is typically made from wheat flour, eggs, and water. The most common type of gnocchi (“lumps” in English) is made from potatoes that are combined with flour to make a dough. A small amount of egg is added to act as a binder and to give the mixture some density.

The use of potatoes as a primary ingredient has created a debate as old as time: is gnocchi a pasta or a type of dumpling? To complicate matters, some kinds of gnocchi are made with a pasta dough called impasto, and this is why gnocchi is often categorized as pasta.

What Are the Best Potatoes for Gnocchi?

Go for Yukon gold or russet potatoes. Don’t use new potatoes because they contain more water which absorbs too much flour.

Is It Better to Boil or Bake Potatoes for Gnocchi?

Most people boil their potatoes for gnocchi, but to achieve fluffier gnocchi, some swear by baking them. You can even bake them on a bed of rock salt to absorb any moisture.

How to Serve Homemade Potato Gnocchi

You can finish your gnocchi with a simple butter and Parmesan cheese topping if you like. You could also use some leftover pasta sauce as a potato gnocchi sauce or make some Alfredo sauce and have a wonderful dish.

• Recipe Tip for the Cook – Use prepared mashed potatoes (like Bob Evans) to cut down on the prep time.

How to Store Potato Gnocchi

This recipe makes a lot of gnocchi. You can leave the uncooked gnocchi in an airtight container for up to 48 hours for cooking during the next day or two. You can also cook the gnocchi and re-heat it later. I think it is best to cook the gnocchi just before serving.

You can also freeze your uncooked gnocchi and use them from time to time as side dishes. Lay them out on a cookie sheet till frozen and transfer them to a freezer bag. When you decide to use them, just add to rolling salted boiling water and cook until they float plus a minute more (no need to defrost first).

Potato Gnocchi Recipe Ingredients

Here is a list of what you need to make potato gnocchi:

• Potatoes
• Flour
• Egg
• Salt

How to Make Potato Gnocchi

1. Boil the potatoes for 10 to 15 minutes, or until fork-tender.
2. Let the potatoes cool until they can be handled comfortably.
   
3. Peel the potatoes and place them into a bowl.
4. Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes until they are smooth.
   
5. Transfer mashed potatoes to a large board.
6. Place half of the flour on top of the potatoes.
7. Make a well in the center of the flour and add salt and the egg.
   
8. Use your hands to mix the egg, flour, salt, and potatoes together.
9. When the flour has been fully incorporated, add the remaining flour and mix until all the flour is absorbed.
10. Take a small portion of the potato gnocchi dough and roll it into a long log.
11. Cut the log into pieces.
12. Roll the pieces over a fork to give them the classic gnocchi shape.
    
13. Repeat rolling and cutting with the remaining dough.
14. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
15. Cook gnocchi in boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes or until it floats.

How to Serve Gnocchi

You can use this gnocchi in a recipe or you can serve it with any sauce that you like. I love a dish like this because it can really help you extend leftover sauces.

I am going to finish this gnocchi up with a little butter and Parmesan. But you could use some leftover pasta sauce or make some Alfredo sauce and have a wonderful dish.

Love Gnocchi? Try these recipes with gnocchi!

• Chicken Gnocchi Soup
• Gnocchi Alfredo with Italian Sausage

Favorite Italian Pasta Dishes

• Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara
• Chicken Romano Recipe
• Chicken Tortellini Soup
• Egg Pasta Recipe
• Garlic Shrimp Pasta Recipe
• Olive Garden Baked Pasta
• Olive Garden Chicken Alfredo
• Olive Garden Lasagna
• Seafood Alfredo

Check out more of my easy pasta recipes and the best Italian recipes here on CopyKat!