Bring Italian Restaurant Vibes to Your Kitchen Tonight With This Gnocchi Recipe (2024)

If you're wondering how to cook gnocchi, look no further than this cozy and comforting recipe. It starts with our homemade potato gnocchi, but you could substitute store-bought potato gnocchi if you prefer, cooking them according to the package instructions. There are many ways to make a tomato sauce from scratch, and if you don’t already have a favorite, this easy recipe is for you. It has two unexpected ingredients: canned tomato sauce (in addition to canned tomatoes) and white wine. The wine adds a touch of acidity and lightens the sauce. The canned tomato sauce helps speed up cooking the sauce by adding body, so it is ready in about 45 minutes.

Bring Italian Restaurant Vibes to Your Kitchen Tonight With This Gnocchi Recipe (1)

What Are Gnocchi?

Gnocchi are small dumplings that are usually treated like pasta—boiled and tossed with a sauce. They are an Italian food that is much loved all over the country, rather than belonging to one region or city. They are made with minimal ingredients, usually potatoes, eggs, and flour, and the process for making them is straightforward. Gnocchi are often formed using a fork to create the characteristic ridges that sauces cling to, but they can also be smooth.

Homemade vs. Store-Bought

We love homemade gnocchi and encourage you to try making them—once you do, you’ll be hooked. It’s a fun process, but it does take time, especially at first. When you’re pressed, store-bought gnocchi are an easy dinner. They cook in less than five minutes and will work wonderfully with the homemade tomato sauce in this recipe.

To keep gnocchi from becoming mushy, be sure not to overcook them. After they rise to the surface (this should take about 2 minutes), cook them for 15 more seconds, or until tender.

Tools Needed for Gnocchi With Tomato Sauce

To make our gnocchi with tomato sauce, you'll need these basic pieces of kitchen equipment:

  • Large Saucepan: Using a large enough saucepan will ensure you have ample room to stir the sauce as it cooks without making a mess on your stovetop. You won’t need a matching lid for this recipe.
  • Large Pot: You will need a separate large pot for cooking the gnocchi. If you don’t have a pot that’s large enough to cook the gnocchi in two batches, add fewer gnocchi at a time and cook them in three or four batches.
  • Slotted Spoon: A slotted spoon is key for removing cooked gnocchi without catching unnecessary water. You can also use a spider—a long-handled tool with a cup-like metal basket—to transfer the gnocchi to the sauce.
Bring Italian Restaurant Vibes to Your Kitchen Tonight With This Gnocchi Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What do Italians eat with gnocchi? ›

Roasted potatoes and polenta are perfect to serve alongside this dish. The trick for making this is to prepare it the day before, then let the meat rest overnight so that the oil softens its fibers even more.

Is gnocchi Russian or Italian? ›

It has been a traditional type of Italian pasta since Roman times.

Is gnocchi healthy? ›

Compared to pasta, pizza or other types of food made from refined flour, gnocchi made only with potatoes and water have a lower glycemic index, despite the fact that the primary nutrients are carbs. Therefore, gnocchi can be a healthier option if chosen carefully.

Is gnocchi pasta or potato? ›

While gnocchi are a traditional Italian pasta shape, what makes them distinct is that they use potatoes as the main ingredient. Therefore, they're commonly considered to be a dumpling. Like many dishes in Italian cuisine, gnocchi vary in both name, appearance, and recipe across the regions of lo Stivale.

Is gnocchi a side or main dish? ›

Gnocchi is a pillowy Italian dish you can serve as a side dish, appetizer, or main dish.

What is the best way to eat gnocchi? ›

Top 10 ways to serve gnocchi
  1. Gnocchi with roasted squash & goat's cheese. ...
  2. Gnocchi bolognese with spinach. ...
  3. Gnocchi with mushrooms & blue cheese. ...
  4. Gnocchi with lemon & chive pesto. ...
  5. Swede gnocchi with crispy sage. ...
  6. Gnocchi with roasted red pepper sauce. ...
  7. Gnocchi with two cheeses & bacon.

What does gnocchi mean in English? ›

(ˈnɒkɪ , ɡəˈnɒkɪ , ˈɡnɒkɪ ) plural noun. dumplings made of pieces of semolina pasta, or sometimes potato, used to garnish soup or served alone with sauce.

What is gnocchi called in Italy? ›

In Venice, gnocchi is also known as "macaroni." Made from a base of flour, milk, and eggs cooked and shaped into little discs, they are baked in the oven with butter and cheese. It's an almost identical preparation to Lazio's famous gnocchi alla romana: round, flat discs of cooked and cooled semolina.

Is gnocchi healthier than spaghetti? ›

Nutritional Value

Believe it or not, regular pasta is actually more carb-heavy than gnocchi, coming in at around 2 times the amount of carbs per serving. Gnocchi is also notorious for having a lot more sodium, with over 200 grams of it per serving. Regular pasta doesn't have nearly as high of a sodium content.

Does gnocchi raise blood sugar? ›

Gnocchi is often accompanied by various types of cheese, adding a delicious layer of flavor. While the fat in the cheese does not directly impact blood sugar levels, it can affect gastric emptying and potentially lead to a delayed rise in blood sugar several hours after the meal.

Is gnocchi ok for high cholesterol? ›

Pasta dishes made with white pasta or pasta high in saturated fat, like gnocchi, are not ideal options for people with high cholesterol.

Can I pan fry gnocchi instead of boiling? ›

If you've never tried pan frying gnocchi, you are in for a treat! Forget boiling it, you can actually just toss it in a skillet and cook it. This means less dishes, as it's all cooked in one skillet and crispy, pan fried gnocchi is the result. I love the texture of crispy gnocchi, with it's crunchy browned exterior.

What does the egg do in gnocchi? ›

Egg yolk added to your gnocchi dough helps improve texture, and keep it together while cooking. Gnocchi is traditionally made with eggs in Veneto and no eggs in Piedmont, the two Northern Italian regions famous for gnocchi. We vote for egg yolks at the rate of 1 per (500g) 1 lb of uncooked potatoes used.

Why is my homemade gnocchi soggy? ›

Your gnocchi may be mushy because of any or all of the following reasons: boiled the potatoes instead of baked them. used waxy new potatoes with too much moisture in them. not used eggs to help texture.

How are gnocchi traditionally served in Italy? ›

A very popular way to serve gnocchi is with tomato, basil and mozzarella. This simple trio is at the base of the famous Gnocchi alla Sorrentina, in the Sorrento style, where the gnocchi are baked and the melted mozzarella binds the sauce and the gnocchi with cheese strings.

What meat do you eat with gnocchi? ›

Beef and gnocchi is such a good combo! There's also no need to pre-cook the gnocchi. It cooks right in the sauce, which is convenient and helps with cleanup.

What is served with pasta in Italy? ›

Pasta is often served as a primo (first course), with a meat, seafood or vegetable course called a secondo coming after that. To do as the Italians do, try serving a smaller portion of pasta as a primo for an Italian-inspired dinner party, or as precursor to a meat, fish or vegetable main.

Are you supposed to eat gnocchi with sauce? ›

Like pasta, gnocchi is the perfect vessel for a variety of delicious sauces, from tomato, bolognese and quick butter sauce with sage to creamy gnocchi sauces.

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