Learn how to make Homemade Gnocchi with just four simple ingredients! These soft, pillowy Italian potato dumplings are surprisingly easy to make from scratch. Includes step-by-step photos, chef’s tips, and a video for perfect gnocchi every time.
Soft, pillowy, and irresistibly tender, homemade potato gnocchi are worth every minute! Made with just four simple ingredients, these delicate Italian dumplings are surprisingly easy to make from scratch and so much better than store-bought.
The secret to light, fluffy gnocchi is all in the technique. Baking the potatoes, using a potato ricer, and gently handling the dough create tender little pillows that practically melt in your mouth.
Once you’ve mastered the basics, the possibilities are endless! Toss your homemade gnocchi with marinara, pesto, or brown butter and sage, or try our Gnocchi with Mushrooms for a cozy, satisfying dinner.
Why You’ll Love This Homemade Gnocchi Recipe!
Light, tender, and pillowy. Baking the potatoes and gently handling the dough creates beautifully soft gnocchi without a heavy, gummy texture.
Just four simple ingredients. All you need are potatoes, flour, egg, and salt to make these delicious Italian dumplings from scratch.
Versatile and freezer-friendly. Serve with your favorite pasta sauce, sauté in butter after boiling, or freeze a batch for an easy homemade dinner later.
Gnocchi Recipe Ingredients
- Baker potatoes- like Russet or Idaho potatoes
- Egg – as a binder.
- Flour- all-purpose flour works great.
- salt – good quality mineral salt or sea salt
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How To Make Potato Gnocchi
Bake the potatoes. Preheat oven to 450°F. Pierce potatoes 3-4 times with a fork, wrap in foil, and bake whole, unpeeled, for 45-60 minutes, until completely soft.
Rice the potatoes. While still hot, peel the potatoes, using a towel to hold them. Cut into chunks and press through a potato ricer (or use a grater) directly onto a clean countertop or large cutting board. Let cool. ( If you don’t have a ricer, use a cheese grater. Best to grate while warm.)
Why use a potato ricer? Pressing the cooked potatoes through the ricer prevents excessive mixing. It provides an even mash, preserving more of the fluffy integrity of the potato. When potatoes are stirred, blended and smashed together, the starch develops and becomes gelatinized, binding together and creating a gummy pasty texture.
Make the dough. Pour the beaten egg over the cooled potatoes, sprinkle with salt, and sift the flour over the top.
Using a bench scraper or your hands, gently fold everything together until a soft dough forms. Avoid smashing or overworking the dough. Dust with flour, adding a little more as needed.
Roll and cut. Form the dough into a thick log and divide into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a rope, about ½-¾ inch thick, then cut into 1-inch pieces. Lightly flour your work surface as needed to prevent sticking. You can use them as is, or shape them as shown below!
Shape the gnocchi. Place each piece, cut side down, on a lightly floured gnocchi board or the back of a fork. Gently press and roll with your thumb, folding the dough over itself to create a loose tube with ridges.
Place the shaped gnocchi on a lightly floured baking sheet while you finish the rest.
Cook the gnocchi. Bring a large pot of generously salted water (salty like seawater) to a gentle simmer. Cook gnocchi in small batches for 2-4 minutes, until they float to the surface. Remove with a slotted spoon. Return the water to a gentle simmer between batches. Avoid overcooking, as the gnocchi can fall apart.
What Should Gnocchi Dough Feel Like?
The secret to light, pillowy gnocchi is using just enough flour to bring the dough together without making it heavy.
Your gnocchi dough should feel soft, tender, and slightly tacky, but not so sticky that it clings to your hands. It should hold together when gently rolled into a rope.
The amount of flour needed will vary depending on the moisture content of your potatoes. Start with the amount directed in the recipe, adding a little more only if needed.
Chef’s Tip: Avoid kneading gnocchi dough like bread dough! Use a bench scraper to gently fold the ingredients together until just combined. Overworking develops gluten and can make the gnocchi dense and chewy.
How To Freeze Gnocchi
Lay the gnocchi in a single layer out on a sheet pan, so they are not touching each other. Place in freezer for at least 1 hour. When frozen, store in a sealed bag or container for up to 2 months.
To cook frozen gnocchi, drop directly into boiling water from the freezer and cook until tender and floating.
Chef’s Tips for Light, Pillowy Gnocchi
- Choose starchy potatoes. Russet or Idaho potatoes are ideal for gnocchi because their high starch content and relatively low moisture create a light, fluffy texture. Older, well-stored potatoes can work especially well.
- Bake, don’t boil. Baking potatoes in their skins helps keep excess moisture out, so you’ll need less flour in the dough. For the best results, bake them until completely tender.
- Rice the potatoes while hot. Peel and rice the potatoes shortly after baking, then spread them out briefly to release steam before adding the egg and flour. This helps prevent a gummy texture.
- Use a potato ricer. A ricer creates a fine, fluffy texture without overworking the starch. A grater works in a pinch, but avoid using a food processor or blender, which can make the potatoes gluey.
- Handle the dough gently. Fold the ingredients together just until a soft dough forms. Avoid vigorous kneading or adding too much flour, which can make gnocchi dense and chewy.
- Cook or freeze promptly. Freshly shaped gnocchi are best cooked right away or frozen in a single layer. Refrigerating uncooked gnocchi for extended periods can cause them to release moisture and become sticky and mushy.
Homemade Gnocchi Troubleshooting
- Why are my gnocchi gummy? Too much moisture, excessive mixing, or overworking the dough can create a gummy texture. Use starchy russet potatoes, rice them while warm, and handle the dough as little as possible.
- Why are my gnocchi dense or chewy? Too much flour is often the culprit. Add only enough flour to create a soft dough that holds together, and avoid heavy kneading.
- Why are my gnocchi falling apart in the water? The dough may be too wet or not have enough flour to hold its shape. Try cooking one test gnocchi before boiling the entire batch. If it falls apart, gently incorporate a little more flour into the remaining dough.
- Why are my gnocchi sticking together? Dust them lightly with flour and arrange them in a single layer on a floured baking sheet. Cook or freeze them promptly rather than letting them sit for too long.
faqs
Bake the potatoes in the skins. Use russet potatoes. Use a potato ricer. Pressing the cooked potatoes through the ricer prevents excessive mixing. It provides an even mash, preserving more of the fluffy integrity of the potato. When potatoes are stirred, blended, and smashed together, the starch develops and becomes gelatinized, binding together and creating a gummy, pasty texture.
Gnocchi is a small dumpling, technically not pasta.
With thicker sauces, it is best to pre-boil gnocchi before adding in to the sauce. With more broth-like sauces or soups, the gnocchi can cook right in the broth.
What To Serve With Gnocchi
Love this recipe? Please let us know in the comments and leave a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below the recipe card.
Watch how to make Gnocchi
Easy Homemade Gnocchi Recipe (Soft and Pillowy)
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 65 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
- Yield: 8–10 servings 1x
- Category: comfort food, dinner idea, fall dinner, freezer meal, how-to recipe, Make-ahead, Pasta, winter dinner
- Method: mixed
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Learn how to make soft, pillowy Homemade Gnocchi with just 4 simple ingredients! This easy potato gnocchi recipe includes step-by-step photos, tips, and a video.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (900 grams) russet potatoes
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup (128 grams) flour + more as needed for bench
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Bake the potatoes. Preheat oven to 450°F. Pierce potatoes 3-4 times with a fork, wrap in foil, and bake whole, unpeeled, for 45-60 minutes, until completely soft.
- Rice the potatoes. While still hot, peel the potatoes, using a towel to hold them. Cut into chunks and press through a potato ricer (or use a grater) directly onto a clean countertop or large cutting board. Let cool.
- Make the dough. Pour the beaten egg over the cooled potatoes, sprinkle with salt, and sift the flour over the top. Using a bench scraper or your hands, gently fold everything together until a soft dough forms. Avoid smashing or overworking the dough. Dust with flour and add a little more as needed.
- Roll and cut. Form the dough into a thick log and divide into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a rope, about ½-¾ inch thick, then cut into 1-inch pieces. Lightly flour your work surface as needed to prevent sticking.
- Shape the gnocchi. Place each piece, cut side down, on a lightly floured gnocchi board or the back of a fork. Gently press and roll with your thumb, folding the dough over itself to create a loose tube with ridges. Place the shaped gnocchi on a lightly floured baking sheet while you finish the rest.
- Cook the gnocchi. Bring a large pot of generously salted water (salty like seawater) to a gentle simmer. Cook gnocchi in small batches for 2-4 minutes, until they float to the surface. Remove with a slotted spoon. Return the water to a gentle simmer between batches. Avoid overcooking, as the gnocchi can fall apart.
Notes
- To freeze gnocchi: Lay the gnocchi (uncooked) out on a pan so they are not touching each other. Place in freezer for at least 2 hours. When frozen, store in a sealed bag or container for up to 4 months.
- To cook frozen gnocchi: drop directly into boiling water from the freezer.
- Tips for making the best gnocchi: Use older potatoes! They have less moisture and more starch, which makes the gnocchi pillowy light. Large baker potatoes, like russets, are the best choice here. The thicker the skin, the older the potato.
- Baking the potatoes in their skins helps remove moisture and will yield the lightest pillowy gnocchi.
- Processing the hot potatoes as soon as they come out of the oven is key. The starch changes as soon as they begin to cool resulting in a gluier texture. Best not to use pre-baked potatoes.
- Use a potato ricer, not a masher, for the potatoes. (A cheese grater can work as an alternative.)
- Avoid over-mixing and smashing the dough. The goal is to keep the texture light, too much kneading changes the texture.
- It is best to either cook all the gnocchi right away or freeze. (Water seeps out of uncooked gnocchi when stored in the fridge, resulting in a gray, mushy dough.)
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 15 Gnocchi
- Calories: 125
- Sugar: 0.6 g
- Sodium: 135.9 mg
- Fat: 0.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 3.9 g
- Cholesterol: 18.6 mg
My family are from Italy and my aunt made the lightest and best gnocchi ever. I am so glad to find your recipe because she never wrote it down. We had to watch her. Potatos vary and she would adjust the flour depending of the potato are watery. We always used the ricer and she would rice the potato’s into a mountain and then make well. Here is where she would add the egg and other ingredients. By hand she would take the outer parts and incorporate it into the well. By hand she did this and you should never over mix gnocchi. We never used a board- just use a large fork and keep it in one hand and with the othe prayer the gnoccho into the fork to make a thumb indent and lightly roll it to the right and onto the cutting board letting it fall. Simple that way. Thanks again for the measurements!
Thanks for sharing Deborah!
Following you for a very LONG time. When ever I receive a email from you, I get a little skip and beat. Your recipes are amazing!! Thanks for sharing and such a delight to see so much success from you two women.. Hugs from Washington!
So nice to hear Pamela! Really appreciate you being here with us.
Hi. Any ideas where to buy that wood thing? I did a google search & maybe I’m using the wrong keywords but can’t find it.
Thx!
They are usually called a gnocchi paddle or gnocchi board.
The simplest but most information forward recipe. First time making gnocchi & not a fan of other recipes I’ve seen online.
Glad it was helpful!
Would it work to peel the potatoes before baking them, in order to avoid having to peel them when they’re hot?
The peel locks in the starches that keep the gnocchi fluffy and light.
I baked my potatoes for 1 hr, perfect doneness. I don’t have ricer so I used a grater. I ended up grating about 2/3 of all the potatoes with relative ease but the last 1/3 (the last bits from each potato) I mashed. Used einkorn flour. Bc the mashed part was not smooth certain parts of my dough fell apart a bit, but overall the light mixing with a scraper worked well. The gnocchis were chunky and ugly (shaped with a fork) but boiled and fried well.
They take a few practice tries- mine looked similar the first time! Glad you gave this a go!
Fabulous recipe! My first time making gnocchi and this recipe was so helpful. It’s very well written with specific and easy to follow instructions. I also appreciated your explanations that seemed to take into account questions I was considering. My partner and I shaped the gnocchi using forks…clearly a learning curve. We made a kale pesto to go with it. Just delicious. Thank you!
Yay, Lisa! So glad this was a success for you all.
This is the first recipe that made me feel stupid. Idk if anyone has actually tried it but after 45 mins my potatoes were hard as rocks, after an hour they were mush and nearly impossible to grate. The dough would not come together with gentle movements. All I had were lightly floured grated pieces. I ended up squeezing it together just to make a log which Im pretty sure I wasnt supposed to do because it definitely wasnt “gentle movements”. I didnt know how long the ropes should be ans consequently how big the 1 inch pieces should be. They ended up too big and got all stuck on my hands and fork just making messy blobs. Its been 2 and a half hours of of what should have been 30 mins of prep. I havent even cooked them yet so idek if theyll hold together. I just dont know how this was supposed to have been done…
Oh no! I totally hear how frustrating and disappointing this has been. Did the step by step pictures in the post help at all? It sounds like the potatoes maybe got overcooked? Also did you use any additional flour when attempting to shape the gnocchi? Once your hands get sticky it can be really hard to work with the dough. Even though they are just blobs they should cook ok.
I was scared if I added more flour theyd be even worse. When the dough wouldnt hold together I thought the problem was actually too much flour like with a regular dough. You were right though, they seemed to cook up okay even though theyre very ugly haha. I think Ill stick to making regular pasta.
Well I am glad they were salvageable. Bummer it was a hard process🫤 Maybe we will do a video on this eventually to make the steps easier to understand!
Good morning: Thoughts on swapping sweet potatoes for the russet…any changes in other ingredients? Am enjoying cooking my way through your website…wonderful recipes and always delicious and am trying a few of your Indian dishes this week. Excited!!!
Thank you again
Dianne
Hi Dianne, I love the idea of sweet potato gnocchi. This recipe is specifically for russets where the consistency is dry and that is balanced with the other ingredients. Sweet potatoes have a lot more moisture, eventually we will create a different recipe. If you play around with it, let us know how it turns out!
So happy to hear you are enjoying the blog!
Thank you for you feedback and I am providing some late response. We used the King Arthur Flour sweet potato recipe and probably could have added much more flour. Flavor was good, but a little gummy and dense. 🙂
Yams are much drier than sweet potatoes. When making with white potatoes. I use Idaho russets.
Wonderful! Looks so good and easy to make—I’ll be doing it soon. Love that they can be frozen to use at a later time. Thank you F@H!
Have you ever tried making gnocchi with gluten free flour? Perhaps using a 1-1 replacement flour like King Arthur’s 1-1 All Purpose Gluten Free Flour… or maybe just a plain rice flour ( thinking of how many delicious steamed dumplings there are in Asian cuisine!) The process doesn’t require the building of gluten – so I’m curious if you think the substitution would work?
Thanks for your insight!
We have not experimented with this but I think it is worth a try! I agree that you are not relying on gluten so it seems doable. Let us know if you play around with it!
Hi Tonia….have you ever done this gnocchi with gluten free flour? If so, which would you recommend? I always look forward to Feasting at Home in my mailbox on Sat morning! Thanks
No but I think it is worth a try!
I have not yet made the recipe, but the simplicity makes it a tryer.
For those interested in a plant based option, adding silken tofu blended with a touch of olive oil and water works great as an egg replacement. Love your site, thanks for all the fabulous recipes!
Thanks Murphy. Nice to know!
This looks like a fun cold weather recipe to make. I am wondering, can other ingredients be added to this? Things like cheese bacon and spinach come to mind I am sure there are others that will work as well.
Hi Dan, Perfect winter project! You can treat the gnocchi much like pasta. While you can add some cheese in the dough, for the most part you can use the extra ingredients, like bacon and spinach to sauté up with the gnocchi (not necessarily mixing in the gnocchi dough) and sauce. Too many ingredients in the gnocchi with make them heavy and stodgy.
Could I add a little bicarbsoda or baking powder to the mix to make the gnocchi fluffier?
Hi Judith, Not so sure about adding baking powder or soda. The potato gnocchi are really light and fluffy this comes from the technique of making the dough. Hope you give it a try!
Thank you Tonia.
I will try making gnocchi next week.
Let us know how it goes for you Judith.