From the Board

Homemade Potato Gnocchi

Soft potato dumplings made with warm riced potatoes, flour, Parmesan, and egg, then lightly frozen before boiling for a cleaner shape and better texture.

Serves 4 1 hour Intermediate Freezer Friendly
Ingredients for homemade potato gnocchi
Download Printable Recipe Card (4 × 6)

Simple Ingredients, Light Hands

Good gnocchi doesn’t need much—just warm potatoes, flour, egg, and a little cheese. The trick is handling the dough as little as possible.

The less flour you work in, the lighter the finished gnocchi will be. A bench scraper helps keep things gentle, and a short freeze before cooking helps them keep their shape and lose excess surface flour.

Keep your potatoes warm when mixing. Cold potatoes absorb more flour, which makes heavier gnocchi.

Equipment

  • Potato ricer
  • Bench scraper
  • Large pot for boiling
  • Wooden board or large work surface
  • Knife
  • Parchment-lined tray
  • Plastic wrap

Instructions

  1. Build the base. Spread the flour onto a wooden board and rice the warm potatoes directly over it.
  2. Add the remaining ingredients. Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano, egg, and salt.
  3. Bring the dough together. Use a bench scraper to fold everything together until pebbly, then gently bring it into a dough.
  4. Knead briefly. Knead only until smooth. Do not overwork.
  5. Portion the dough. Keep it covered and cut off about one-eighth at a time.
  6. Roll and cut. Roll into ropes using as little extra flour as possible, then cut into 1-inch pieces.
  7. Tray and freeze. Transfer to a parchment-lined tray and freeze for 1–2 hours.
  8. Cook. Boil in heavily salted water until the gnocchi float. Remove and serve immediately.

Paul’s Notes

Why freeze first?

It helps the gnocchi firm up, release extra flour, and keep their shape in the pot.

Don’t overwork

The more you knead, the more gluten develops and the heavier they become.

Sauce matters

Gnocchi pair best with lighter sauces like brown butter, pomodoro, or simple cream sauces.

Cook with me

Want to learn gnocchi hands-on?

Gnocchi is one of the best dishes to learn in class because it teaches dough feel, how to work with warm potatoes, how much flour is enough, and how to shape pasta with a light hand. It’s a simple recipe that sharpens technique fast. Ask about adding it to a private cooking class in Naperville or the surrounding Chicago suburbs.

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