Is gnocchi more unhealthy than pasta?

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.

Is it better to pan fry or boil gnocchi?

Perhaps I'm just a gnocchi snob, but the difference between boiled gnocchi and sautéed gnocchi is pretty amazing. Boiled gnocchi can be a bit stodgy, a bit slimy, a bit heavy… fried gnocchi is perfectly crispy and fluffy and light and toasty and all sorts of other lovely adjectives.

How do Italians serve gnocchi?

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.

How do you cook packaged gnocchi?

Cook gnocchi: Bring a large pot water to a boil; add 1 tablespoon salt. Add half of the gnocchi; when they rise to the top (after about 2 minutes), continue to cook until tender, about 15 seconds more .

How does Gordon Ramsay cook gnocchi?

Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Add the gnocchi, tilting the pan from side to side briefly to stop them sticking together, then simmer for about 1½–2 minutes until they start to float. Drain the gnocchi and leave them to steam-dry for 1–2 minutes. Meanwhile, start to make the sauce.

Why do Italians eat gnocchi?

Gnocchi, a substantial, high-calorie dish, was prepared on Thursday in anticipation of Friday, when, according to Catholic tradition, people fasted, abstaining from meat . On Friday, Romans traditionally ate fish-based dishes, such as chickpeas and cod, a dish still served on Fridays in the old-fashioned Roman taverns.

Can I eat gnocchi and lose weight?

Due to the smaller and denser nature of gnocchi, it is more likely that you will end up eating bigger portions than if you chose regular pasta. Although all foods can be part of a healthy diet in moderation, if you are trying to lose weight opt for other options than gnocchi or pasta .

Which is better, potato or ricotta gnocchi?

Comparatively speaking, ricotta gnocchi are quicker to prepare (just mix everything together- no potatoes to boil here!) and the texture is light and fluffy, in a unique “spongey” type way. As for the taste, potato gnocchi taste like…. potato, whereas ricotta gnocchi are more mild in flavor.

What sauce is good on gnocchi?

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.

Why did my gnocchi turn to mush?

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.

Do Italians fry gnocchi?

Oh yes, you don't always have to boil them and toss them with a sauce. You can pan-fry them to crispy, soft-centered delicious little bites that make a great alternative to fries or roasted potatoes which can take the best part of 40 minutes to 1 hour to prepare.

Is gnocchi better with or without egg?

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.

How is gnocchi cooked and served?

Poach gnocchi in batches in a pan of lightly salted water for 2-4 minutes. Cooked gnocchi will float to the top. Strain and serve immediately with a good pasta sauce . See our how to make gnocchi guide for more information.

Gnocchi recipe (2024)

It’s so easy to make gnocchi at home. Just a few ingredients mixed together, a little bit of therapeutic shaping and a couple of minutes in a pan of boiling water and you’ve got the base for all sorts of gnocchi recipes. Toss it in pesto, serve with bolognese, or make my easy gnocchi with chorizo in harissa-coconut sauce.

What is Gnocchi?

Gnocchi are basically little dumplings made of mashed potato, flour and egg. They sometimes include other ingredients, such as herbs or seasonings.
Italian in origin, they’re often eaten in the same way as pasta (however, they’re not pasta) – with a sauce or tossed in butter and garlic.
They cook very quickly – simply cooked in boiling water for a few minutes – until they float.
They can be eaten at that point, or for extra flavour, you can fry them in butter/oil until lovely and golden.

A brilliant way to use up leftover mashed potato! A good scoop (300g or a little over a cup) of mashed potato can make enough gnocchi for 4 small or two large servings.

📋 What do we need?

Mashed potato: Your mashed potato needs to be chilled and relatively dry (not too much butter and cream/milk – if you’re making the mash especially for gnocchi, then I wouldn’t add any at all.)
Flour – plain/all-purpose flour works best. We need just enough to ensure the gnocchi doesn’t fall apart, but not so much that the gnocchi texture is ‘gluey’. You might have to adjust the amount of flour, depending on how dry/moist your mashed potato is.
Oil and egg to bind the mixture together.
A little salt and pepper for flavour.

📺 Watch how to make it

Full recipe with detailed steps in the recipe card at the end of this post.

👩‍🍳PRO TIP I’ve recently tried using frozen mashed potato pellets (from the frozen aisle of the supermarket – I’ve bought it from Sainsburys and Ocado, but have also seen it in Tesco, Waitrose and Iceland) – just weigh it out, defrost and use as part of the recipe. It works great!

🍽️ How to serve Gnocchi

Try it as part of my spicy harissa gnocchi with chorizo, or swap out the ravioli for gnocchi and serve in this creamy sun-dried tomato sauce.

Look at those lovely little dumpling bites!!

🍲 More fantastic ‘How-To’ recipes

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Easy Homemade Gnocchi Recipe

By Nicky Corbishley

It's so easy to make gnocchi at home. Just a few ingredients mixed together, a little bit of therapeutic shaping and a couple of minutes in a pan of boiling water and you've got the base for all sorts of gnocchi recipes.

Prep Time:

15 minutes mins

Cook Time:

3 minutes mins

Total Time:

18 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Course: Dinner, Sides

Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

▢ 300 g (1 1/3 cups) dry mashed potato chilled
▢ 120 g (1 cup) plain (all-purpose) or pasta flour + extra for rolling. SEE NOTE 1
▢ 1 medium egg
▢ good pinch salt and pepper
▢ 1 tsp olive oil

Instructions

To Make The Gnocchi:

Place the mashed potato into a mixer with a dough hook or beater.
300 g (1 1/3 cups) dry mashed potato
Add the flour, egg, salt, pepper, and oil.
120 g (1 cup) plain (all-purpose) or pasta flour, 1 medium egg, good pinch salt and pepper, 1 tsp olive oil
Beat slowly until a stiff dough forms. (SEE NOTE 2)
Sprinkle the work surface with flour and divide the dough into 4 balls. Shape each ball into a long sausage.
Use a knife to slice the gnocchi rolls into 2cm pieces.
Roll the gnocchi along the back of a fork to shape into ridged pieces (see video).

To Cook The Gnocchi:

Working in two batches, place the gnocchi into a large pan of boiling water and boil for 2-3 minutes until they float to the top of the pan.
Remove with a slotted spoon.

Video

Notes

NOTE 1 – The flour

You want to use just enough flour so the dough isn’t sticky. If you add too much flour then the gnocchi can be gluey, but too little and the gnocchi will fall apart when cooking. You may need to adjust this slightly depending on how moist your mashed potatoes are.

NOTE 2 – Mixing the dough

You mix in a bowl by hand if you don’t have a stand mixer. Mix until the dough just comes together, with the flour fully incorporated.

Can I make it ahead?

I don’t really recommend making gnocchi ahead. A couple of hours is ok, but after that they can start to go a little grey in colour, and can become a little sticky – which makes them more difficult to handle.

If you did want to make it a couple of hours ahead, then make the gnocchi, place on a tray in a single layer and refrigerate. Then cook straight from the fridge.

Can you freeze gnocchi ?

Yes, gnocchi freezes well. Simply make the gnocchi and place on a tray (or two) in a single layer. Cover with clingfilm and freeze.
Cook the gnocchi in boiling water from frozen, until they float to the top of the water.

How to scale up and scale down this recipe

Scale this recipe up or down, sticking to the same ingredient ratios. If you’re making more gnocchi, please note it will take longer to cook all of the gnocchi, as it will need to be cooked in batches.

Nutritional information is per serving – this recipe makes 4 small portions.

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this recipe? Leave a comment below!

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