Dead Easy Gluten Free Ricotta Gnocchi

This recipe for Gluten Free Ricotta Gnocchi is deceptively simple, yet unforgettable. You can enjoy these light fluffy clouds of dumpling deliciousness in 20 or so minutes from kitchen to table. This recipe is a fast track to impressing your dinner guests. It makes 2 main meal serves, and can easily be doubled to serve 4. You can also make a big batch and freeze them to have gnocchi on demand - see the FAQs for more details.

Why Ricotta Gnocchi and not Potato Gnocchi?

Put simply, ricotta gnocchi are much lighter, and pillow-like, than potato gnocchi. These gnocchi won't leave you with a heavy feeling after eating them. You'll love this recipe so much, you'll want to come back to them again and again.

There are actually many varieties of gnocchi - most people are only familiar with the type made with potatoes and it's fair to say that potato gnocchi can be a very hit and miss affair. If cooked incorrectly, they are heavy, chewy lumps. Ricotta gnocchi - on the other hand - is much more filling because there is a lower starch content.

Ricotta gnocchi is also much quicker to make than potato gnocchi as there is no potato to pre-cook before forming the dumplings.

Hopefully, I've managed to sell you on making these Gluten Free Ricotta Gnocchi the next time you desire a decadent, yet easy meal.

How to make this recipe

As already mentioned, making these gnocchi is very easy and practically foolproof. They're also quite fun to make and it would be quite romantic to make them while sipping some wine. Here's a quick overview of how to cook the gnocchi and more details are in the recipe card below.

Make the dumplings and boil the water

• Fill a large saucepan to ¾ full with water and then bring to a boil. Or boil a full kettle of water.
• Sieve the potato starch, nutmeg and salt into a small bowl.
• Start with low fat or full fat ricotta cheese which is drained of all liquid
• Add to a mixing bowl along with the whole egg, yolk, parmesan and salt - mix well with a fork
• Add in the potato starch mixture - mix with a fork, wooden spoon or your hands.
• Test by forming a small dumpling - if it holds its shape, then there is enough potato starch. If not, slowly add more by a teaspoon at a time, though less is better.
• Now, make all the dumplings using your hands to shape them. A heaped US tablespoon for each dunpling is a good amount or a level AUS tablespoon.
• Place on an oiled plate to prevent sticking.

Boil the dumplings

• Place all the dumplings in the boiling water and place the lid on the saucepan. After about a minute once it has come to a boil again, remove the lid, gently stir with a wooden spoon to prevent any sticking together.
• The gnocchi are done after 5-6 minutes depending on the size - they need to go beyond the floating stage that you may typically use since they are gluten-free. I recommend using a timer.
• Drain in a colander.

Brown the dumplings - optional

• After the gnocchi have drained, brown them in a pan with butter and olive oil on medium heat until lightly golden on each side. If you would like your butter to brown, don't add olive oil and just keep an eye on the butter to ensure it doesn't burn. You may want to do this in a light-coloured saucepan if you're new to browning butter. Here's a brown butter tutorial if you want to try it!
• Crisp up some sage leaves at the same time in the pan. If using browned butter, do that step first before crisping the sage leaves.

Serve the gnocchi and wait for the accolades to flow

• Serve immediately with crispy fried sage leaves, grated parmesan/pecorino and the sauce.

Tips for getting these made faster

Some simple tips for getting these cooked quicker:

• get your boiling water ready while combining the dumpling mixture and forming them - either boil a full kettle of water or start heating your pot with cold water on the stove while forming the dumplings
• crisp up the sage leaves while the gnocchi are boiling
• if using browned butter to serve, you can make this on the stove while forming the dumplings - just heat the butter on a low heat, keep an eye on your saucepan to prevent burning, stirring every minute or so - you want the butter to be a light-medium golden brown colour
• more than one person can make the dumplings at the same time - I wish I had someone to do this with, but it's usually just little old me 😉

Before we get to the recipe

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Serving suggestions

These gnocchi are perfect with a simple butter and olive oil sauce, parmesan or pecorino and crispy sage. Alternatively, you can serve with a red pasta sauce or a basil pesto - I have a fantastic recipe for Macadamia Basil Pesto in my intolerance-friendly recipe eBook Bread or Dead. You could also brown butter in a light coloured saucepan to give a nutty element to the sauce. Here's a brown butter tutorial if you want to try it! If you don't want to brown the butter, add a little olive oil to the pan when making the sauce to prevent burning.

Frequently Asked Questions

📋 Recipe

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