Recipe

Ricotta Gnocchi

Light, pillowy gnocchi made with ricotta instead of potatoes, ready in about 30 to 40 minutes for most cooks and perfect with brown butter sage or your favorite marinara.

By Matt Campbell

•

4.8

A shallow bowl of ricotta gnocchi coated in brown butter with crisp sage leaves and grated Parmesan on top, set on a warm, neutral-toned dinner table with soft natural light

Jump to Recipe

Ricotta gnocchi is my kind of pasta night: cozy, fast, and just fancy enough to make you stand a little taller at the stove. No boiling potatoes. No ricing. No waiting for steam to stop coming off a spud like you are watching a suspense film.

These are tender, cloud-like dumplings that come together with accessible ingredients and a light touch. The only real secret is this: dry ricotta equals good gnocchi. If your ricotta is watery (you see whey or liquid pooling), your dough will demand more flour, and more flour makes gnocchi heavy. We are not making doorstops. We are making pillows.

Whole-milk ricotta, grated Parmesan, an egg, flour, salt, pepper, and nutmeg set out on a clean kitchen counter with a pot and skillet nearby

Why It Works

Quick comfort: the dough mixes in one bowl and the gnocchi cook in about 2 to 3 minutes per batch.
Light texture: ricotta keeps them tender, while a small amount of flour gives structure without turning them bready.
Beginner friendly: no special shaping tools needed. A bench scraper and your hands get it done.
Flexible: pair with brown butter sage, marinara, pesto, or lemony cream sauce.

Pairs Well With

Storage Tips

How to store cooked gnocchi

Fridge: Store cooked gnocchi and sauce separately if you can, in airtight containers for up to 3 days. If they are already sauced, they are still good, just softer.

Reheat: Warm in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water or broth. If you want crispy edges, add a little butter or olive oil and let them brown for a minute before tossing.

How to freeze (best method)

Freeze them uncooked so they stay tender.

Place shaped gnocchi on a parchment-lined sheet pan in a single layer.
Freeze until firm, about 1 to 2 hours.
Transfer to a freezer bag and freeze up to 2 months.

Cook from frozen: Drop them straight into boiling salted water. They will take a little longer than fresh, usually about 1 to 2 minutes more depending on size.

Common Questions

Do I need to drain the ricotta?

If your ricotta looks wet (visible whey or liquid pooling), yes. Line a fine-mesh strainer with cheesecloth or paper towels, add the ricotta, and let it drain 15 to 30 minutes. If it is very wet, you can even drain longer in the fridge. Dry ricotta means you can use less flour, which means lighter gnocchi.

What kind of ricotta works best?

Whole-milk ricotta that is thick and scoopable. Avoid whipped ricotta. If you can find basket-style or well-drained ricotta, that is basically the VIP lane for this recipe.

Why is my dough sticky?

Usually it is moisture. Two fixes: drain the ricotta next time, and for now flour your hands and the counter instead of adding lots of extra flour to the dough. Add flour 1 tablespoon at a time only if the dough is truly unworkable.

Can I make the dough ahead?

You can mix the dough and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours, tightly covered. It may weep a little and it may firm up, both are normal. When you go to shape, you might need a light dusting of flour or a tablespoon folded in if it feels overly soft.

How do I know when gnocchi are done?

They float. Once they rise to the surface, give them about 30 to 60 seconds more depending on size, then scoop them out with a slotted spoon. If you want total certainty, cut one open. It should look set and feel tender, not wet in the center.

Can I skip the egg?

The egg helps bind. You can reduce it by using just the yolk for a richer dough, but skipping it entirely makes the gnocchi more fragile, especially if your ricotta is not very dry.

What sauce is best with ricotta gnocchi?

Brown butter sage is the classic for a reason, but marinara, pesto, or a lemony cream sauce all work. Keep the sauce fairly light so the gnocchi stay the star.

Matt Campbell

I have always had a huge passion for the culinary arts, people, working as a team, and so on. I wanted to pursue my love for cooking initially at Virginia Commonwealth University with a culinary arts degree; however, I instead decided to apply myself and acquire more practical skills. My end goal is to eventually open my own restaurant or similar establishment.

Kitchen Essentials

Large pot (for boiling)
Fine-mesh strainer (optional, for draining ricotta)
Mixing bowl
Rubber spatula or fork
Bench scraper or knife
Sheet pan + parchment paper
Slotted spoon
Large skillet (for sauce)

The first time I made ricotta gnocchi, I treated the dough like bread dough. I kneaded it, I fought it, I added flour like I was trying to win an argument. The result was edible, sure, but it had the vibe of a dumpling that wanted to be a hockey puck.

Now I keep it gentle. I drain the ricotta if it looks even a little suspicious, mix just until it comes together, and shape with a light dusting of flour. When they hit the water and float up like little life rafts, I still get that tiny hit of kitchen joy. It is the kind of cooking that feels like magic, even on a Tuesday.

Ricotta Gnocchi

(4.8 Reviews)

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

For the ricotta gnocchi

1 pound whole-milk ricotta (thick and scoopable, drained if wet, not whipped)
1 large egg
3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg (optional, but very good)
3/4 to 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for the counter (start with less, add only if needed)

Quick brown butter sage sauce (optional but recommended)

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
10 to 12 fresh sage leaves, patted dry
1 small garlic clove, finely grated (optional)
1/2 lemon, zest and a squeeze of juice (optional, for brightness)
Salt to taste

Ricotta, grated Parmesan, an egg, flour, salt, and pepper arranged on a clean kitchen counter with a mixing bowl nearby in soft natural light

Instructions

1) Drain ricotta if needed

If your ricotta has visible whey or liquid pooling, set a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl, line with paper towels or cheesecloth, and drain for 15 to 30 minutes. You want it thick and scoopable.

2) Make the dough

In a large bowl, mix the ricotta, egg, Parmesan, salt, pepper, and nutmeg until combined.
Add 3/4 cup flour and fold gently until a soft dough forms. Stop as soon as it comes together. Overmixing makes gnocchi tough. If the dough is so wet you cannot shape it, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time.

A mixing bowl with ricotta, egg, Parmesan, and flour being gently mixed with a fork on a floured countertop in a home kitchen

3) Shape the gnocchi

Line a sheet pan with parchment and dust it lightly with flour.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter. Pat into a rectangle and cut into 4 pieces.
Roll each piece into a rope about 3/4-inch thick. Cut into 1-inch pieces. You can leave them as little pillows, or roll gently over the tines of a fork for ridges.

Yield: Makes about 50 to 70 gnocchi, depending on how big you cut them.

Ricotta gnocchi dough being rolled into long ropes on a lightly floured cutting board with a bench scraper nearby

4) Cook

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then salt it generously (about 1 to 2 tablespoons kosher salt).
Cook gnocchi in batches, about 1/3 of the batch at a time, so the pot is not crowded.
Once they float, cook 30 to 60 seconds more depending on size, then lift out with a slotted spoon.

Ricotta gnocchi floating at the surface of a pot of boiling salted water while a slotted spoon lifts a few out, steam rising in a home kitchen

5) Optional: Brown butter sage sauce

While the gnocchi cook, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook until it smells nutty and turns golden brown, swirling occasionally, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Add sage leaves and cook until crisp, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
If using garlic, stir it in for 10 seconds. Add lemon zest and a small squeeze of lemon juice if you like.
Toss the cooked gnocchi in the sauce. Add a splash of the gnocchi cooking water if needed to help it coat.
Serve hot with more Parmesan and black pepper.

A plated serving of ricotta gnocchi with brown butter sage, finished with grated Parmesan and cracked black pepper on a neutral stoneware plate

Matt's low-drama tips

Sticky dough is normal: flour the counter and your hands, not the bowl.
Test piece: boil 1 gnocchi first. If it falls apart, fold 1 to 2 tablespoons more flour into the dough.
Do not overboil: once they float and feel tender, get them out.

Nutrition information is estimated.

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Ricotta Gnocchi

Why It Works

Pairs Well With

Recommended

Classic Pomodoro Sauce

Classic Basil Pesto

Creamy Pasta Sauce With Cream

Pasta Pomodoro

Storage Tips

How to store cooked gnocchi

How to freeze (best method)

Common Questions

Do I need to drain the ricotta?

What kind of ricotta works best?

Why is my dough sticky?

Can I make the dough ahead?

How do I know when gnocchi are done?

Can I skip the egg?

What sauce is best with ricotta gnocchi?

Ricotta Gnocchi

Ingredients

For the ricotta gnocchi

Quick brown butter sage sauce (optional but recommended)

Instructions

1) Drain ricotta if needed

2) Make the dough

3) Shape the gnocchi

4) Cook

5) Optional: Brown butter sage sauce

Matt's low-drama tips