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A little adventure for your everyday table

Italy · Homemade, your way

Homemade Potato Gnocchi

Shape tender potato gnocchi from russet potatoes, flour, and egg, then boil briefly and toss with butter and fresh sage.

Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 hr 25 min
Servings: 4

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VegetarianFamily Friendly

Cooked potato gnocchi with tomato sauce, shown as a serving suggestion. — Photo: Amy Aletheia Cahill · Source · CC BY-SA 4.0. Serving suggestion with tomato sauce. The recipe below uses butter and sage; the photographed tomato sauce is not included.

Dry, starchy potatoes make lighter gnocchi than waxy varieties. Cook them with their skins on to limit water absorption, then rice or mash them without whipping. Add only enough flour to make a workable dough; a heavy hand creates chewy dumplings. Cooking one small piece first lets you judge the texture before shaping the entire batch.

Let’s make it

Homemade Potato Gnocchi

Serves 4 · Prep 30 min · Cook 40 min · Rest 15 min · Total 1 hr 25 min

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb russet potatoes, similar in size
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 large egg, beaten
1 tsp fine salt, divided
3 tbsp unsalted butter
8 leaves fresh sage
1/4 cup grated Parmesan made with vegetarian rennet

Step-by-step instructions

Cover whole potatoes with water. Simmer for 30 to 35 minutes until tender. Drain, peel when handleable, and rice onto a tray. Cool for 15 minutes.
Fold potatoes with egg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 cup flour. Use remaining flour for dusting and, if needed, small additions until dough is soft but workable.
Roll into ropes 3/4 inch (2 cm) wide. Cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces. Boil a test piece in water with remaining salt; adjust soft dough with a little reserved flour.
Boil gnocchi in batches until floating, then 1 minute longer. Lift out.
Melt butter with sage for 2 minutes. Toss with gnocchi and Parmesan.

A few kitchen notes

Handle dough briefly to keep the dumplings tender.

Ingredient substitutions

Use a potato masher if you do not have a ricer.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate cooked gnocchi within 2 hours for 3 days. Freeze uncooked pieces on a tray, then bag for 1 month.

What to serve with it

Serve with roasted tomatoes and a green salad.

A conversation around the table

Comments & kitchen questions

Have a question, a useful substitution, or a result to share? Your feedback helps us make this recipe clearer and more useful.

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Questions from the kitchen

Can I make Homemade Potato Gnocchi ahead?

Refrigerate cooked gnocchi within 2 hours for 3 days. Freeze uncooked pieces on a tray, then bag for 1 month.

What if I can’t find an ingredient?

Use a potato masher if you do not have a ricer.