Easy Ricotta Gnocchi with Two Irresistible Sauces
About this Recipe
By: Rachel
This ricotta gnocchi recipe is simple to make, light in texture, and endlessly versatile. Paired with your favorite sauce, these little dumplings deliver big comfort. Best of all, the recipe is low-fuss and perfect for beginners!
What Makes Traditional Potato Gnocchi Tricky
Traditional gnocchi—made from potatoes, flour, and eggs—is delicious, and also a huge pain to make. It can go wrong in a myriad of ways:
- Too much moisture (not enough flour or too much water in the potatoes) and the dumplings will fall apart in the water.
- Over-kneading the dough or using potatoes that are too starchy will yield tough, dense, heavy dumplings.
- Adding the flour too quickly and in the wrong proportions can result in gummy, glue-like gnocchi.
- If you let the pieces sit out for too long before cooking, they can become mushy.
- If the individual pieces vary too much in size, they will cook inconsistently.
- If you look at the dough in a way that makes it feel bad, it will refuse to turn out just to spite you.
There are seemingly as many ways to ruin gnocchi as there are recipes, trips, and tricks for making successful ones.
Why This Ricotta Gnocchi Recipe Is a Game-Changer
Lucky for me (and you, and all your dinner guests), I have a foolproof method for gnocchi-making. Don’t make potato gnocchi! Instead, try this ricotta gnocchi recipe, made from ricotta cheese. It contains far fewer pitfalls than potato gnocchi and is just as delicious. Another great alternative is this Gnocchi alla Romana recipe. This one is made from semolina, which is also simpler to make and wonderfully tasty.
If you’ve been intimidated by gnocchi before, then this ricotta gnocchi recipe is the perfect place for you to start. It skips the trickiness of potatoes and delivers soft, pillowy dumplings that are easy enough for a weeknight but special enough for entertaining guests. This is a total game-changer, whether you’re new to gnocchi or just ready for a simpler approach to enjoying this dish.
Homemade Ricotta Gnocchi: Easier and Just as Delicious
How can you not love homemade ricotta gnocchi, right? It straight up offers a wonderful balance of ease and flavor, making it a standout among dumplings. I especially love semolina gnocchi with a rich marinara sauce, finished under the broiler with crispy, melty cheese; with brown butter and sage, or with a velvety, umami mushroom ragú.
This ricotta gnocchi recipe is perfectly paired with pesto, or with a beurre blanc (a simple sauce of wine and butter) and sautéed seasonal vegetables. The gnocchi are first seared in a pan before being steamed for the perfect combination of a crispy, buttery exterior and a pillowy center.
Again, when paired with the right sauce, it transforms into a dish that’s both comforting and quite elegant. Whether you choose a fresh, nutty pesto or a rich beurre blanc with seasonal vegetables, you’ll end up with a meal that feels thoughtfully crafted yet effortlessly delicious.
The Best Sauce for Ricotta Gnocchi
When it comes to finding the best sauce for ricotta gnocchi, it’s all about highlighting the delicate texture and subtle flavor of the dumplings. You can serve them with a vibrant homemade pesto or a buttery spring vegetable beurre blanc. These two preparations are my favorites. Try both and see which sauce will pair beautifully with this ricotta gnocchi recipe.
Ricotta Gnocchi with Pistachio-Arugula Pesto: Bright, Herby, and Fast
This pesto brings a fresh, lemony bite that cuts beautifully through the rich, tender gnocchi. Made with arugula (or spinach), pistachios, garlic, and Parmigiano-Reggiano, it’s zesty, nutty, and vibrant green.
The sauce comes together in minutes in a food processor. You can also easily tweak it to your taste. Say, swap in your favorite greens or nuts, or add more lemon for brightness. It’s a versatile, no-fuss sauce that feels like spring and summer in a bowl.
Ricotta Gnocchi with Beurre Blanc and Spring Vegetables: Silky, Earthy, and Elegant
This beurre blanc is a buttery white wine sauce with sautéed mushrooms, sweet green peas, and delicate pea tendrils. The sauce is built in layers—starting with shallots and golden mushrooms, then finished with cold butter whisked in slowly to create a glossy, velvety texture.
Tossed with your homemade ricotta gnocchi, it simply becomes a balanced, elegant dish that celebrates spring produce without feeling fussy. Just be sure to serve it right away—the beurre blanc is at its best when freshly made.
Ricotta Gnocchi
Equipment
- Food Processor (optional, for the pesto)
Ingredients
For the gnocchi:
- 2 cups (450g) whole-milk ricotta
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup (50g) finely-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
- Olive oil or butter, for searing
For the pesto sauce:
- ½ cup (70g) pistachios or pine nuts (or use your favorite nuts)
- 1 medium garlic clove
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 cups (70g) fresh arugula or spinach
- ¼ cup (25g) finely-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- Zest and juice of 1 small lemon
- ½ cup (100g) olive oil
For the beurre blanc with spring vegetables:
- 8 tablespoons (120g) cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons, divided
- 1 medium shallot, sliced
- 12 ounces (1 ½ cups or 340g) fresh mushrooms (I prefer chestnut or chanterelle mushrooms for this recipe, but use what you can find)
- Kosher salt, to taste
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ¼ cup chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 ½ cups green peas, fresh or frozen (rinsed and drained, if frozen)
- 1 ½ cups (225g) pea tendrils
Step by Step Instructions
For the gnocchi:
Step 1
- First, drain the ricotta. Line a baking sheet or large plate with a double layer of paper towels and spread the ricotta over it. Lay another double layer of paper towels over the cheese, press down, and allow to drain for 20 minutes.
Step 2
- In a large bowl, mix the drained ricotta, eggs, cheese, and salt until well-combined. Stir in the flour, being careful not to overmix.
Step 3
- Coat your work surface generously with flour. Sprinkle a sheet pan that will fit in your freezer with plenty of flour.
Step 4
- Divide the dough into 2-4 sections (depending on how large your workspace is) and roll into ropes ½ to 1” (1.2 – 2.5cm) in diameter. (It is less important how thick your ropes are, and more important that each of your ropes be identically sized).
Step 5
- Cut your dough into identically-sized pieces (they should be bite-sized). Place each piece on the floured sheet pan and freeze for 10 minutes, which will allow the gnocchi to brown more easily in the pan. You can skip this step if you wish.
Step 6
- Now select a nonstick pan with a fitted lid. Coat the bottom with olive oil, or add butter and melt over medium heat until the pan is evenly coated with butter.
Step 7
- Add the gnocchi (you will need to do this in batches), being mindful not to overcrowd your pan. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown, on each side. Add ¼ cup (60mL) water, replace the lid, and steam for 2 minutes.
- For pesto preparation: Transfer the cooked gnocchi to a large bowl, toss with pesto, and serve immediately.
- For beurre blanc preparation: Transfer the cooked gnocchi to the saucepan with the sauce and vegetables, toss to coat, simmer for 1-2 minutes, and serve.
For the pesto sauce:
Step 1
- Add the nuts, garlic, and salt to the bowl of a food processor, and grind to a paste.
Step 2
- Add the greens, cheese, zest, and juice, and grind down, scraping the sides of the food processor as needed.
Step 3
- Drizzle in the olive oil while running the food processor. Taste and adjust for seasoning and consistency, adding more salt, lemon, or olive oil, as you prefer.
Step 4
- Toss with the cooked gnocchi immediately or transfer the pesto to a glass jar, pouring olive oil over the top to cover, before storing in the refrigerator.
For the beurre blanc with spring vegetables:
- Note: The sauce may separate if allowed to sit, so make it right before you are ready to use it.
Step 1
- Prepare your mushrooms for cooking. Using a small brush, dislodge any dirt. With a small paring knife, remove and discard any tough stem ends. Cut the mushrooms into bite-sized pieces as necessary (chestnut mushrooms are small enough that they do not require chopping; baby bellas should be quartered).
Step 2
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat in a wide, deep saucepan until foamy. Add the shallot and sauté for one minute, stirring frequently. (Keep the remaining butter in the refrigerator until needed).
Step 3
- Add the mushrooms and toss to coat. Allow to cook for 3-4 minutes, undisturbed, allowing the mushrooms to brown (turn the heat down if needed to prevent burning). Season generously with salt, toss, and cook for another 3-4 minutes or until mushrooms have browned and released their liquid.
Step 4
- Add the white wine and bring to a boil. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until reduced by half.
Step 5
- Add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking as you go. Allow each piece to melt before adding the next one. Whisk in the stock, pouring in a little at a time, until you are happy with the consistency. Taste to correct seasoning.
Step 6
- Stir in the peas and pea tendrils and simmer for one minute. Add the gnocchi, simmer for 1-2 minutes more, and serve.
Beverage Pairing
By: Olivia
These soft and light ricotta gnocchi will pair beautifully with wines of similar lightness. To complement the creaminess of the gnocchi, you’ll want to look out for fresh, crisp white wines. Specifically for the pesto, consider herbaceous white wines like Sauvignon Blanc and Vermentino. With the rich beurre blanc sauce, you can balance acidity and roundness with a Chardonnay from Burgundy. All these options will enhance your meal!
