Homemade ricotta gnocchi have two things going over their potato gnocchi brethren: The cheesier dumplings are lighter and fluffier, and the base (ricotta cheese) is ready to go with little extra work from you. The gnocchi dough comes together easily by hand and requires no special tools or techniques for shaping, making this recipe foolproof for even the most novice of home cooks. It’s everything we love about handmade pasta with a fraction of the work.
For chef Michelle Bernstein’s ricotta gnocchi recipe, you’ll boil and drain the pillowy dumplings, then bathe them in a creamy sauce punctuated with bright lemon zest and plenty of black pepper. You’ll find the method so easy, though, you may be tempted to make weeknight gnocchi a regular thing, pairing them with a summery fresh tomato sauce, classic Italian pesto, a brown butter and sage sauce, a simple shower of grated Parmesan cheese, or some other favorite sauce (we promise not to tell if that means jarred marinara).
Interested in crispy gnocchi? Try our sheet-pan method for turning store-bought shelf-stable dumplings into crackly, chewy gnocchi nuggets with tomatoes and arugula.
What you’ll need
Kitchen Towels
$30 At Amazon
Colander
$15 At Amazon
Medium Saucepan
$50 $33 At Amazon
Slotted Spoon
$18 At Amazon
Medium Bowl
$29 At Amazon
Rimmed Baking Sheet
$32 At Amazon
Recipe information
Total Time
40 minutes (plus 1 hour dough rest time)
Yield
2 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Wrap 8 oz. whole-milk ricotta in a kitchen towel and wring out over sink to remove as much liquid as possible. Place wrapped ricotta in a colander set inside a large bowl and chill 1 hour.
Step 2
Bring zest of ½ lemon and 1½ cups heavy cream to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is reduced by half, 15–20 minutes.
Step 3
Meanwhile, gently unwrap ricotta and transfer to a medium bowl. Mix in 1 large egg, a tiny pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (if using), 1 oz. Parmesan, finely grated (about ½ cup), and ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt; season with freshly ground pepper. Add ⅔ cup (83 g) all-purpose flour and mix until dough comes together.
Step 4
Gather dough into a ball and transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Divide into quarters, then divide each piece into 4–6 portions. Roll each portion into a ½"-thick rope and cut into ¼"–½"-long pieces. As you work, arrange gnocchi in a single layer on a semolina-dusted rimmed baking sheet and keep covered with barely moist paper towels.
Step 5
Working in batches, cook gnocchi in a medium pot of gently boiling salted water until they float to the surface, about 30 seconds, then continue cooking 30 seconds more. Using a slotted spoon or fine-mesh strainer, transfer gnocchi to a baking sheet lightly greased with extra-virgin olive oil.
Step 6
Add ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt to sauce; season with pepper. Add gnocchi and 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter to sauce; stir until butter is melted and gnocchi is heated through, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Taste and season with more salt if needed.
Step 7
Divide gnocchi among shallow bowls and top with finely grated Parmesan and pepper.
Do ahead: Gnocchi can be formed 3 months ahead. Freeze on baking sheet, then transfer to a resealable plastic bag. Cook from frozen.
Recipe notes
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