Instant Potato Gnocchi Recipe on Food52 (2024)

5 Ingredients or Fewer

by: Barbara Lynch

May10,2017

4

2 Ratings

  • Serves 4

Jump to Recipe

Author Notes

I'm a curious person and have always wanted to push boundaries and experiment. Working with what my mother had in her kitchen at home, I began doctoring up canned food at age 13—from marinara sauce to clam chowder. You can make some really delicious (and unexpected) dishes out of inexpensive, packaged foods. You might think I'm crazy, but you can make pretty great gnocchi from instant potato flakes... don't knock it 'till you try it. —Barbara Lynch

  • Test Kitchen-Approved
Ingredients
  • 1 cupwater
  • 1 cupinstant potato flakes
  • 1 egg
  • 1 1/2 cupsall-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoonsalt
  • Your favorite sauce, for serving
Directions
  1. Bring water to a boil. Add potato flakes. Allow the mixture to cool, then fold in egg, 1 cup of the flour, and salt. Using your fingers, combine all the ingredients. Knead the dough by pushing it away from you with the heel of your hand, folding it over, giving it a quarter turn, and pushing it away again. Continue kneading, sprinkling on a little more flour as needed, until the dough just forms a ball and feels a little bit sticky. Set the dough aside and clean the work surface of any hard bits of dough.
  2. Sprinkle the work surface lightly with flour. Roll the dough out with a rolling pin to about 1/2-inch thick. Use a bench scraper or knife to cut the dough into strips about 1/2-inch wide. Roll each strip under your hands to form a log and cut the logs into 1-inch pieces. If you like, you can give your gnocchi grooves. Shape the pieces into balls and roll them down a gnocchi board or fork.
  3. If you are not cooking the gnocchi right away, freeze them on a baking sheet or platter in a single layer until frozen solid. Once frozen, you can transfer them to a freezer bag or airtight container.
  4. Cook the gnocchi in boiling salted water until they float to the top, about 5 minutes. Drain well and serve with your favorite sauce.

Tags:

  • Pasta
  • American
  • Potato
  • 5 Ingredients or Fewer
  • Vegetarian
  • Entree

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Jocelyn McAuley

  • Jara

  • mrslarkin

  • Mamasays

  • Leith Devine

Popular on Food52

10 Reviews

Dana July 30, 2022

In order to create a pillowy gnocchi, the ingredients need to be adjusted. I used 1 egg plus one yolk, 3/4 cup flour (plus some for the rolling), and more salt. The dough should not be kneaded this much - it should be mixed just took it comes together. A rolling pin should not be used to form the roll, just use your hands to keep from compressing the mixture too much. I use semolina to dust them after forming.

Jocelyn M. June 15, 2022

My go to recipe for incorporating spring time nettles into our meals. Fantastic and easy.

PaigeFrank1 March 27, 2020

Just made this! An amazing recipe even though I forgot the salt, I had to make up for it in the sauce. Make sure you have enough space though!

Jara January 19, 2020

Made these with my nine year old son today. Started with only 1 cup flour and only the yolk of the egg. They came out pillowy and were a hit. Will make these again.

mrslarkin June 5, 2017

Made these yesterday with my mom. Super fun! Ours turned out a little tough, due to my dumping ALL the flour in at once. Will try them again.

Mamasays May 29, 2017

Could anyone advise on a brand?

Leith D. May 29, 2017

I don't think it matters. I use the brands that aren't preserved with sulfites, but that's just my preference.

Leith D. May 19, 2017

I've been doing this for years and no one has ever guessed! Don't overwork them or they get tough very quickly.

Linda M. May 19, 2017

I first learned of this in Italy from a chef...according to her, because it is a consistent product, you get consistent results. And it works like a dream. Just be sure to use a good quality product with no add ins.

Tania -. November 19, 2017

I'm so glad you recommended "no add ins", that is exactly what I was going to do (probably pumpkin or squash). Thanks!

Instant Potato Gnocchi Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

Is potato gnocchi better for you than pasta? ›

Nutritional Value

Believe it or not, regular pasta is actually more carb-heavy than gnocchi, coming in at around 2 times the amount of carbs per serving. Gnocchi is also notorious for having a lot more sodium, with over 200 grams of it per serving. Regular pasta doesn't have nearly as high of a sodium content.

What should you not do when making gnocchi? ›

15 Mistakes Everyone Makes With Homemade Gnocchi
  1. Choosing the wrong type of potato. ...
  2. Boiling the potatoes. ...
  3. Using the wrong implement to mash your potatoes. ...
  4. Using the wrong type of flour. ...
  5. Adding too much flour all at once. ...
  6. Thinking you always have to use eggs. ...
  7. Not trying to add ricotta. ...
  8. Overworking the dough.
Nov 22, 2022

Why did my potato gnocchi turned to mush? ›

Your gnocchi may be mushy because of any or all of the following reasons: boiled the potatoes instead of baked them. used waxy new potatoes with too much moisture in them. not used eggs to help texture.

Is gnocchi more unhealthy than pasta? ›

pasta, neither is really the better option. Regular pasta is higher in protein and has small amounts of some nutrients, while gnocchi is lower in calories and carbohydrates. But because gnocchi is smaller and denser, it's likely that you'd end up eating bigger portions than if you were eating regular pasta.

Is gnocchi good or bad for you? ›

Similar to pasta, gnocchi is high in carbohydrates and low in protein. Although both are carbohydrate-heavy foods, it has been shown that regular pasta may have less of an effect on blood sugar levels. One publication points to the fact that pasta doesn't raise blood sugar after a meal to the level that potatoes do.

Is there a difference between gnocchi and potato gnocchi? ›

Unlike potato gnocchi, Roman gnocchi (Gnocchi alla romana), are made with semolina instead of potatoes and flour, that's why they are also called Semolina gnocchi. Roman gnocchi are shaped differently than potato gnocchi.

What is the best flour for gnocchi? ›

You need to do plenty of that for homemade pizza dough, but you don't want to do much kneading at all when making gnocchi. Italian type 00 flours like Caputo and Anna brands produce a great result. Make sure you're buying 00 labeled for pasta and not labeled for pizza making.

Is it better to pan fry or boil gnocchi? ›

If you've never tried pan frying gnocchi, you are in for a treat! Forget boiling it, you can actually just toss it in a skillet and cook it. This means less dishes, as it's all cooked in one skillet and crispy, pan fried gnocchi is the result. I love the texture of crispy gnocchi, with it's crunchy browned exterior.

Is it better to boil or bake potatoes for gnocchi? ›

The secret to the lightest, most tender potato gnocchi is to bake the potatoes instead of boiling them. A baked potato is dryer than one that has been boiled, which means you avoid having to add more flour to the dough to account for excess moisture, a practice that leads to over-kneaded, tough gnocchi.

What are the best potatoes for gnocchi? ›

Yukon Gold Potatoes are THE BEST potatoes for homemade gnocchi. They're dense, creamy, semi-waxy and do not retain too much moisture (if you love Yukon's for mashed potatoes, they make exquisite gnocchi).

Can you overcook potato gnocchi? ›

Don't overcook. If your gnocchi cook for too long, they can absorb too much water and become dense and chewy. Gnocchi cooking's best in a large pot with plenty of salted water.

Why is my gnocchi falling apart when I cook it? ›

My Gnocchi Are Falling Apart When I Cook Them

This means there isn't enough flour and your dough is too wet. Try adding another 1/4 cup of flour and try again. A good idea is to have a pot of water on the go before you roll out and shape your gnocchi.

Which is healthier pasta or potatoes? ›

Of rice, pasta, potatoes, and bread, potatoes are the healthiest of these starchy and complex carbohydrate foods. This is because potatoes are dense in nutrients, containing essential minerals, vitamins, and other micronutrients. Potatoes are also high in fiber, helping to satiate hunger and regulate blood sugar.

Is Penne or gnocchi healthier? ›

Penne pasta is generally considered healthier than gnocchi, as it is lower in calories and carbohydrates, but the overall healthiness depends on portion size and sauce choice.

Can gnocchi be substituted for pasta? ›

This gnocchi would go great in soups or stews, but will also work as an alternative to pasta in recipes like Pasta with Green Sauce or Vegan Lemon Pasta with Capers for a good vegan gnocchi sauce!

Is gnocchi an ultra-processed food? ›

But they aren't just fried chicken, crisps and ready meals: croissants, hummus, pesto, biscuits, breadsticks, gnocchi, cereal bars, ice-cream, fish fingers and curry paste are all UPFs.

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