Ricotta and Spinach Gnocchi
This light Spinach and Ricotta Gnocchi is made without potatoes, only spinach, ricotta, Pecorino cheese, and 00 flour. It’s an easy and authentic Italian recipe that pairs with your favorite sauce and comes together in 30 minutes.
We love a delicious gnocchi recipe, it’s something that feels restaurant-quality right at home. But did you know you can make gnocchi with ricotta and not potatoes? It’s so delicious. You have to try our Spinach and Ricotta Gnocchi recipe that takes only 30 minutes to make, which is half the time of a regular potato gnocchi recipe.
It’s light and pillowy soft, truly this gnocchi melts in your mouth. It’s based on the authentic Italian recipe for malfatti and uses just a handful of ingredients. The best part is, you can pair it with with your favorite Italian sauce, whether it’s a lemon butter sauce or a light tomato sauce, the options are endless.
If you love a great pasta recipe, we are experts in making them! Try our spaghetti al limone or burrata pasta with roasted tomatoes.
Jenn’s Tip: Be sure to buy whole milk ricotta for this recipe, it binds together much better than low-fat and also has a creamier texture and flavor.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- 30 minute restaurant-quality gnocchi recipe. Forget spending hours boiling and shaping a potato mixture, this ricotta gnocchi comes together much faster and more easily in 30 minutes.
- Pair with your favorite sauce. This ricotta gnocchi is delicious with a tomato sauce, lemon sauce, browned butter, even pesto!
- Add your favorite herbs or spices. We use spinach in our recipe, but you could also use kale or Swiss chard. We’ve also added herbs like parsley, dill, and thyme for more delicious flavor.
- A great recipe for meal prep. We love to double or even triple this recipe then pop the gnocchi in the freezer for an easy weeknight meal.
Ingredients
- Whole milk ricotta: Creamy and rich in flavor and texture to make the perfect base for the gnocchi.
- Large egg: Helps to bind the gnocchi mixture together.
- Fresh spinach (about 1 standard container) or 2.5–3 oz frozen: Either works if you are in a pinch. The frozen spinach saves on some prep time, we always like to keep a package in our freezer.
- 00 flour: A very fine grain of flour that melts into the ricotta so you don’t even know it’s there! This helps the ricotta mixture bind to itself to shape and cook the gnocchi.
- Grated Pecorino cheese: Adds bright cheesy flavor and also seasons the mixture thanks to the saltiness in the cheese.
How to Make Ricotta Spinach Gnocchi
- Prepare the spinach: If using fresh spinach, blanch in salted boiling water for 30 seconds, then shock in ice water. Drain and squeeze out all excess liquid. If using frozen, thaw completely and squeeze dry. Chop very finely.
- Make the dough: In a bowl, combine ricotta, egg, spinach, flour, and Pecorino. Mix until a soft dough forms. Knead gently until smooth, about 1–2 minutes. Add a tablespoon or more of the flour as needed if the mixture is too sticky.
- Shape the gnocchi: Lightly flour your surface with flour. Roll a portion of the dough into a rope about ¾ inch thick. Cut into ¾ inch pieces. Place on a parchment-lined tray dusted with flour. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Cook the gnocchi: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add gnocchi in batches and cook until they float to the surface, about 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer directly to your sauce of choice.
Expert Tips
- Don’t over-knead: Mix the dough just until it comes together. Over-working it develops gluten, making the gnocchi heavy and chewy.
- Spinach must be very dry: Excess moisture means you’ll need more flour, which makes the gnocchi dense. After blanching, squeeze spinach in a towel until almost no liquid drips out.
- Dough will be slightly sticky: Unlike pasta dough, ricotta gnocchi dough is meant to be softer and tackier. Dust your hands and work surface lightly with flour or semolina to make rolling easier, but don’t overdo it.
- Use a light touch: When shaping, roll gently. Pressing too hard compacts the dough and changes the texture.
- Cook in small batches: Overcrowding the pot can cause gnocchi to stick together or break apart. Boil in batches for the best results.
- Watch for doneness: Gnocchi are ready when they float to the surface, usually in 2–3 minutes. Overcooking can make them mushy.
Storage
This ricotta and spinach gnocchi is a great make ahead pasta recipe. The gnocchi can be shaped up to 4 hours in advance. Refrigerate uncovered on a semolina-dusted tray until you are ready to cook.
You can also make the gnocchi and freeze it until ready to cook. Arrange shaped gnocchi on a tray in a single layer. Freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months. Cook straight from frozen, no need to thaw!
When it comes to storing cooked gnocchi, you can refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The texture may become a little soft. We recommend you gently reheat on the stove with a splash of water or in the microwave.
FAQs
We love making a light browned butter or lemon white wine butter sauce to pair. It’s also delicious with a light tomato sauce.
Yes, it’s also delicious made with ricotta for a mild cheesy flavor and a melt in your mouth texture.
It’s also called malfatti and is made with semolina flour, ricotta, and spinach for the lightest gnocchi you’ve ever had.
More Easy Pasta Recipes
- Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta
- Easy Chicken Bolognese
- Creamy Eggplant Pasta
- Spaghetti with Lemon Cream Sauce
Spinach and Ricotta Gnocchi
Equipment
- Large pot (for boiling spinach and gnocchi)
- Mixing bowl
- Large cutting board or pastry board (for rolling and cutting gnocchi)
Ingredients
- 16 oz whole milk ricotta
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 5 ounces fresh spinach (about 1 standard container) or 2.5–3 oz frozen, thawed and squeezed dry
- 1 ½ cups 00 flour plus up to 2 tablespoons more as needed
- ½ cup grated Pecorino cheese
Instructions
- Prepare the spinach: If using fresh spinach, blanch in salted boiling water for 30 seconds, then shock in ice water. Drain and squeeze out all excess liquid. If using frozen, thaw completely and squeeze dry. Chop very finely.
- Make the dough: In a bowl, combine ricotta, egg, spinach, flour, and Pecorino. Mix until a soft dough forms. Knead gently until smooth, about 1–2 minutes. Add a tablespoon or more of the flour as needed if the mixture is too sticky.
- Shape the gnocchi: Lightly flour your surface with flour. Roll a portion of the dough into a rope about ¾ inch thick. Cut into ¾ inch pieces. Place on a parchment-lined tray dusted with flour. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Cook the gnocchi: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add gnocchi in batches and cook until they float to the surface, about 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer directly to your sauce of choice.
Notes
- Don’t over-knead: Mix the dough just until it comes together. Over-working it develops gluten, making the gnocchi heavy and chewy.
- Spinach must be very dry: Excess moisture means you’ll need more flour, which makes the gnocchi dense. After blanching, squeeze spinach in a towel until almost no liquid drips out.
- Dough will be slightly sticky: Unlike pasta dough, ricotta gnocchi dough is meant to be softer and tackier. Dust your hands and work surface lightly with flour or semolina to make rolling easier, but don’t overdo it.
- Use a light touch: When shaping, roll gently. Pressing too hard compacts the dough and changes the texture.
- Cook in small batches: Overcrowding the pot can cause gnocchi to stick together or break apart. Boil in batches for the best results.
- Watch for doneness: Gnocchi are ready when they float to the surface, usually in 2–3 minutes. Overcooking can make them mushy.
- Make ahead: Gnocchi can be shaped up to 4 hours in advance. Refrigerate uncovered on a semolina-dusted tray until cooking.
- Freezing: Arrange shaped gnocchi on a tray in a single layer. Freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. Cook straight from frozen — no need to thaw.
