Easy and Quick Homemade Ricotta Gnocchi Recipe

Ricotta gnocchi, also called ravioli gnudi (“naked ravioli”), are Italian dumplings made from ricotta cheese, flour, and just enough egg to bind it all together. Unlike the more famous potato gnocchi, ricotta gnocchi are hard to mess up, since they’re mostly made of creamy ricotta cheese. The earliest gnocchi (Italian for “lumps”) were made from a combination of ancient-grain flours and curdled milk, so ricotta gnocchi are actually older than potato gnocchi.

Potato gnocchi, popular in Italy since the nineteenth century, is made by combining mashed potatoes with flour and sometimes egg, then shaping the dough into small dumplings that are then boiled. Ricotta gnocchi are made in the same way as their potato cousins, but with ricotta cheese in place of the potato.

Since ricotta gnocchi can be a little bland on their own, they’re great pan-fried in butter. Plus, you can use a little extra butter to make a brown-butter sauce. Top with herbs such as fried sage or fresh basil, and you’ve got a one-pan pasta dinner. Ricotta gnocchi are also great with tomato sauces such as pomodoro or marinara, and their light flavor and texture pairs wonderfully with herby pesto and sautéed vegetables.

• Use whole milk ricotta for the best flavor, and make sure it doesn’t contain moisture-locking additives (like humectant).
• Drain ricotta for as long as possible (ideally overnight) to help the dough bind together better.
• Stir your dough as little as possible—overworked dough will produce tough gnocchi.
• You can freeze uncooked ricotta gnocchi dumplings on a lightly floured, parchment-lined baking sheet. Transfer the gnocchi to a zip-top freezer bag once frozen and store for up to one month.