Ricotta gnocchi
Light, pillowy homemade gnocchi made from ricotta, parmesan and a little flour, easier than potato gnocchi and served in warm marinara.
- 60 min total
- 40 min hands-on
- A little more hands-on
- Serves 4
- About $1.80 a serving
- 440 calories
- Vegetarian
Dolly says: Read the steps once before you start. Everything goes smoother after that.
Ingredients
For 4 servings.
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup grated parmesan, plus more to serve
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 2 tbsp fresh basil, torn (optional)
From your pantry
- 1 tbsp salt, plus ½ tsp
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
Each serving has about 440 calories, 22 g protein, 40 g carbs and 21 g fat, and costs about $1.80 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No ricotta cheese? Cottage cheese works.
- No grated parmesan? Parmesan wedge works.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
Spread the ricotta on a plate lined with paper towels, cover it with more towels, and let it 15 minutes.
Drain. Draining means pouring off liquid, like tipping pasta into a colander or spooning extra fat out of the pan. Pour hot grease into a can or jar, not the sink, where it hardens and clogs the pipes.
How you’ll know: Only a few drips are left, and the food isn’t sitting in a puddle.
Timer: 15 min
Dolly’s tip: Wet ricotta needs extra flour, and extra flour makes heavy gnocchi. Draining keeps them light.In a big bowl, stir the ricotta, egg, parmesan, ½ teaspoon salt and the pepper until smooth.
Add the flour and stir gently until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms.
Turn it onto a well-floured board, cut it into 4 pieces, and roll each into a rope about ¾ inch thick. Cut into 1-inch pieces.
Dolly’s tip: Keep your hands and the board floured. The dough is soft, and that’s what makes them tender.Fill a large pot with water, add 1 tablespoon salt, and over high heat. Warm the marinara in a large over low heat.
Bring to a boil. It means heating a liquid on high until it’s fully boiling before you move on. A lid on the pot gets it there faster, which makes it a good moment to chop something.
How you’ll know: Big bubbles break all over the surface, and they keep coming when you lift the lid.
Skillet. A skillet is a frying pan: wide and flat with low, sloped sides. The shape lets steam escape, so food browns instead of stewing.
How you’ll know: It’s the pan you’d fry an egg in, and a 10 or 12 inch one handles most recipes.
High heat
Cook the gnocchi in two batches: when they float, cook 1 minute more, then lift them out with a slotted spoon straight into the marinara.
High heatTimer: 2 min 30 sec
Food safety: For the safest eggs, cook until the whites are fully set and the yolks begin to thicken. Dishes made with eggs are done at 160°F.
gently and serve with more parmesan and torn basil.
Toss. Tossing means gently lifting and turning food so everything gets coated, like pasta in sauce or vegetables in oil. It coats every piece evenly without mashing anything.
How you’ll know: Every piece looks glossy or evenly coated, with no dry spots hiding underneath.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
More dinners like this
Roasted garlic white bean soup
65 min
Cheesy baked orzo
50 min
Roasted cabbage steaks with white beans and parmesan
50 min
Spinach and cheddar frittata
35 min
Vegetarian dinners ›Cozy comfort food ›What to make with eggs and parmesan ›What to make with parmesan and ricotta cheese ›What to make with eggs and ricotta cheese ›