Starchy Russet potatoes baked whole—never boiled—lose enough moisture that gnocchi needs minimal flour, keeping each pillow impossibly light.
Homemade Potato Gnocchi
A classic Italian dish made with potatoes, flour, and eggs, perfect for a comforting meal.
Prep
60
min
Cook
5
min
Serves
8
people
Level
intermediate
The Story
Right, so the Italians didn't actually invent gnocchi with potatoes until the Spanish dragged tubers back from Peru in the 1500s—before that, medieval cooks in Veneto were making these from breadcrumbs and semolina like some sort of carb-based punishment, so technically your 'traditional' Italian dumpling is a South American immigrant wearing a very convincing disguise.
Regional Twist
Up in Trentino-Alto Adige, near the Austrian border, they'll swap half your all-purpose flour for toasted breadcrumbs and fold in speck, because apparently just boiling potatoes wasn't Germanic enough for them.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 8🫙Pantry Staples(1)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- 1 teaspoon salt
📦Other(2)
- 2 medium eggs
- 2 lb Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
252
Protein
8g
Carbs
52g
Fat
2g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Cook the potatoes. Place the unpeeled potatoes in a large pot, cover with water, and boil until tender.
- 2
Drain and let cool just enough to handle. Peel while still warm.
- 3
Pass the warm potatoes through a potato ricer onto a clean work surface. Let excess steam and moisture escape.
- 4
Mix the flour and salt. Place on a flat work surface and make a well in the center.
- 5
Add the riced potatoes and eggs. Mix gently with your fingers until a soft dough forms. It should be soft but not heavily sticky. Do not overwork.
- 6
On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into portions and roll each into a rope about 3/4 inch (2 cm) thick.
- 7
Cut the ropes into 3/4-inch pieces.
- 8
For traditional ridges, gently roll each piece over the back of a fork or a gnocchi board.
- 9
Dust lightly with flour to prevent sticking and let the gnocchi rest for 20 minutes.
- 10
Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil. Cook the gnocchi in batches.
- 11
When the gnocchi float to the surface, let them cook briefly, then remove with a slotted spoon.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Use Yukon Gold potatoes and bake them at 400°F for 45-50 minutes instead of boiling to reduce moisture content from ~80% to ~75%, decreasing flour absorption by 10-15% and preventing gluey gnocchi.ingredient80% to 75% moisture content
- ✓Rice potatoes while still steaming (120-130°F internal temp) and spread on a sheet pan for 2-3 minutes to allow starch gelatinization to set, preventing the dough from absorbing excess flour during mixing.timing120-130°F, 2-3 minutes
- ✓Maintain a flour-to-potato ratio of 1:1 by weight (roughly 1 cup flour per pound of cooked potato) rather than following the 2 cups flour in your ingredient list, as excess flour develops gluten and creates tough, dense gnocchi.ingredient1:1 flour-to-potato ratio by weight
- ✓Mix dough for no more than 60 seconds total because overworking develops gluten strands that increase elasticity; limit kneading to 8-10 folds until just combined, keeping gnocchi tender rather than chewy.technique60 seconds maximum, 8-10 folds
- ✓Cut gnocchi to exactly 3/4 inch (20mm) pieces and cook them immediately in 212°F water; oversized pieces (1 inch+) have 30% longer cooking time and risk breaking apart before centers cook through.technique3/4 inch (20mm) diameter, 212°F water
Share this recipe
Prep
60
min
Cook
5
min
Serves
8
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Starchy Russet potatoes baked whole—never boiled—lose enough moisture that gnocchi needs minimal flour, keeping each pillow impossibly light.
Homemade Potato Gnocchi
A classic Italian dish made with potatoes, flour, and eggs, perfect for a comforting meal.
The Story
Right, so the Italians didn't actually invent gnocchi with potatoes until the Spanish dragged tubers back from Peru in the 1500s—before that, medieval cooks in Veneto were making these from breadcrumbs and semolina like some sort of carb-based punishment, so technically your 'traditional' Italian dumpling is a South American immigrant wearing a very convincing disguise.
Regional Twist
Up in Trentino-Alto Adige, near the Austrian border, they'll swap half your all-purpose flour for toasted breadcrumbs and fold in speck, because apparently just boiling potatoes wasn't Germanic enough for them.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 8🫙Pantry Staples(1)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- 1 teaspoon salt
📦Other(2)
- 2 medium eggs
- 2 lb Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
252
Protein
8g
Carbs
52g
Fat
2g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Cook the potatoes. Place the unpeeled potatoes in a large pot, cover with water, and boil until tender.
- 2
Drain and let cool just enough to handle. Peel while still warm.
- 3
Pass the warm potatoes through a potato ricer onto a clean work surface. Let excess steam and moisture escape.
- 4
Mix the flour and salt. Place on a flat work surface and make a well in the center.
- 5
Add the riced potatoes and eggs. Mix gently with your fingers until a soft dough forms. It should be soft but not heavily sticky. Do not overwork.
- 6
On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into portions and roll each into a rope about 3/4 inch (2 cm) thick.
- 7
Cut the ropes into 3/4-inch pieces.
- 8
For traditional ridges, gently roll each piece over the back of a fork or a gnocchi board.
- 9
Dust lightly with flour to prevent sticking and let the gnocchi rest for 20 minutes.
- 10
Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil. Cook the gnocchi in batches.
- 11
When the gnocchi float to the surface, let them cook briefly, then remove with a slotted spoon.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Use Yukon Gold potatoes and bake them at 400°F for 45-50 minutes instead of boiling to reduce moisture content from ~80% to ~75%, decreasing flour absorption by 10-15% and preventing gluey gnocchi.ingredient80% to 75% moisture content
- ✓Rice potatoes while still steaming (120-130°F internal temp) and spread on a sheet pan for 2-3 minutes to allow starch gelatinization to set, preventing the dough from absorbing excess flour during mixing.timing120-130°F, 2-3 minutes
- ✓Maintain a flour-to-potato ratio of 1:1 by weight (roughly 1 cup flour per pound of cooked potato) rather than following the 2 cups flour in your ingredient list, as excess flour develops gluten and creates tough, dense gnocchi.ingredient1:1 flour-to-potato ratio by weight
- ✓Mix dough for no more than 60 seconds total because overworking develops gluten strands that increase elasticity; limit kneading to 8-10 folds until just combined, keeping gnocchi tender rather than chewy.technique60 seconds maximum, 8-10 folds
- ✓Cut gnocchi to exactly 3/4 inch (20mm) pieces and cook them immediately in 212°F water; oversized pieces (1 inch+) have 30% longer cooking time and risk breaking apart before centers cook through.technique3/4 inch (20mm) diameter, 212°F water