Gnocchi is not pasta.
It is not potato.
It’s something in between.
A strange, fluffy, almost mystical thing.
I grew up driving to Italy for holidays before I even understood what “far away” meant. My dad had a fast car back then, the kind of car that eats highways and spits out the asphalt on the other end. Somehow we would leave Venlo half asleep at 3 a.m. and arrive in Italy by late afternoon.
Germany.
Switzerland.
Tunnels.
Mountains.
Cold, Heat.
Landscape changes.
Gas Stations.
And my dad completely knackered from the drive.
But that first evening was always the same.
Suitcases still half closed.
Still shaken from the long drive feeling it in my bones.
Italy slowly cooling when the sun came down.
And me sitting in a small Italian restaurant choosing only two things:
Gnocchi.
Or cannelloni.
Every single time.
Soft pillows swimming in butter or tomato sauce. Nothing fancy. Just comfort.
Back home in the Netherlands we sometimes bought supermarket gnocchi wanting to mimic the feeling.
Those vacuum-packed ones.
Technically the same thing.
But never really.
Too chewy.
Too dense.
Too… factory.
So for years I quietly stopped ordering gnocchi. Even in Italian restaurants. My heart just didn’t jump for joy anymore.
Then this week:
Three potatoes.
No dinner plan.
End of day.
Feeling a bit adventurous.
And I thought:
“It can’t be that hard, right?”
Turns out, it isn’t.
Just potatoes. Flour. Salt.
No egg. No fuss.
And suddenly the kitchen smelled like those first nights in Italy again.
Soft. Rustic. Real.
A little holiday to Italy on a weeknight.
And so darn easy to make.
Potato Gnocci
Equipment
- 1 Large pot
- 1 Potato masher or potato ricer
- 1 Knife or bench scraper
- 1 Fork (for shaping ridges)
- 1 Slotted spoon
- 1 Clean work surface
- 1 Baking tray or floured board
Ingredients
- 800 g starchy potatoes skin on
- 160 g all-purpose flour add gradually
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Optional: butterolive oil, sage, cheese, or sauce for serving
Instructions
- Boil the potatoes whole with their skins in well-salted water until fork tender.
- Drain and let them steam dry for a few minutes. Peel while still warm.
- Mash or rice the potatoes until completely smooth with no lumps.
- Spread the mashed potatoes on the counter to release excess steam and moisture.
- Sprinkle salt and half of the flour over the potatoes.
- Gently mix and add more flour little by little until a soft dough forms. Do not knead heavily.
- Divide the dough into pieces and roll into ropes about 2 cm thick.
- Cut into small pillows and optionally roll over a fork to create ridges.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Cook gnocchi in batches. When they float, cook 1 more minute, then remove with a slotted spoon.
- Toss immediately with butter, olive oil, or your favorite sauce and serve.
Notes
Add as little flour as possible to keep the gnocchi light and fluffy.
Cold dough is easier to shape if prepared ahead.
Gnocchi can be frozen very well, so make a big batch of these and freeze some. Find a couple of my favorite sauce pairings below!
1 Simple Tomato, Honey & Parmesan
The quiet classic.Soft tomato sauce, a little sweetness, lots of cheese.
The kind of plate you eat standing in the kitchen before you even sit down.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, finely sliced or grated
- 250 ml crushed tomatoes or passata
- 1–2 tsp honey
- 30–40 g freshly grated Parmesan
- salt and black pepper
- optional: basil or parsley
Method
Warm olive oil in a pan and gently sauté the garlic until fragrant.Add tomatoes and simmer for 5–8 minutes until slightly thickened.
Stir in honey and season with salt and pepper. Toss the hot gnocchi directly into the sauce.
Finish with plenty of Parmesan so it melts into the tomatoes and turns silky.
2 Brown Butter & Sage
Ingredients- 60 g butter
- handful fresh sage
- black pepper
- grated Parmesan (optional)
Brown butter gently until nutty and golden.
Add sage until crisp.
Toss hot gnocchi straight in the pan. Warm. Quiet. Cozy. Blanket food.
3 Hot Honey Butter (Sweet Heat)
Fantastic if you are in for sweet and hot! Ingredients- 40 g butter or olive oil
- 1–2 tbsp hot honey
- pinch chili flakes or chile morita powder
- squeeze of lime
- flaky salt
Pan fry boiled gnocchi until golden and crispy.
Add butter + hot honey.
Glaze until sticky.
Finish with lime and salt. Sweet, spicy, slightly dangerous.
Snacky. Crowd killer.
4 Tomato Gochugaru “Italian Tteokbokki”
For a Korean twist and some extra heat try this one! Ingredients- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, sliced
- 200 ml crushed tomatoes
- 1–2 tsp gochugaru
- splash soy sauce
- pinch sugar or honey
- black pepper
- parsley or spring onion
Simmer sauce 5–7 minutes until slightly thick.
Toss gnocchi directly in the pan.
Let sauce coat and glaze.
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