Gluten-Free Ricotta & Spinach Gnocchi
Jul 06, 2017, Updated Dec 21, 2024
Gluten-Free Homemade Gnocchi ~ Worth the effort, fun to make and DELICIOUS! Gluten-Free Flour in the dough is easy to handle – yes… you can do this! Recipes for Brown Butter Sauce and Garlic Scape & Basil Pesto
This is one of those recipes I love to make!
The dough comes together quite quickly and is super-easy to work with!
Light an airy and super-flavorful gnocchi speckled with spinach – perfect with butter, pesto or marinara sauce.
See recipe for my two favorite sauces:
Brown Butter Sauce and
Garlic Scape & Basil Pesto (see both sauces)
I add fresh shelled peas, fava beans, parmesan reggiano cheese, pine nuts and basil leaves.
A Gluten-Free Recipe that tastes just like the best, delectable gnocchi. Really. The gluten-free flour with a touch of xanthan gum helps it stay together.
To Prepare:
The dough will form neatly into a ball, then cut into 8 wedges, and roll each one into a long 3/4″ wide by 19″ long rope shape.
Then, cut into 1″ pieces and form the shape with the tines of a fork and a little pinch underneath.
Cook – poach actually in water until they float, in about 3 minutes, and cook another few minutes until cooked through and drain. That wasn’t too hard!
I find it therapeutic to roll, cut and form. In a few minutes, light homemade gnocchi are yours to enjoy!
This is a big batch recipe. I love to freeze some for another night (see recipe for instructions) ~ or you can half the recipe.
Have fun making the gnocchi… big rewards when you dig in!
Karen
Karen’s Gluten-Free Ricotta & Spinach Gnocchi
Gluten-Free Homemade Gnocchi ~ Worth the effort, fun to make and DELICIOUS! Gluten-Free Flour in the dough is easy to handle – yes… you can do this! Recipes for Brown Butter Sauce and Garlic Scape & Basil Pesto
Equipment
- 1 food processor
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh spinach leaves, packed (cleaned and dried)
- 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese, use "fresh" ricotta for best flavor and texture
- 1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oi
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder*
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg
- 2 large eggs, divided
- 1/2 cup grated Reggiano Parmesan Cheese
- 2 cups gluten free all purpose flour, (I used Bob’s Mill Gluten Free 1 to1 Baking Flour)
Instructions
Spinach:
- Boil water in a small pot, add spinach, stir and cook until bright green, about 30 seconds. Pour into colander and refresh under cold water until cool. Place in paper towels and pat very dry.
Make Gnocchi Dough:
- Add half of the ricotta cheese (I've used full fat fresh from a specialty store), the blanched spinach leaves and ONE egg to a small food processor. Whirl until combined and bright green in color, about 1 minute.
- Add the second egg, remaining ricotta, olive oil, garlic powder, salt, pepper and nutmeg. PULSE to combine well – do not over process.
- Add this mixture to a large bowl. Add the parmesan cheese and 1 cup of Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour. Mix with a large fork or wooden spoon. When starting to come together, add the remaining 1 cup of flour. Bring the dough together with your hands to make a ball of dough.
- Flour your work surface lightly (you do not need much.) Add the round dough. Cut into 8 equal wedges (pie-shaped is easiest.)
- Roll each eighth of dough into a long rope shape -approximately 3/4" wide and 19" long. Cut 1 " lengths with a sharp knife. Will make approximately 152 gnocchi. Take the tines of a dinner fork, and press down on each piece – hard enough to see the marks.. not top hard to flatten. Turn each piece over and give a little pinch in the center of each to make a concave shape.
- Lightly flour a large tray, lines with waxed paper. add the gnocchi pieces, continue with the rest of the dough.
Cook Gnocchi:
- Fill a large pot with water, bring to a boil and add HALF of the gnocchi to poach. Stir gently, after 3 minutes, they will float to the top. Let them continue to cook at this point another 2 minutes until cooked through.
- Take them out with a slotted spoon or shallow strainer to a colander in the sink. Continue with the remaining gnocchi.
- Too many to cook? Freeze remaining UNCOOKED gnocchi. Spread them out on the waxed paper lined tray. Freeze until firm, then add to freezer bags, mark and freeze up to 2 months.
- See recipes below for saucing the Gnocchi.
Browning Gnocchi:
- Add 1 T. of unsalted butter for EACH CUP of cooked gnocchi to a 12" skillet. Set to medium-high heat, add gnocchi and leave to brown on first side, do NOT stir, can shake up a little. When brown on bottom, stir up until browned on second side. Add a pinch of salt all over. Remove to a plate, then sauce.
Brown Butter Sauce:
- For 2 cups of cooked Gnocchi heat 4 tablespoons of butter in a 12" skillet. Melt, and add 2 medium sliced cloves of garlic. Cook over low heat for two minutes to soften the garlic. Raise heat to medium-high. The butter will start to brown – add any vegetables you like now – I added 1/2 cup of fresh, raw shelled peas and 1/4 cup of shelled and blanched fava beans. Give a stir to coat the vegetables, and just cook them a la dente.
- Pour the sauce over the gnocchi – add a pinch of salt and 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan reggiano cheese. Garnish with basil leaves and serve.
Garlic Scape & Basil Pesto Optional Sauce:
- In a small food processor add: 1/2 cup of washed and chopped garlic scapes (I blanch mine first), 2 cups of basil leaves, 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, two small garlic cloves and 2 tablespoons of pine nuts. Process until smooth, scraping the bowl. Add 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt and 1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese, process until a bright colored green pesto. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight glass container.
To Serve:
- Add to warm poached gnocchi (or reheat it), stir in pesto to cover. Grate some parmesan cheese over – dot with pine nuts and basil leaves. Vegetables like cooked garden peas and fava beans compliment well.
Notes
Gluten Free Flour used: Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1, Gluten Free
Nutritional calculation is gnocchi, unsauced. This recipe may not be reproduced without the consent of its author, Karen Sheer.
Nutritional calculation is gnocchi, unsauced. This recipe may not be reproduced without the consent of its author, Karen Sheer.
Nutrition
Calories: 249kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 12gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 74mgSodium: 306mgPotassium: 98mgFiber: 3gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 675IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 202mgIron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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