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Homemade Gnocchi with Pesto Cream Sauce Recipe

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4.9 from 69 reviews

This Homemade Gnocchi recipe guides you step-by-step to create pillowy, tender potato gnocchi from scratch, paired with a creamy pesto sauce. Using simple ingredients, you’ll boil and grate potatoes, gently fold in flour and egg for a light dough, shape and cook the gnocchi, then toss them in a flavorful pesto cream sauce made with white wine and Parmesan cheese. Perfect for an impressive Italian-inspired dinner.

Ingredients

Scale

Gnocchi

  • 1 pound Russet potatoes (left whole)
  • 1 medium egg (beaten)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt

Sauce

  • ¼ cup pesto
  • ¾ cup heavy cream
  • ¼ cup white wine
  • ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (plus more for serving)

Instructions

  1. Cook the potatoes: Add the whole Russet potatoes to a pot and cover them with water. Bring the water to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender through to the center, about 20 minutes. Remove the potatoes from the water and let them cool slightly.
  2. Peel the potatoes: Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel off the skins carefully using a paring knife.
  3. Grate the potatoes: Using a box grater, grate the peeled potatoes and spread them out on your work surface. Let them cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
  4. Add egg: Drizzle the beaten egg evenly over the grated potatoes.
  5. Mix with flour and salt: Sift half of the flour and all of the kosher salt over the potato and egg mixture. Use a bench scraper to cut the flour into the potatoes, then gently use your hands to fold and mix until the dough comes together and remains light and fluffy. Avoid kneading; fold and pat the dough gently.
  6. Add remaining flour: Sprinkle the remaining flour onto the dough and repeat the gentle folding process until the dough forms a cohesive ball.
  7. Divide and shape dough: Divide the dough into four equal portions. Roll each portion into a long rope approximately ½ to ¾ inch thick. Cut each rope into 1-inch pieces and dust them with flour to prevent sticking.
  8. Form gnocchi shapes: Gently roll each piece of gnocchi along the tines of a fork, applying light pressure to create the traditional ridges and a curved “C” shape.
  9. Boil gnocchi: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the gnocchi in batches, adding them to the boiling water and cooking until they float to the surface, which indicates they are done.
  10. Make the sauce: While the gnocchi cooks, whisk together the pesto, heavy cream, and white wine in a separate pan. Heat over medium heat until the sauce is steaming but not boiling.
  11. Combine gnocchi and sauce: Using a slotted spoon or small strainer, transfer the cooked gnocchi directly into the heated sauce. Repeat until all gnocchi are cooked and added to the sauce.
  12. Finish with Parmesan: Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese into the sauce and gnocchi mixture until well combined. Serve immediately with additional Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top, if desired.

Notes

  • Russet potatoes are preferred for their starchy texture, which makes for light and fluffy gnocchi.
  • Be gentle when folding the dough to keep the gnocchi tender; overworking can make them tough.
  • Dust the gnocchi with flour as you shape them to stop them from sticking together.
  • Cook gnocchi in batches to avoid overcrowding the boiling water.
  • The folded fork ridges help sauce cling to the gnocchi for better flavor.
  • Leftover gnocchi can be frozen before boiling; freeze on a tray then transfer to a sealed bag.

Keywords: homemade gnocchi, potato gnocchi recipe, Italian gnocchi, pesto cream sauce, gnocchi from scratch

Find it online: https://thefoodrecipe.com/homemade-gnocchi-with-pesto-cream-sauce-recipe/