Homemade Potato Gnocchi with Peas

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Learn how to make gnocchi at home with this easy potato gnocchi! It’s tossed with a creamy herb sauce and peas for a delicious spring dinner.

I’ll eat potatoes in any form, so it just makes sense that when I see potato gnocchi on the menu, I order it. Potatoes as my main meal? No brainer. 

Sadly I don’t see it much at restaurants, but homemade gnocchi is fairly easy and definitely worth the effort! Soft and pillowy, it takes on the flavor of whatever sauce you toss it with, but retains its distinctive potato-ness. 

I also love that making gnocchi doesn’t require a pasta roller, special mold, or even that fancy gnocchi board. We’re going for rustic on purpose here; all you need are a few bowls, pots, and a knife.

Since it’s spring we’re tossing these gnocchi with a simple lemon parmesan cream sauce, fresh herbs, and bouncy peas. Simple, fresh, and so satisfying!

Ingredients for potato gnocchi

You’ll need:

• Russet potatoes
• All-purpose flour
• Egg – You’ll need just the yolk, unless you want to make a double batch of gnocchi, in which case you’ll use the whole egg.
• Unsalted butter
• Shallot
• Garlic
• Vegetable broth
• Lemon
• Heavy cream
• Parmesan
• Fresh or frozen peas
• Fresh parsley
• Fresh dill
• Salt and pepper

If you want to make this gnocchi gluten free, use an all-purpose gluten-free blend. Pamela’s is what I usually use for gluten-free recipes.

You do not need to thaw the peas if using frozen. They will thaw very quickly in the sauce and only needed to be heated through.

How to make this recipe

First things first: we need to cook the potatoes! You can do this up to 3 days in advance of when you want to make the gnocchi.

Heat the oven to 400°F and prick the potatoes all over with a fork. Place them on a baking sheet and bake until they are very tender. This will take 55-65 minutes, depending on the size of the potato. Let cool until they are easy to handle.

Slice the potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh into a bowl. Mash until smooth, or pass through a potato ricer. You don’t want any lumps!

Add the flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the egg yolk (or whole egg if doubling the recipe) and mix until a soft dough forms. If the dough is too sticky, add just a little flour at a time. The dough should hold together but still be quite soft.

Lightly dust your work surface with flour and turn out the dough. Divide it into four portions. Working with one portion at a time, roll it out into a long rope about 3/4 inches thick. Cut into 1-inch pieces using a knife or kitchen shears. If you want the classic gnocchi grooves, roll each piece over the back of a fork or a gnocchi board. Set the gnocchi on a floured tray or baking sheet and repeat until you’ve shaped all the dough.

Fill a large pot with water, add salt, and bring to a boil. Cook the gnocchi, working in batches so they have room to expand and float to the surface, for 2-4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon or skimmer to remove from the water and transfer to a plate. Repeat until all the gnocchi is cooked, then reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water.

To make the sauce, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the garlic and cook another 30-60 seconds. 

Sprinkle the flour into the pan and cook while stirring for 1 minute. Whisk in the vegetable broth until the mixture is smooth.

Stir in the cream, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Let the sauce simmer for 1-3 minutes, just until lightly thickened, then stir in the parmesan until melted. Add the peas and cook another 1-3 minutes until they are heated through and vibrant in color. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the cooked gnocchi to the sauce and gently stir to coat. If the sauce seems too thick, add some of the reserved pasta water to thin and emulsify. Remove from heat, stir in the fresh herbs, and serve.

Make-ahead tips

Potato gnocchi cooks quickly, so it’s a great option for having on hand for a quick weeknight dinner.

If you want to make the gnocchi a day ahead, you can store it in the refrigerator. After shaping, cover the floured tray with plastic wrap and set in the the fridge. They’ll have the best texture when used within 24 hours, but longer fridge storage can make them wet and sticky.

To store longer than a day, use the freezer! Set the whole floured tray, uncovered, into the freezer. Freeze for 1-2 hours, until completely solid. Then, transfer the gnocchi to a freezer-safe container, removing as much air as possible. Because they froze individually, the gnocchi shouldn’t clump together in the freezer.

You don’t need to thaw frozen gnocchi to cook. Simply add 1-2 minutes to the cooking time and remove when they float.

Don’t have peas on hand? Make with steamed asparagus or roasted carrots instead!

I highly recommend making a double batch of gnocchi dough just to keep on hand for easy meals!

Potato Gnocchi with Peas

Soft, pillowy potato gnocchi is easy to make at home. Serve it with an easy lemon cream sauce and peas.

Author : Megan Myers

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Prep Time 35 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories per serving 353 kcal

Ingredients

  

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For the gnocchi

• 1/2 pound russet potatoes
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, plus more if needed
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 large egg yolk

For the sauce

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan
• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen peas
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste

Directions

• Heat the oven to 400°F. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet, poke all over with a fork, and bake 55-65 minutes, until very tender when pierced with a knife. Let cool until warm enough to handle.
  1/2 pound russet potatoes
To microwave potatoes instead, prick all over and heat for 5 minutes. Flip, then heat another 3-5 minutes, until easily pierced.
• Cut the potatoes in half and scoop the flesh into a bowl, discarding the skins. Pass the potato through a ricer or mash until smooth.
• Add the flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the potatoes. Add the egg and gently mix until a soft dough forms. If the dough is sticky, add a little more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it holds together but remains tender.
  1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1 large egg yolk
• Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 4 portions and roll each into a rope about 3/4-inch thick. Cut into 1-inch pieces. Roll lightly over a fork or gnocchi board if desired and place on a floured tray.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the gnocchi in batches for 2-4 minutes, until they float to the surface. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon. Reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy water.
• Heat the butter in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook 2-3 minutes, until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
  2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 small shallot, 1 clove garlic
• Sprinkle in the flour and cook about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Slowly whisk in the vegetable broth until smooth.
  1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• Stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest, and heavy cream. Simmer 1-2 minutes until slightly thickened.
  2 teaspoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Add the parmesan and stir until melted. Add the peas and cook 1-3 minutes until heated through. Season with salt and pepper.
  1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan, 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen peas
• Add the cooked gnocchi to the skillet and gently toss to coat in the sauce. If needed, add some of the reserved water to thin out the sauce. Remove from the heat, stir in the parsley and dill, and finish with additional parmesan if desired.
  2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Notes

• If doubling the recipe, use 1 whole egg, not 2 egg yolks.
• Freeze gnocchi on the tray, then transfer to an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. Cook from frozen.

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Nutrition

Calories: 353 kcalCarbohydrates: 35 gProtein: 10 gFat: 20 gSaturated Fat: 12 gCholesterol: 100 mgSodium: 682 mgPotassium: 475 mgFiber: 5 gSugar: 5 gIron: 3 mg

Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate based on online calculators. Any nutritional information found on Stetted should be used as a general guideline only.

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