Learn how to make Homemade Vegan Potato Gnocchi like an Italian grandmother! This impressive dish is made from just 5 ingredients and tastes light, pillowy, and flavorful. Best of all it’s freshly made without any preservatives, eggs, or gluten!

I was recently travelling in Croatia for a photography workshop and stumbled upon the cutest gnocchi board in a charming outdoor market. Those little ridges were calling my name from a basket of jumbled wooden kitchen goods. So, I scooped it up and took it home. Gnocchi and I have become well acquainted since then and I’m excited to share this adventure (and recipe) with you!

What I’ve learned is that you can make swoon worthy gnocchi, or you can make quick/easy gnocchi. But I’ve yet to encounter effortless homemade vegan gnocchi that is light, pillowy soft, and impossible to resist. That being said, if you follow the steps I’ve laid out in this recipe, gnocchi nirvana is within your reach. Each step isn’t complicated, but they do take some patience and care. In the end you’ll be handsomely rewarded with each golden bite!

What is gnocchi?

In Italian Cuisine, gnocchi are dumplings made from small lumps of dough. The most common gnocchi are made from potatoes, flour, eggs, and salt. But they can also contain herbs, vegetables, and cheese.

How to pronounce gnocchi-

Gnocchi, pronounced “nyow-kee” is the plural of gnocco, or a single gnocchi. Not that you could ever eat just one!

Is gnocchi vegan?

Gnocchi recipes will often include eggs and sometimes cheese, so they are vegetarian but not vegan. I use oil in place of eggs in this recipe to make it vegan-friendly and also to help the dough stick together.

Is gnocchi gluten-free?

The primary ingredient in gnocchi is potatoes. But, wheat flour is used as a binding ingredient in traditional gnocchi and is not gluten-free. Not to worry though, you can easily replace wheat flour with a combination of gluten-free flours for gnocchi that rivals its wheat-based cousin.

Ingredients

I’ve got the full list of ingredients and their amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of this post, but let’s take a closer look at each one

Golden potatoes- such as Yukon Gold with their nutty-tasting yellow flesh have a similar taste and texture to the potatoes used in Italy by gnocchi masters. Russet potatoes will do in a pinch, but their high starch content and powdery texture are harder to work with, often resulting in overworked rubbery gnocchi.

Oat Flour- does a lovely job of absorbing moisture, binding the potatoes, and imparting a rustic flavor. You can buy oat flour or make your own by blending regular rolled oats in a high-powered blender.

Tapioca Starch- This is a key ingredient! Also called tapioca flour, it magically binds the dough while improving the overall texture. The results are light gnocchi that are never dense or gummy.

Olive Oil- A good quality olive oil such as extra virgin olive oil, adds depth of flavor and helps the dough stick together, making it easier to roll out.

Kosher Salt- Please don’t skip the salt! It only takes ½ teaspoon of salt to make the flavors pop. I recommend using Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt.

Tips for perfect gnocchi

Bake, don’t boil the potatoes- Water is the enemy of gnocchi dough. Begin by poking a few holes in each potato and baking them on a tray (not directly on the rack). Fully cooked potatoes will feel soft, and the skin will split when pressed.

Use a potato ricer- to press peeled potatoes into fuffy little crumbles. If you don’t have a potato ricer, use a fork. Place the potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet. Break them into small chunks and mash each piece with the back of a fork until light and fluffy. Click here to see the potato ricer I use.

Use a wooden spoon- to mix the flour and oil into the potatoes. This gently incorporates the ingredients without making the dough tough. Work the last bit of flour into the dough by kneading it until smooth, trying not to overwork the dough. After this, you most likely won’t need to dust additional flour on your rolling surface which can make the dough dry and crack.

Don’t overcrowd the pan! - Pat your cooked gnocchi with a kitchen towel and pan fry in a hot, but not smoking hot, pan that is coated in olive oil. Do this in batches with enough room so the gnocchi aren’t touching. A crowded pan will steam the gnocchi instead of frying it.

Use a gnocchi board or fork to shape the gnocchi. - The little grooves in gnocchi carry out the important task of clinging to your sauce. And they look so cute! Roll each gnocchi over the grooves on a board or over the tines of a fork that has been flipped over on a cutting board. You can certainly skip this step if you’re running short on time or patience.

Serving Suggestions

Toss with Stinging Nettle Pesto for a flavorful weeknight dinner.

Use in place of pasta in Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff as a holiday main dish.

Enjoy with The Best Vegan Bolognese for a meal that rivals any restaurant.

Sprinkle with coarse sea salt and enjoy plain.

Keep scrolling for step-by-step instructions and photos!

Ingredients

Serves 4

1½ pounds (680g) of golden potatoes (scrubbed and whole)
½ cup (60g) oat flour
¼ cup (30g) tapioca starch
1 tablespoon of olive oil (plus more for pan-frying)
½ teaspoon of kosher salt
Salted water for cooking

How to make this recipe

Step 1

Step 2

1.-Bake the potatoes: Line a baking tray with parchment paper to cook your whole potatoes on. Poke several holes in each potato with a fork. Bake at 425 F (218 C / gas mark 7) for 45-60 minutes (larger potatoes may take longer). Check to see if they’re done after 45 minutes by giving them a squeeze. Fully cooked potatoes will feel soft, and the skin will split when pressed.

2. Rice the potatoes: When the spuds are cool enough to handle but still warm, carefully peel off the skin. Break them into a few pieces and press them through your potato ricer. If you don’t have a potato ricer, use a fork to mash and fluff the potatoes. Another option is to use a food mill or a potato masher, but these tend to compact the potatoes instead of fluffing them up. In the end, you want tiny crumbles of potatoes for light, pillowy gnocchi.

Step 3

3. Make the dough: Scoop the potatoes into a large mixing bowl. Whisk the flours and salt in a separate bowl. Sprinkle ¾ of the flour over the potatoes and fold it in with a wooden spoon. Look for dough that holds its shape when squeezed together but is not sticky or crumbly. Pour the olive oil over the dough and gently mix it in. Now sprinkle in the rest of the flour and, using your hands, lightly knead to form a tidy ball. Add a light sprinkling of oat flour if the dough feels sticky and a sprinkle of water if it won’t hold together.

Step 4

4. Shape the gnocchi: Divide the ball into 6 equal parts. Carefully roll each part into a rope that is ¾” thick. If the rope breaks, forge ahead and make 2 smaller ropes. Cut the ropes into ¾” pieces. The gnocchi are ready to cook or freeze at this point. But you can add little ridges to your gnocchi by rolling each piece over a gnocchi board or the tines of the back of a fork. These not only look cute but carry out the important task of clinging to the sauce.

Step 5

Step 6

5. Cook the gnocchi: Bring 2 quarts of water with 2 tablespoons of kosher salt to a rolling boil. Plop half of the gnocchi into the water. It will sink to the bottom and then slowly begin to rise to the top in about 2 minutes. Once it floats, you know it’s fully cooked. Use a slotted spoon to scoop the gnocchi onto a kitchen towel. Bring the water back to a boil and repeat this process with the other half. Serve straight away with your favorite sauce or fry the gnocchi first and then serve.

6. Pan-fry the gnocchi: For gnocchi that is lightly crisp on the outside and pillowy soft on the inside, pan-fry them over medium-high heat in a tablespoon of olive oil until each side is golden brown. Serve with a sauce or enjoy with a sprinkling of coarse sea salt.

How to store

Store uncooked gnocchi in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for 3 months. Store cooked gnocchi in the fridge for up to a week and gently reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.

Cook frozen gnocchi using the same method as fresh. There’s no need to thaw the gnocchi first, just know it will take longer to cook.

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Yield: 4 Servings

Author: Carol Clayton