Description
Spinach Gnocchi is a delicious healthy twist on my classic potato gnocchi recipe and it’s just as easy to make! Fluffy as pillows, these bright green tender little dumplings pair with any gnocchi sauce you can think of from the ultra creamy to the super meaty. Skip the store-bought stuff because this tastes way better and it can be made in less time than it probably takes you to make that trip! And with just 4 ingredients (+salt) you probably already have everything on hand to make it.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 200g Italian 00 Flour with 11% -11.5% protein (2 cups + 2 tablespoons) (sub King Arthur’s unbleached all-purpose flour)
- 500g Yukon Gold Potatoes (1 pound) (sub Kennebec potatoes) *potatoes measured before cooking or peeling
- 90g spinach, puréed or finely minced (1/2 cup)
- 1 large egg yolk (from a large egg)
- 3g sea salt (1 teaspoon)
*I prefer to use gram measurements for consistency and best results but feel free to use measuring cups as long as you the ‘scoop and level’ method to measure your flour. Also, you may need to use just a little more or less flour depending on what type you use.
Instructions
- Boil the potatoes: Add the potatoes to a medium sauce pot cover with about 2 inches of water and add salt to taste. Bring the pot to a boil and cook until fork tender (about 25 minutes). Strain the potatoes and use a fork to hold each potato steady while you use a knife or a spoon to scrape off the skins while they’re still hot. Discard the peels, or use them to make homemade broth. *Alternatively, you may bake the potatoes until fork tender (about 1 hour at 400°F/205°C) if desired.
- Make the dough: In a large mixing bowl or on a countertop, mix the flour and salt together using your hand and make a well in the middle. Rice or grate the potatoes into the well while the potatoes are still hot to very warm (you’ll see steam coming off of them), add the spinach, and stir everything together using a fork until mostly combined and crumbly looking. Add the egg yolk, stir just to incorporate it, and then bring the dough together using your hands.
- Form the dough: Place the dough onto a non-stick baking mat (or a lightly floured work surface) and press it down slightly to form a larger rectangle. Fold the dough like a letter bringing in both sides to the middle. Flatten it once more and then fold in the opposite sides like a letter. Pinch the dough together and using your hands gently roll it into a 16-inch log. Divide it into 4 smaller logs (each about 4 inches long) using a floured bench scraper. The dough will still be warm at this point and feel like a cross between pasta dough and mashed potatoes (sturdy, but soft).
- Let the dough rest: Place the upside-down mixing bowl over the tops of the logs to cover them and allow them to rest for 30 minutes to let the dough relax.
- Cut the gnocchi: Working with one log at a time, roll the logs into long ropes and cut them into gnocchi or gnocchetti using a floured bench scraper or knife. Roll each gnocchi over a gnocchi board, cheese grater, or the tines of a fork while applying gentle pressure to make indentions in the dough or if the dough is really soft, just use a fork to make imprints on the tops. Place the gnocchi onto a lightly floured parchment-lined baking pan leaving space in between each and repeat with the remaining dough. *Alternatively, you can simply cut the gnocchi and press an indention into them using your thumb if you don’t want to make the ‘rigate’ or ridges.
- Cook the gnocchi: Cook the gnocchi in a large pot of boiling salted water or homemade broth just until they float to the top (or about 3 to 4 minutes) or freeze them for up to 3 months. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you’re not working on a non-stick baking mat, you may need to add a little flour as you begin to roll the dough into a log. Only add just enough to keep it from sticking to the surface.
- Do not use bread flour to make gnocchi because it contains too much protein.
- Do not make spinach gnocchi in advance and refrigerate it. The dough is delicate and will start to dry out too much. Instead, to meal prep spinach gnocchi, freeze it (see instructions and details below).
- You may freeze raw spinach gnocchi uncovered on the baking tray (leaving room in between them so they don’t touch). Freeze for 30-45 minutes, or until frozen solid, then drop them into an airtight container or freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Cook directly from frozen (never thaw gnocchi first) in a pot of boiling salted water or broth (they’ll take a few minutes longer to cook than fresh gnocchi).
- Cook gnocchi in plenty of boiling water so they don’t stick together as they cook. Gently stir them frequently which also helps keep them from sticking together as they cook.
- Here are 5 easy ways to reheat leftover gnocchi:
- Emergency: Place it in a microwave-safe bowl and cook it for 30 seconds to 45 seconds, or until heated through (method not recommended, but sometimes you need gnocchi fast:).
- Skillet: Place gnocchi (with or without sauce) in a skillet with a little EVOO and toss cooking over medium-high heat for about 4 to 6 minutes.
- Boiling water or broth: This is the most common method for reheating gnocchi that doesn’t have a sauce. It’s easy and warms cold gnocchi beautifully. Just be sure to only leave the gnocchi in the water for a couple of minutes until warmed through so you don’t overcook them.
- Oven Broiler Place the gnocchi in a cast iron skillet or other broiler-safe dish and heat the gnocchi with a little olive oil or sauce under a preheated broiler for about 3 to 5 minutes, or until warmed through.
- Regular Oven: Place gnocchi in a baking dish with sauce covered loosely with foil and add it to a preheated 375°F/190°C for about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Dough Resting Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 minutes
- Category: Italian
- Method: Mix & Stir
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
