• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Savoring The Good®
  • Recipe Index
    • Appetizer Recipes
      • Dip & Salsa Recipes
    • Bread Recipes
    • Beef Recipes
      • Ground Beef Recipes
    • Breakfast Recipes
    • Canning Recipes
      • Pickling Recipes
    • Chicken Recipes
    • Cocktails
    • Cookie Recipes
    • Copycat Recipes
    • Crock-Pot Recipes
    • Dessert Recipes
    • Beverages
    • Food Tips
    • How To
    • Low Carb Recipes
    • Pork Recipes
    • Poultry Recipes
    • Recipe Collection
    • Seafood Recipes
    • Side Dishes
    • Snacks
    • Soups
    • Turkey Recipes
    • Vegetarian Recipes
  • Sous Vide
    • Sous Vide Dessert
  • Family
    • Technology
    • Crafts
  • Travel
    • Disney
    • Hershey, Pa
    • Amazon
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
  • About Me
  • Newsletter
  • Amazon Shop
    • Amazon
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipe Index
    • About Me
    • Newsletter
    • Amazon Shop
    • Amazon
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home | Main Dishes | Pasta Recipes

    Homemade Ricotta Gnudi Recipe (Ricotta Gnocchi)

    Dated: April 17, 2020 Last Modified: March 15, 2022 by Sarah Mock Leave a Comment. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This post contains affiliate links.

    2259 shares
    • Facebook168
    • Twitter
    Gnudi are delicate, pillowy dumplings of ricotta cheese, four, egg york and salt, similar to their cousin gnocchi but made with ricotta cheese instead of cooked potato.
    Toggle to green to prevent your screen from going dark
    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
    Ricotta Gnudi Recipe (Ricotta Gnocchi)

    Gnudi are delicate, pillowy dumplings of ricotta cheese, four, egg york and salt, similar to their cousin gnocchi but made with ricotta cheese instead of cooked potato.

    Ricotta Gnudi Recipe (Ricotta Gnocchi) on a white plate

    Also known as ricotta gnocchi, they can easily be made gluten-free. Toss with your favorite marinara sauce or saute them with brown butter and sage and you have a delicious meal in under 30 minutes.

    🥫 Ingredients needed:

    gnudi ingredients in bowls on a wooden surface

    Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.

    • ricotta cheese
    • flour (gluten-free flour can be used)
    • egg yolk
    • salt
    gnudi in tomato sauce

    Why the type of flour matters when making tender gnudi.

    When making gnudi that is tender to the tooth and not touch and chewy you need to use a flour that is low in protein. Cake flour is ideal because it has somewhere from 6-8% protein but you may not have cake flour on hand. If you already are making your own pasta with 00 flour, that would be a great substitution as it has roughly 9-10% protein for a medium milled flour.

    If you have exhausted all flour options in your pantry, go ahead and use all-purpose flour. AP flour has about a 10-12% protein content and while it is almost double the protein of cake flour or 00 flour, AP flour gnudi is better than no gnudi, in my opinion. 

    Gluten-free flour can be substituted in in equal portions. My gluten-free friends recommended cup 4 cup brand of flour but use what you love. 

    pressing ricotta for gnudi

    Preparing the ricotta for making gnudi

    There is a lot of moisture or whey in the ricotta. For the gnudi to hold the dumpling-like form the excess moisture needs to be removed. Here is how I do it.

    1. Line a dinner plate with 3-4 layers of paper towels.
    2. Spread the ricotta over the towels, add a second layer of 3-4 paper towels.
    3. Place another dinner plate on the stack and something with weight to it, such as a jar of sauce, on top of the second plate.
    4. Wait 30 minutes to up to overnight for the moisture to be pressed from the cheese.
    5. Peel back the damp paper towels and use the pressed ricotta. I was able to get 4 ounces of whey out of the cheese in 30 minutes.
    step by step photos on how to make gnudi

    How to make homemade gnudi:

    1. Press the moisture out of the ricotta. See notes for detailed instructions.
    2. In a large bowl, using a rubber scraper or wooden spoon, mix together the egg yolks and the drained ricotta cheese.
    3. Sprinkle in the salt and the flour.
    4. Using gentle folds, incorporate the flour and salt into the ricotta and egg mixture. 
    5. Do not overwork the dough. It will be sticky. Extra flour can be used as you roll out the gnudi.
    6. Continue on to rolling or piping out the gnudi.

    You have 2 options for forming the gnudi dumplings. You can roll them by hand or use a piping bag to make your portions. The choice is up to you and everyone has their own preference. I like the piping bag fitted with a coupler or really large open round tip because it is cleaner for me. But I am pretty sure hand-formed gnudi is more traditional. 

    hand rollling gnudi in a floured hand

    How to hand roll gnudi:

    1. Gather the dough and with floured hands on a floured surface, gently roll the dough into a log about 12 inches in length.
    2. Using a knife, divide the dough in half lengthwise and then slice each half in half again. You will now have 4 long ¼ logs.
    3. Using a quick chopping motion, slice each log into spite sized pieces, about an inch in length.
    4. Flour your hands and the pieces of dough again to roll them into little dumplings.
    How to pipe out gnudi dumplings

    How to pipe out gnudi dumplings:

    1. Fit a piping bag with a wide open, round tip or just the coupler in the bottom of the bag.
    2. Dust a cookie sheet or surface with flour.
    3. Pipe the mixture out in 1 inch dollops of dough. For larger dumplings press harder and longer to make a golf ball sized dumpling.
    4. Dust your hands with more flour and sprinkle the dollops with more flour. 
    5. Pick up each gnudi and form it gently in your hand. I found that shaking them in your hand as if you were shaking dice works well. Just be sure to do one at a time and flour your hand frequently.
    6. Place on a well-floured cookie sheet until ready to boil.
    gnudi in a boiling pot of water

    🍳 How to cook gnudi:

    1. Bring a large pot of water to boil and salt the water.
    2. Drop the gnudi in the water and wait for them to float to the top.
    3. Simmer for 2 minutes and remove them from the pot with a slotted spoon.
    4. Serve with the sauce of your choice. See suggestions below.
    gnudi on a sheet tray ready to be frozen

    ❄️ Storage Tips

    If you are making a big batch of gnudi during batch cooking or meal planning they can easily be frozen. Simply dust a cookie sheet or baking tray with flour and space the gnudi out on the tray. Freeze until firm, about 2-3 hours depending on size, and store in a zip-top bag with as much air pressed out as possible. They will keep in the freezer for up to a month.

    How to cook frozen gnudi:

    1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt the water.
    2. Drop the frozen gnudi into the boiling water and wait for them to float.
    3. Once they float, simmer for an additional minute to 3 minutes.
    4. Remove from the water, drain and serve.

    ☝️ Top Tip

    • Be sure to drain the ricotta. The less moisture, the less sticky the dough will become.
    • Add parmesan cheese to the dough for an extra layer of flavor. I recommend ½ cup fresh grated to start. 
    • The dough will double in size when you boil them. Consider this when rolling out or piping the dough.
    • Don't overwork the dough. Gentle folding until the dough just comes together. You can always flour your hands and surface to keep the stick

    📝 Frequently asked questions, answers and tips:

    How is gnudi different from gnocchi? 

    Gnudi uses ricotta cheese to make little fluffy pillows of goodness whereas gnocchi utilizes cooked potato to achieve little dumplings of happiness. 

    What is gnudi?

    Gnudi pronounced 'nu -dee' translated from the Flourintene Italian meaning 'naked' are dumpling-sized balls of ricotta, flour, egg yolk and salt simmered in water for 2 minutes. These delicate pillows are similar to their cousin gnocchi but made with ricotta cheese instead of cooked potato. Picture a ravioli without the pasta. In fact, gnudi can easily be made gluten-free. 

    Ways to serve gnudi:

    Sauteed in brown butter sauce
    Topped with a generous scoop of bolognese and a shred of parmesan cheese
    Saute them in butter and sage, served with fresh mozzarella gnudi in a browned butter sauce with sage

    Why does the type of flour matter when making tender gnudi.

    When making gnudi that is tender to the tooth and not touch and chewy you need to use flour that is low in protein. Cake flour is ideal because it has somewhere from 6-8% protein but you may not have cake flour on hand. If you already are making your own pasta with 00 flour, that would be a great substitution as it has roughly 9-10% protein for a medium milled flour.
    If you have exhausted all flour options in your pantry, go ahead and use all-purpose flour. AP flour has about a 10-12% protein content and while it is almost double the protein of cake flour or 00 flour, AP flour gnudi is better than no gnudi, in my opinion. 
    Gluten-free flour can be substituted in in equal portions. My gluten-free friends recommended cup 4 cup brand of flour but use what you love. 

    Stay in touch with me through social media @ Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. Don't forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes!

    click to visit my amazon store front as an amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Ricotta Gnudi Recipe

    Sarah Mock
    Gnudi are delicate, pillowy dumplings of ricotta cheese, four, egg york and salt, similar to their cousin gnocchi but made with ricotta cheese instead of cooked potato.
    4.75 from 12 votes
    Pin Recipe Print Recipe
    Note From Sarah

    There is more to a recipe than just the recipe card. Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!

    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 3 mins
    Additional Time 30 mins
    Total Time 53 mins
    Prevent your screen from going dark, toggle to button to the right to turn GREEN
    Course Easy Recipes
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 100 pieces
    Calories 281 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 16 ounces ricotta cheese
    • 3 egg yolks
    • ⅔ cups cake flour
    • 1 teaspoon salt

    Instructions
     

    • Press the moisture out of the ricotta. See notes for detailed instructions.
    • In a large bowl, using a rubber scraper or wooden spoon, mix together the egg yolks and the drained ricotta cheese.
    • Sprinkle in the salt and the flour.
    • Using gentle folds, incorporate the flour and salt into the ricotta and egg mixture. 
    • Do not overwork the dough. It will be sticky. Extra flour can be used as you roll out the gnudi.
    • Continue on to rolling or piping out the gnudi.

    How to hand roll gnudi:

    • Gather the dough and with floured hands on a floured surface, gently roll the dough into a log about 12 inches in length.
    • Using a knife, divide the dough in half lengthwise and then slice each half in half again. You will now have 4 long ¼ logs.
    • Using a quick chopping motion, slice each log into spite sized pieces, about an inch in length.
    • Flour your hands and the pieces of dough again to roll them into little dumplings.

    How to pipe out gnudi dumplings:

    • Fit a piping bag with a wide open, round tip or just the coupler in the bottom of the bag.
    • Dust a cookie sheet or surface with flour.
    • Pipe out 1 inch dollops of dough. For larger dumplings press harder and longer to make a golf ball sized dumpling.
    • Dust your hands with more flour and sprinkle the dollops with more flour. 
    • Pick up each gnudi and form it gently in your hand. I found that shaking them in your hand as if you were shaking dice works well. Just be sure to do one at a time and flour your hand frequently.
    • Place on a well-floured cookie sheet until ready to boil.

    How To Cook Gnudi

    • Bring a large pot of water to boil and salt the water.
    • Drop the gnudi in the water and wait for them to float to the top.
    • Simmer for 2 minutes and remove them from the pot with a slotted spoon.
    • Serve with the sauce of your choice.

    Notes

    pressing ricotta for gnudi

    Preparing the ricotta for making gnudi

    1. Line a dinner plate with 3-4 layers of paper towels.
    2. Spread the ricotta over the towels, add a second layer of 3-4 paper towels.
    3. Place another dinner plate on the stack and something with weight to it, such as a jar of sauce, on top of the second plate.
    4. Wait 30 minutes to up to overnight for the moisture to be pressed from the cheese.
    5. Peel back the damp paper towels and use the pressed ricotta. I was able to get 4 ounces of whey out of the cheese in 30 minutes.

    Gnudi making tips:

    • Be sure to drain the ricotta. The less moisture, the less sticky the dough will become.
    • Add parmesan cheese to the dough for an extra layer of flavor. I recommend ½ cup fresh grated to start. 
    • The dough will double in size when you boil them. Consider this when rolling out or piping the dough.
    • Don't over work the dough. Gentle folding until the dough just comes together. You can always flour your hands and surface to keep the stick

    Nutrition

    Serving: 25Calories: 281kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 17gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 173mgSodium: 648mg

    Nutrition Disclosure

    Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.

    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Sharing of this recipe to social media is both encouraged and appreciated. Please share the direct link back to the recipe. Copy/Pasting and/or screenshots of the recipe to any social media is strictly prohibited. Content and photographs are copyright protected. SavoringTheGood®

    More Main Dishes

    • Gigi Hadid Pasta Recipe
    • Lasagna Roll Ups Recipe With Ground Beef
    • Best Sous Vide Brisket Recipe (24 Hour Brisket)
    • Sous Vide Short Ribs (Red Wine Reduction)
    2259 shares
    • Facebook168
    • Twitter

    About Sarah Mock

    Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 13 years Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Sarah Mock

    Sarah Mock Headshot 2022 SavoringTheGood.com

    Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 13 years Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.
    Learn More about me!

    Popular Posts

    • Hershey Kiss Cookie
    • Sous Vide Filet Mignon
    • Smoked Pineapple Recipe (5 Flavor Options)
    • Easy Chipped Beef Dip Recipe

    Most Recent

    • Air Fryer Breakfast Potatoes
    • 36 Easy Moonshine Recipes
    • Lavender Drinks {Coffee & Cocktails}
    • 38 Easy Canned Corn Recipes

    Seasonal Favorites

    • Rhodes Rolls Recipe (Secrets for Success)
    • Turkey Brine (Dry Mix)
    • How To Carve A Turkey Breast {Picture Instructions}
    • Smoked Turkey Recipe
    Savoring The Good, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Savoring The Good, LLC makes no claims of expert status and the owner will not be liable for any losses, injuries, or damages from the use of the information found on this website.

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Policy
    • Amazon Shop

    Newsletter

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Media Kit

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 Savoring The Good®