Yes, you can make gnocchi at home and trust me, it’s way easier than it looks! I love making this recipe when I want something comforting but fun to shape and cook. With just three ingredients, you’ll feel like a pasta pro in no time.
These sweet potato homemade gnocchi are soft, cozy, and full of flavor. You don’t need fancy tools or even eggs just a fork, some flour, and a sweet potato. The best part? They taste amazing with a little butter and sage, or even a creamy blue cheese sauce. Let’s get cooking!
👩🏻🍳 Method (In Detail)
Mash the Potato
Start by using a sweet potato that has been baked, cooled, and peeled. It’s important that the sweet potato is completely cold before you begin this helps the dough hold together better. Place the peeled sweet potato in a large bowl or on a plate and mash it with a fork. Take your time here! You want the potato to be as smooth as possible with no lumps. A smooth mash gives you soft and fluffy gnocchi. You don’t need any fancy tools a fork works great if you mash thoroughly.
Mix the Dough
Once your sweet potato is mashed, it’s time to bring everything together. In a large mixing bowl, add the flour and salt first and stir them gently to combine. Then add the mashed sweet potato to the bowl. Using a spoon, or your clean hands, mix everything together until the flour and potato start to come together into a dough. It might be a bit sticky at first, but that’s okay! Keep mixing just until you can shape it into a soft ball. Be careful not to knead it too much overworking the dough can make the gnocchi dense instead of soft.
Shape the Gnocchi
Now for the fun part shaping the gnocchi! Lightly dust a clean countertop or table (if needed) and break off a small piece of the dough. Roll it gently with your hands into a long rope or sausage shape. It should be about as thick as your finger. Then, use a knife to cut the rope into small pieces around the size of a grape. These are your gnocchi!
If you want to go one step further and give them the traditional gnocchi ridges, take each little piece and roll it down the back of a fork. This makes tiny grooves that help the gnocchi hold onto sauce better. This part is totally optional, though. If you’re short on time or just want to keep things simple, smooth gnocchi taste just as delicious.
Cook the Gnocchi
Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil. Once it’s bubbling, gently drop the gnocchi pieces in. Be careful not to overcrowd the pot cook them in batches if needed. Right after you drop them in, they’ll sink to the bottom. As they cook, they’ll start to float to the top. This is how you know they’re done! Use a slotted spoon to scoop them out as soon as they float. It usually takes just 2 to 3 minutes.
Sauce It Up!
Now comes the tasty part. Once your gnocchi are cooked, drain off any extra water and toss them right away with your favorite sauce. One of my favorite ways to serve them is with a simple butter and sage sauce it brings out the natural sweetness of the sweet potato. You can also try blue cheese and leek for something rich and savory, or go for olive oil and parmesan for a lighter option. No matter what you choose, homemade gnocchi always feels like a cozy treat.
🧰 Necessary Tools
- Large mixing bowl
- Fork (for mashing and shaping)
- Knife
- Clean surface for rolling dough
- Pot for boiling water
- Slotted spoon (for scooping the gnocchi out)
🥔 Sweet Potato Homemade Gnocchi, Easy 3-Ingredient Pasta Magic!
Cuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Easy2
servings15
minutes5
minutes20
minutesIngredients
220g baked sweet potato (no skin, cooled)
100g plain flour
½ teaspoon salt
Directions
- Mash the Potato I used a cold, baked sweet potato with the skin removed. Just mash it with a fork until it’s super smooth. No lumps, please!
- Mix the Dough In a large bowl, mix your flour and salt. Then add in the mashed sweet potato. Stir everything together until it forms a soft dough.
- Shape the Gnocchi Grab a piece of dough and roll it on a clean surface into a long sausage shape. Slice it into small bite-size pieces these are your gnocchi!
- Optional: If you want that classic gnocchi look, roll each one over the back of a fork. This gives it tiny ridges that hold sauce better, but don’t stress smooth ones taste just as great!
- Cook the Gnocchi Boil a pot of water. Carefully drop in your gnocchi. When they float to the top, they’re ready! This usually takes just a couple of minutes. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon.
- Sauce It Up! Toss the hot gnocchi with your favorite sauce and enjoy while warm.
Notes
- Make sure your sweet potato is cold and dry before mashing. If it’s hot or too moist, the dough can get sticky.
- Don’t add too much flour or you’ll end up with chewy gnocchi. Start with 100g and add just a little more if the dough feels too wet.
- Don’t overwork the dough gentle mixing is best to keep the gnocchi soft and light.
- Roll the dough on a dry surface with no extra flour if possible. This helps the dough stay together.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
These gnocchi are super flexible! Try them with:
- Butter and sage (simple and classic)
- Blue cheese and leeks (for something bold)
- A drizzle of olive oil and grated parmesan
- A light tomato sauce if you want something familiar
🎉 Fun Fact
The word gnocchi (say it like “nyo-kee”) comes from Italy and means “lumps” or “knots.” People have been making gnocchi for hundreds of years and each region of Italy has their own special twist!
✅ Conclusion
Making homemade gnocchi sounds fancy, but it’s actually simple and really fun. You only need three things: a sweet potato, some flour, and a little salt. That’s it! You’ll get soft, tasty dumplings that are perfect for dinner and you’ll feel proud that you made pasta from scratch. Try it once, and I promise you’ll want to make it again!
