Easy Ricotta Gnocchi with creamy mushroom sauce
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
15 mins
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Total Time
30 mins
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Servings
3
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Calories
702 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Italian
Easy Ricotta Gnocchi with creamy mushroom sauce
Description
Easy Ricotta Gnocchi with creamy mushroom sauce starts with a dough combining full-fat ricotta, freshly grated Parmesan, egg yolks, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Flour is added gradually to yield a sticky, soft dough that, when shaped, cooks into light, fluffy gnocchi. The dough's soft texture depends on ricotta quality and careful flour addition.
The creamy mushroom sauce complements the gnocchi with butter, garlic, minced shallot, thyme, and sliced white mushrooms sautéed together. Chardonnay wine and chicken stock build depth, while heavy cream adds richness and smoothness. The sauce’s earthy mushroom notes pair well with the mild, tender gnocchi.
This dish can be garnished with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan for brightness and texture contrast. It serves well as a main course with a comforting, velvety sauce, offering an approachable homemade pasta experience with manageable ingredients and steps.
According to notes, firmer ricotta is preferred for proper dough consistency, with options for draining excess moisture if using softer types. Gnocchi can be frozen after initial shaping and cooked from frozen with slight timing adjustments.
Ingredients
Gnocchi
- 250g / 8oz ricotta must be full fat (Note 1
- 3/4 cup (75g) Parmesan Cheese Note 2, freshly grated
- 1 egg 55 - 60g/2oz, large
- 1 egg egg white use ideas here, yolk
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt or cooking salt
- Pinch black pepper
- 3/4 - 1 cup flour (plain/all-purpose), plus more for dusting (Note 3)
Creamy mushroom sauce
- 30g / 2 tbsp butter unsalted
- 2 garlic finely minced, cloves
- 1/2 onion US: shallot), finely chopped, or 1 eschallot
- 2 thyme sub 1/2 tsp dried thyme, sprigs
- 250g / 8oz white mushrooms , sliced in 5mm / 0.2" slices
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt or cooking salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/3 cup chardonnay or other dry white wine (skip for non alcoholic)
- 1/2 cup chicken stock low sodium, or broth
- 2/3 cup heavy cream or pure cream, thickened
Garnish
- Parmesan Cheese freshly grated
- parsley finely chopped (optional, fresh
Instructions
Homemade ricotta gnocchi
- Mix - Put all the gnocchi ingredients in a bowl except the flour. Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to mix until combined (smear up the wall if needed, to help cream the ricotta).
- Add flour - Add 3/4 cup of flour and mix until just combined so it is a very sticky dough that will hold its shape in a mound, but is not runny like a muffin batter (see video for consistency). Stickier dough = softer gnocchi! Use the remaining flour, 1 tbsp at a time, if needed, but try to stick with 3/4 cup. You can always add more flour in the next step. (Note 3)
- Form disc - Sprinkle a work surface with flour then scrape the dough out onto it. Sprinkle the top lightly with flour then use your hands to give the dough a light knead to bring it into a ball then pat it into a disc about 2.5cm/1" thick. Cut it into 8 wedges, using a knife or dough scraper dusted with flour as needed between each cut
- Roll and cut - Roll each piece into a log 25cm/10" long, about 1.25cm / 1/2" wide. Cut into 1.5 cm / 3/5" pieces (Can freeze at this point - Note 4)
Creamy mushroom sauce
- Cook mushrooms - Melt the butter in a large pan over high heat. Add the onion, garlic and thyme sprigs. Cook for 1 minute. Add mushrooms, salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes until the mushrooms is softened.
- Sauce - Add the wine and simmer rapidly for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring to scrape the base of the pan, until mostly evaporated. Add the stock/broth and cream, then stir.
- Simmer - Bring to a simmer then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer gently for 5 minutes until thickened. (It's ok if it seems a bit thin, the starch from gnocchi will thicken it quickly, have faith!).
Cook gnocchi & sauce it
- Cook gnocchi - Bring a large pot of water to the boil with 2 teaspoons of salt. Tumble the gnocchi in and cook for around 2 1/2 minutes, or until the gnocchi is floating on the surface for around 30 seconds, no longer (else they overcook!)
- Sauce it - Use a spider or large slotted spoon to scoop the gnocchi out of the water and straight into the sauce (excess water drips in the sauce are good!). Turn the heat up to medium and toss gently for 1 minute or until the sauce thickens and coats the gnocchi. If the sauce gets too thick, add a splash of the gnocchi cooking water.
- Serve immediately, garnished with freshly grated parmesan and parsley, if desired.
Notes
- Use regular ricotta with a lumpy texture, not spreadable type, to avoid overly sticky dough.
- If ricotta is too soft, drain excess moisture using a paper towel-lined colander before measuring.
- Freshly grated Parmesan is recommended for better integration into the dough compared to pre-grated versions.
- Less flour results in lighter gnocchi, but amounts may vary depending on ricotta moisture.
- Gnocchi can be frozen in single layers with baking paper, then cooked from frozen with an extra minute of cooking time.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 3Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 702 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 702cal | 35% |
| Carbohydrates | 35g | 12% |
| Protein | 29g | 58% |
| Fat | 48g | 74% |
| Saturated Fat | 29g | 145% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 13g | 65% |
| Trans Fat | 0.3g | 15% |
| Cholesterol | 260mg | 87% |
| Sodium | 1253mg | 52% |
| Potassium | 560mg | 12% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 1792IU | 36% |
| Vitamin C | 5mg | 6% |
| Calcium | 544mg | 54% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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