Easy Vegan Gnocchi Recipe (2024)

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I bet you didn't know that making Vegan Gnocchi at home is actually incredibly easy and only requires THREE INGREDIENTS?! Yes, you read that right- all it takes is potato, flour, and salt to make the most delicious eggless potato gnocchi from scratch!

Easy Vegan Gnocchi Recipe (1)

Ingredient notes:

While gnocchi is an Italian dish traditionally made with eggs, it's actually incredibly easy to make vegan because of the starch from potatoes! Before we get into the details on how to make eggless potato gnocchi, let's make sure you have the right ingredients on hand.

Russet or Yukon Gold Potatoes

First things first, let's chat about potatoes. To make gnocchi you really want to use starchy potatoes vs. waxy potatoes. Similar to my Vegan Mashed Potatoes, I recommend using peeled russet potatoes in this recipe.

Russet Potatoes are easily mashed and get fluffy after being cooked. They also happen to be low in moisture which you want for gnocchi. Yukon potatoes can also work for this recipe, but try to avoid red or super waxy potato varieties that are high in moisture.

High-Quality Flour

After the potatoes, comes the flour! I recommend using all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour to make gnocchi. In the pictures you see here, I actually used Flourist Sifted Red Spring Wheat Flour which acts a little like a whole-wheat flour with its own unique flavor. However, all-purpose flour works just as well in this recipe!

Salt

I used Himalayan Sea Salt for this recipe, but any high-quality salt should work! Kosher salt is another great choice.

How to cook potatoes for gnocchi:

After assembling the ingredients, it's time to cook the potatoes. Peel the potatoes, chop them into thirds, add them to a large pot of salty water, and bring to a boil. Using salty water helps to give the potatoes enough flavor while making sure they don't soak up too much water.

Once the water is boiling, add in the potatoes and cook for 12-15 minutes until tender and easily pierceable with a fork. Then, remove the potatoes and immediately start mashing them. A lot of people recommend using a potato ricer to do get the potatoes completely smooth. However, I don't own one so I used my regular old potato masher which works well for making gnocchi without a ricer.

It's really important to mash the potatoes so there are NO chunks left. Otherwise, those potato chunks will show up in your gnocchi which leads to an unideal texture.

Easy Vegan Gnocchi Recipe (2)

How much flour do you need for gnocchi?

While the potatoes are still warm, add in the flour ½ cup at a time. I like to add the first ½ cup of flour and salt into the bowl and mash it with the potatoes. Then, I place the dough on my well-floured mixing surface. While I used a wood board in the pictures here, a marble pastry board actually works best as a non-stick surface.

Depending on the yield I get from my potatoes (anywhere from 3-3 ½ cups), I use anywhere from 1 ½- 1 ¾ cups of flour. The reason I leave the flour more "open-ended" is that the amount of flour to use is directly proportional to the amount of moisture in your potatoes. Use this recipe as more of a guideline!

When you mix in the flour, also try to not over-mix the dough! Otherwise, your vegan potato gnocchi will become sticky and gummy when cooked. You will know you've added enough flour when the dough is no longer sticking as easily to your surface but is still soft.

How to shape vegan gnocchi:

Once the eggless gnocchi dough is mixed, shape it into a large ball and begin cutting off sections. Then, roll the gnocchi dough into thin logs using your palms as pictured below.

Easy Vegan Gnocchi Recipe (3)

After the vegan gnocchi is rolled out, cut the dough into 1-inch thick pieces. At this point, you can leave the gnocchi as is, or use a gnocchi board to make the fun ridged gnocchi shape you see in my pictures.

To get the spiral shape, dust the gnocchi board with flour, press the dough lightly with your thumb, and let it roll off the board. Fun fact: I googled real Italians doing this to learn how to do it "the authentic way" and highly recommend you do the same- it's mesmerizing how fast some people can do this step!

Why let the potato dumplings rest before cooking?

Once the gnocchi has been formed, let it rest for at least 20-30 minutes. This is another CRUCIAL step to making gnocchi from scratch. Why? If you don't let the gnocchi rest before cooking, they will likely stick together during the cooking process.

The resting time allows them to dry slightly on the surface which helps them stay separate while being boiled. I learned the hard way that you can't skip this step as I ended up with a big clumpy pile of vegan gnocchi when I skipped the resting time.

Ways to cook eggless gnocchi

  • Essential Method: Boiling

First, add salt to a pot of water and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add in the gnocchi. When the gnocchi is cooked, they will rise to the top and float there once they are cooked. After they've floated to the top, let them cook about 1 more minute before removing.

Use a slotted spoon to strain the gnocchi over a bowl or the sink and add them to a plate or large tray in a single layer to cool before serving. This cooking process literally takes about 5 minutes and is super quick!

P.S- I like to add the gnocchi in batches to the pot of boiling water. This way, I guarantee they don't stick together. It also makes me less stressed when I have to remove them as they all rise to the top around the same time!

  • Optional Method: Pan-frying

Pan-frying gnocchi is DELICIOUS, but it involves added oil and frankly, it's an added step. First, follow the steps above and boil the gnocchi. After it has cooled a bit, coat it with oil and add it to a cast-iron skillet to cook. Then. pan-fry each side of the gnocchi for 2-4 minutes until it is browned.

I tried pan-frying the gnocchi without boiling and it still tasted good but wasn't as fluffy, so I don't recommend it. Pan-frying homemade gnocchi is SO delicious, but I will be honest that it is extra work.

FAQ & Expert Tips:

Can gnocchi be frozen?

To store vegan potato gnocchi, simply add the raw gnocchi to a tray in a single layer and add it to the freezer. After 1-2 hours, remove the tray and then add the raw gnocchi to a closed container for storage. Make sure to freeze it on the tray first otherwise they will stick together!

How do I store vegan gnocchi?

This recipe makes a LOT of gnocchi, so if you need to store leftovers in the fridge it will keep for up to 3 days. I recommend just cooking the amount of gnocchi you need and storing the rest frozen vs. storing leftovers in the fridge if you can help it.

How to serve vegan gnocchi?

If you're looking for recipes to cook this egg-free gnocchi with, I recommend trying them in a Vegan Lemon Butter Sauce, as the main component of this Gnocchi Cream Sauce, or in my Tomato Gnocchi Soup.

I truly hope you loved learning more about how to make the best 3-Ingredient Vegan Gnocchi from scratch. Enjoy!

-TSG

More Easy Vegetarian Pasta Recipes you will love:

  • Baked Tofu Parmesan
  • Vegan Brussel Sprout Tahini Pasta
  • Creamy Vegan Truffle Mushroom Pasta
  • Creamy Vegan Mushroom Kale Gnocchi

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Easy Vegan Gnocchi Recipe (8)

3 Ingredient Vegan Gnocchi

Soft and chewy pillows of vegan gnocchi require just 3 ingredients! These easy homemade gnocchi are sure to be your favorite pasta with any vegetarian sauce.

5 from 12 votes

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Course: Vegetarian Pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 1 hour hour

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Author: Megan Horowitch

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

  • 3 large russet potatoes about 3- 3 ½ cups chopped raw potatoes
  • 1 ¾-2 cups all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour
  • 1-2 teaspoons himalayan salt or kosher salt

Instructions

  • Begin by peeling the potatoes and chopping them into 2-3" chunks. Rinse the potatoes and then add them to a large pot of salty water. Bring the pot of potatoes to a boil and cook for 12-15 minutes until the potatoes are easily pierceable with a fork.

  • Once the potatoes are cooked, strain them and let them cool slightly. Take the warm potatoes and add them to a bowl. Then, mash them until the potatoes are completely smooth and no chunks remain. At this time you can also use a potato ricer to get perfectly smooth potatoes.

  • Add the first ½ cup of flour and the salt to the bowl of potatoes and mix together. Once mixed, turn the gnocchi dough out onto a well-floured surface. Add the remaining flour ¼ cup up a time and mix until the flour is just incorporated (do not over mix or spend a ton of time kneading the dough). The amount of flour varies based on the moisture in the potatoes. I used 1 ¾ cups in the dough- and about ¼ of flour for rolling out and dusting the gnocchi pieces. You will know the gnocchi has enough flour when it is firm and no longer easily sticking to the floured surface.

  • Form the gnocchi dough into a ball and tear off a piece. Then, roll the torn dough into a long rope about 1-inch in diameter using your palms. It's best to do this step on a well-floured surface.

  • Slice the rope into ½-1-inch gnocchi pillows. Leave as is or use a gnocchi board to shape the dough. To get the spiral shape, dust the gnocchi board with flour, press the dough lightly with your thumb, and let it roll off the board.

  • Add the gnocchi to a parchment lined tray in a single layer and let rest at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before cooking. Do not stack the gnocchi on top of one another or they will stick together and not dry out properly.

  • After the rest period, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add the gnocchi to the pot in batches. This recipe makes a lot of gnocchi, so I usually cook it in 4-6 batches so they do not stick together. Once the gnocchi rise to the top let them cook about 30 more seconds and then remove them with a slotted spoon to strain. Place the cooked gnocchi back onto the tray in a single layer to cool slightly.

  • Serve the warm gnocchi with your favorite sauce and toppings. Enjoy!

Notes

  • A lot of people recommend using a potato ricer to do get the potatoes completely smooth. However, I don't own one so I used my regular old potato masher which works well for making gnocchi without a ricer.
  • Uncooked gnocchi can be stored in the freezer up to 1 month. To do this, first add the uncooked gnocchi to a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer and add to the freezer for 1-2 hours. Once the gnocchi are frozen solid, remove them and add to a closed container for storage. To cook the gnocchi, simply follow steps 5-6 using frozen gnocchi.
  • Cooked gnocchi will keep in the fridge up to 3 days, but is best enjoyed the day it is cooked!
  • Here is thegnocchi board I used to make the fun ridged gnocchi shape you see in my pictures.

Nutrition

Calories: 203kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 394mg | Potassium: 571mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 4IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 2mg

Tried this recipe?Mention @shortgirltallorder or tag #sgtoeats!

More Vegetarian Pasta Recipes

  • Vegan Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
  • Shallot Chili Oil Noodles (15 minutes!)

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. meera says

    These turned out amazing. I’ll be sticking to this recipe the next time I make gnocchi. It’s my first time making them and it’s very delicious Thank you for the recipe 🤗

    Reply

    • Megan says

      You're so welcome!

      Reply

  2. Sharon says

    I just got done making them and i've decided that I want cook them tomorrow. Can I refrigerate them raw and cook them tomorrow or do they need to be boiled before refrigeration?

    Reply

    • Megan Horowitch says

      You can freeze them, but refrigeration would not be great as it may change the color of the gnocchi and dry them out. To freeze just place on a parchment lined baking sheet in a single layer until frozen solid. Then, add to a freezer safe bag after they are already frozen.

      Reply

  3. shruti mittal says

    Easy Vegan Gnocchi Recipe (13)
    This recipe is amazing and it tasted delicious at the end!

    Reply

    • Megan Horowitch says

      So glad it worked well for you!! 🙂

      Reply

      • Jessica hatfield says

        Hello, should I still boil the rested gnocchi if I plan to add it to soup or add to hot soup and they will cook? Looking forward to trying this!
        Thank you

      • Megan says

        I would recommend cooking them separately and adding them at the very end to a hot soup. Without knowing the soup recipe it's hard to say if it would work cooking them directly in the soup.

  4. Neepam says

    Easy Vegan Gnocchi Recipe (14)
    So nicely explained! It came it amazingly beautiful and delicious !!!!!
    Thank you!

    Reply

    • Megan Horowitch says

      Thank you I am so glad you loved it and the explanation helped! It's such a fun recipe to make 🙂

      Reply

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Easy Vegan Gnocchi Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What can you substitute for eggs in gnocchi? ›

What can I substitute for eggs in gnocchi? This recipe is so easy because there is no direct substitute needed for the eggs. Simply omit them as using flour and oil with the potatoes is enough for fresh gnocchi!

What is a substitute for all purpose flour in gnocchi? ›

This vegan gnocchi recipe only requires three ingredients: Potatoes: I used Yukon Gold potatoes here, but you can also use russet potatoes if that's all that you can find in your stores! Flour: I recommend using Tipo 00 or oat flour (if you're gluten-free, use oat flour!).

Is gnocchi better with or without egg? ›

Egg yolk added to your gnocchi dough helps improve texture, and keep it together while cooking. Gnocchi is traditionally made with eggs in Veneto and no eggs in Piedmont, the two Northern Italian regions famous for gnocchi. We vote for egg yolks at the rate of 1 per (500g) 1 lb of uncooked potatoes used.

Can I use mayo instead of eggs? ›

Mayonnaise. Eggs are a key ingredient in mayonnaise, so it makes sense that it can be a perfect substitute when you're out of eggs. Use 3 tablespoons of mayo as an egg substitute.

What can I add instead of eggs? ›

Egg replacers
  1. Vinegar & baking soda. Replace 1 egg with: 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 tablespoon vinegar. ...
  2. Unsweetened applesauce. Replace 1 egg with: 1/4 cup applesauce. ...
  3. Plain or vanilla soy yogurt. Replace 1 egg with: 1/4 cup yogurt. ...
  4. Silken tofu. ...
  5. Ripe banana. ...
  6. Ground flaxseed.

Is gnocchi good or bad for you? ›

Similar to pasta, gnocchi is high in carbohydrates and low in protein. Although both are carbohydrate-heavy foods, it has been shown that regular pasta may have less of an effect on blood sugar levels. One publication points to the fact that pasta doesn't raise blood sugar after a meal to the level that potatoes do.

Can you buy vegan gnocchi? ›

The 'Vegan Gnocchi Tasting Box' contains 4 combinations of our most popular Gnocchi with 4 types of sauces – all vegan-friendly*. *The included products are suitable for Vegans as it is made without using animal-derived ingredients.

What is a good potato substitute for gnocchi? ›

At Faro, Adey says, “We run very few potato gnocchi.” Instead they stick to the less common side of the root vegetable family: “Parsnip, gilfeather turnip, and salsify work great.” Broccoli and cauliflower, which are sturdy and dry, also hold up well to the test.

What beat flour for gnocchi? ›

Tipo 00 Flour is a soft, fine milled flour from Italy. It's a must-have for light and tender gnocchi and homemade pasta. Small(er) Batch Recipe ensures a higher success rate with just enough practice.

Why did my homemade gnocchi fall apart? ›

My Gnocchi Are Falling Apart When I Cook Them

This means there isn't enough flour and your dough is too wet. Try adding another 1/4 cup of flour and try again. A good idea is to have a pot of water on the go before you roll out and shape your gnocchi.

Is it better to boil or fry gnocchi? ›

The downside is that boiling can result in gummy, waterlogged gnocchi if you cook them too long. This is more of an issue when boiling store-bought gnocchi than with homemade ones. Frying gnocchi in a little butter or oil takes more effort, and the dumplings will be crisp on the outside, chewy and soft on the inside.

Is gnocchi more unhealthy than pasta? ›

Nutritional Value

Believe it or not, regular pasta is actually more carb-heavy than gnocchi, coming in at around 2 times the amount of carbs per serving. Gnocchi is also notorious for having a lot more sodium, with over 200 grams of it per serving. Regular pasta doesn't have nearly as high of a sodium content.

How does Gordon Ramsay cook gnocchi? ›

Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Add the gnocchi, tilting the pan from side to side briefly to stop them sticking together, then simmer for about 1½–2 minutes until they start to float. Drain the gnocchi and leave them to steam-dry for 1–2 minutes. Meanwhile, start to make the sauce.

What can I use instead of eggs in pasta sauce? ›

To replace one egg: In a blender, blend 1 Tbsp flax seeds with 3 Tbsp water until thick and creamy. You want the flax to be freshly ground, and it will add a nutty flavor.

Can I use oil instead of eggs? ›

For recipes which use eggs primarily as a leavening agent you can try a commercial egg replacement product (see above) or the following mixture: 1-1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil mixed with 1-1/2 tablespoons water and 1 teaspoon baking powder per egg.

Can you substitute egg in pasta? ›

Whereas egg pasta dough is obviously made with eggs, the eggless version uses semolina flour to replace the egg. Dried pasta bought in the supermarket is usually made with semolina flour. Therefore, the taste of semolina pasta dough won't be foreign to you.

What is a good egg substitute for lasagna? ›

  • If you're following a vegetarian diet but cannot consume eggs, there are several suitable substitutes you can use in recipes that call for eggs. ...
  • 1- Silken tofu can be blended until smooth and used as a replacement for eggs. ...
  • 2- Applesauce works well as an egg substitute in many baked goods, including lasagna.
Dec 22, 2023

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