Gnocchi Ricotta e Spinaci – Ricotta and Spinach Dumplings Recipe
These gnocchi are delicate, soft dumplings made with ricotta and spinach, served with butter and sage or a simple tomato sauce. In Italy they’re a homely comfort dish, similar to our “lazy” cheese dumplings, just in a greener version. They’re light yet filling – ideal for a relaxed lunch or dinner.
These gnocchi, also called gnudi, are popular in Tuscany and the surrounding regions as a lighter alternative to potato dumplings. Italian home cooks often make them “by eye”, using up leftover ricotta and spinach from other dishes.
Gnocchi ricotta e spinaci are the Italian answer to our “lazy” dumplings – soft, pillow-like pieces where cheese and spinach, not flour, play the main role. Thanks to the ricotta they’re light, gently creamy and don’t feel as heavy as classic potato gnocchi. Their green colour and buttery sage aroma make the plate look and smell like a little trattoria in Tuscany.
Why this version works
- Thoroughly squeezing out the spinach lets you keep the flour amount low, so the gnocchi stay light.
- Boiling a single test dumpling lets you adjust the flour to the specific batch of ricotta.
- Parmesan adds flavor and helps bind the mixture without weighing it down with extra flour.
- Rolling the dough into logs gives evenly sized dumplings that cook at the same rate.
Chef's tips
When adding flour, go by the consistency rather than the exact amount in the recipe – the dough should be soft and slightly sticky, but manageable when you dust the work surface with flour. Do a test first: drop one dumpling into boiling water; if it falls apart, add a bit more flour or a tablespoon of grated Parmesan. Cook the gnocchi in a wide pot and don’t stir them straight away – wait until they float, then gently move them with a spoon.
How to serve
The simplest and most Italian way to serve them is with butter, fresh sage leaves and a handful of Parmesan – you can have gnocchi on the table 10 minutes after cooking. They’re also delicious with a light tomato sauce and a rocket salad with lemon vinaigrette, as a calm, meat-free midweek meal. To drink, a white wine like Soave or a glass of lightly chilled rosé is perfect for a lazy Saturday lunch.
Watch out for
- Too much flour will give you hard, pasty dumplings – the mixture should still be slightly sticky to the touch.
- Don’t cook the gnocchi in a violently boiling water, or they’ll bang against the bottom and may fall apart.
- Don’t rinse cooked gnocchi with water, or you’ll wash off the starch that helps the sauce cling to them.
Substitutions
- You can replace ricotta with semi-fat farmer’s cheese, pressed through a sieve, adding 1–2 tablespoons of cream.
- Instead of fresh sage, use a pinch of dried sage fried briefly in butter and a handful of chopped parsley at the end.
- You can swap Parmesan for grana padano or a longer-aged hard cheese similar to bursztyn.
Ingredients
- ricotta cheese well drained - 250 g
- fresh or frozen spinach after squeezing out the water - 150 g
- egg - 1 piece
- grated Parmesan - 40 g
- flour plus a little for dusting - 80 g
- butter for drizzling - 40 g
- fresh sage leaves optional - 6 piece
- salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg to taste
Preparation
- If using fresh spinach, rinse it, dry it and place it in a dry pan. Heat for 2–3 minutes until it wilts and releases water, then squeeze it thoroughly in a sieve or cloth. If using frozen spinach, defrost it and squeeze well too.
- Chop the spinach very finely with a knife.
- In a bowl, mix the ricotta, egg, grated Parmesan, chopped spinach, a pinch of salt, pepper and nutmeg.
- Add the flour and gently mix with a spoon or your hand until you get a soft, slightly sticky dough. If it’s very runny, add another 1–2 tablespoons of flour, but try not to add too much so the dumplings stay delicate.
- On a board or work surface dusted with flour, take portions of the dough and roll them into logs about as thick as your thumb. Cut them into pieces about 2 cm long. You can gently round the edges with your fingers.
- Bring a large pot of water to the boil and salt it. Drop the gnocchi into the boiling water in batches.
- Cook until the dumplings float to the surface, then for another 1–2 minutes. Lift them out with a slotted spoon onto a plate.
- In a pan, melt the butter over medium heat. If using sage, add the leaves and fry for 1–2 minutes, until the butter foams lightly and smells nutty and the sage becomes crisp (don’t burn it; it should be light golden).
- Add the cooked gnocchi to the pan with the butter, gently toss or shake the pan so they’re coated in the fat.
- Serve immediately, sprinkled with extra Parmesan if you like.
Storage
Cooked gnocchi are best eaten fresh, but you can store leftovers in a closed container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a pan with a little butter or sauce, or briefly in the microwave. Uncooked dough does not store well and may release water, so it’s better to cook all the gnocchi and reheat them later.
I most often make these gnocchi when I have an open tub of ricotta and some leftover spinach from an omelette in the fridge – then in half an hour I have lunch for the whole family. I serve them with butter and Parmesan for the kids, and for myself I add some peppery rocket and extra black pepper on top.
