Gnudi (Ricotta Gnocchi)

Gnudi—pronounced like “noodee”—have been popping up on American restaurant menus for years, but these delightful little ricotta gnocchi have been around forever in Tuscany. Pillowy soft with just enough toothsome give, these little dumplings require only a few staple ingredients, including ricotta cheese, egg, a bit of flour and Parmesan. They’re either plain or made with spinach, as in this recipe, and need little more than a brown butter or tomato sauce.

Super delicate yet easy to make—the dough comes together in minutes—try these for a new twist on pasta night (without the pasta!) and serve with your favorite vegetable side dishes, like roasted broccolini or a crisp salad. You can also make them to accompany Italian-inspired roasted or grilled meats, like Florentine steak, and seafood.

What are gnudi?

Gnudi is a rustic dish typical of the Tuscan region of Italy. These little dumplings are a good example of Nonna food: Simple recipes that require only a few staple ingredients and a pot of water. Gnudi (the plural of gnudo) means “naked,” an apt name for a homemade ravioli filling without the pasta wrapping.

Some call gnudi ricotta gnocchi because the preparation is similar to potato gnocchi, but these dumplings use soft cheese instead of potatoes as the main ingredient. You can make gnudi with or without spinach, but we like the greens for extra color and nutrition. Malfatti, which means “badly made,” is another name for spinach gnudi; you’ll find those ricotta dumplings more around the Siena region of Tuscany.

No matter the name, gnudi require well-drained ricotta, egg, cheese, seasonings and a small amount of flour. You can prepare them in advance and let them rest in the refrigerator to develop a “skin,” or you can roll them and drop them right into a pot of gently boiling water. Once cooked, toss them in brown butter or tomato sauce and top with a sprinkling of Parmesan. They’re perfection.

Ingredients for Gnudi (Ricotta Gnocchi)

• Ricotta: Whole-milk ricotta cheese is the most crucial ingredient in the recipe, so seek out a highly rated brand. Even if it looks dry, draining the ricotta before mixing it with the other ingredients is essential for consistency. This isn’t the time to use homemade ricotta; it might have too much moisture and require extra pressing and draining.
• Olive oil: Use olive oil to wilt the spinach before chopping and adding it to the gnudi dough.
• Baby spinach: Baby spinach is preferred here because the leaves are tender and blend more easily into the dough. Regular spinach also works.
• Egg: As with most recipes in which eggs are blended with other ingredients, let the egg come up to room temperature before using it.
• Parmesan: Parmesan adds flavor and seasoning to the gnudi dough. Try to find real Parmigiano-Reggiano, and grate it into a fluffy mound with a Microplane.
• Garlic: Finely mince or grate the garlic on a Microplane to thoroughly blend it into the dough. If you’re not a fan of garlic, leave it out or use less.
• Salt and pepper: Make the pepper freshly ground, and be sure to season the pasta water well so that the finished gnudi are delicious all the way through.
• Nutmeg (optional): Often associated with sweet fall desserts and pastries, fragrant nutmeg is often used in savory Italian dishes like this. It’s a perfect match for spinach and ricotta, and it’s particularly lovely when the ricotta gnocchi come with a browned butter sauce.
• Flour: All-purpose flour is just fine to use in gnudi recipes.
• Tomato sauce for serving: A light marinara or tomato sauce lets the ricotta gnudi shine through. Use your favorite store-bought version, or try your hand at making sugo tomato sauce.

Directions

Step 1: Drain ricotta

Line a fine mesh sieve with paper towels and add the ricotta. Cover with additional paper towels, then place a saucer on top and add a weight, such as a can of beans. Let drain.

Editor’s Tip: Let the ricotta drain for at least 30 minutes or up to a few hours. Don’t throw out the ricotta whey! You can use it in baking recipes instead of water, add it to a creamy salad dressing or even use it as part of the liquid for cooking the gnudi.

Step 2: Cook and drain the spinach

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the spinach and cook until just wilted, two to three minutes. Let it cool, then squeeze the spinach until it releases all its moisture, reserving the liquid in the skillet.

Editor’s Tip: You can also wilt the spinach in hot water, drain it and squeeze out the moisture.

Transfer the cooled spinach to a cutting board and finely chop. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil.

Step 3: Make the gnudi dough

In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, spinach and lightly beaten egg until well-blended. Add the Parmesan, garlic, salt, pepper and optional nutmeg.

Mix until thoroughly combined. Add flour and stir gently until a moist mixture forms.

Editor’s Tip: The dough will be soft but will hold its shape when rolled into balls.

Step 4: Roll the dumplings

Place a few tablespoons of flour on a plate. Using a teaspoon, scoop 1-inch balls of dough and gently roll them into spheres. Roll the spheres in the flour until the outside is lightly coated, and set aside. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Editor’s Tip: If you’re struggling with the dough, try dampening your hands before rolling or lightly dusting the dough with flour before rolling (but don’t add too much).

Step 5: Boil the gnudi

Place the skillet with the spinach liquid back on the stovetop over medium heat and add the tomato sauce.

To cook the gnudi, add about half the dumplings to the water and lower the heat to a gentle simmer. When the dumplings rise to the top, cook for two more minutes. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon and transfer them to the tomato sauce. Repeat with the remaining dumplings.

Editor’s Tip: It’s essential to lower the heat so the water is at a low boil. If it’s roiling, it might break the gnudi apart. The additional two minutes of cooking time ensure the gnudi are fully cooked. The gentle cooking makes these pillowy soft.

Step 6: Serve

Serve in bowls with the sauce and topped with additional Parmesan cheese.

Gnudi (Ricotta Gnocchi) Variations

• Leave out the spinach: Don’t want the green? You can leave the spinach out of the gnudi pasta and proceed with the rest of the recipe as written.
• Try other greens or herbs: You can also make gnudi with wilted chard, kale—try the dark green lacinato type—or fresh herbs, such as sage and parsley. Don’t hesitate to put some basil on top.
• Add different vegetables: Use about 1/2 cup pureed cooked beet, carrot or winter squash instead of the spinach for extra color and flavor. A little lemon zest is a nice addition too.
• Serve with other sauces: Brown butter is classic here, but these would be delicious with other pasta sauces, like creamy vodka sauce, mushroom sauce, lemon butter or pesto.

How to Store Gnudi (Ricotta Gnocchi)

If you’re storing finished dumplings, gently scoop them and their sauce into a glass snap-top container. If you’re storing the raw ricotta mix for additional dumplings, that can go right back into the empty ricotta container or into the same type of dish as above.

How long do gnudi last?

Eat cooked gnudi pasta within two or three days, and use the prepared ricotta mix within a day or two.

Can you freeze gnudi?

You can freeze shaped, uncooked gnudi and cook them straight out of the freezer. Just form the gnudi, place them on an oiled or parchment-lined baking sheet, and pop the sheet into the freezer. When the gnudi are solid, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag and use them within three months.

To use them, drop the gnudi directly into boiling, salted water, and adjust to maintain a simmer. Once they rise to the surface, cook as instructed.

How should you reheat gnudi?

Because ricotta gnudi are delicate, you don’t want to stir them around a lot as they reheat. Bring them up to temperature in a covered pan with a little sauce or on a burner over medium heat.

Gnudi (Ricotta Gnocchi) Tips

Why did my gnudi recipe fall apart?

Gnudi can fall apart for several reasons. First, the flour and egg can’t hold them together if there is too much moisture in the dumplings. Drain the ricotta well, and get all the moisture out of the spinach before making the dough. If the dough falls apart as you roll it, it’s a good bet that it won’t hold up in the water. You can fix this by adding a second egg, a few spoonfuls of bread crumbs or a little extra flour. You can also let the gnudi pasta sit in the fridge for 30 minutes or more; they’ll form a “skin” that helps prevent them from falling apart in the water.

Second, if the water is boiling too hard, the dumplings will get knocked around and fall apart. After you add the gnudi recipe to the pot, watch it carefully, and as it starts to come back up to a boil, adjust the temperature to keep it at a low boil rather than a rolling boil.

What else can you serve with ricotta gnudi?

Other Italian dishes are the perfect accompaniments for this gnudi with spinach. If you’re serving the gnudi with tomato sauce, try it with baked broccolini, Tuscan fish packets or artichoke chicken. If you’re using a butter sauce, consider Tuscan grapes and sausage and some white bean arugula salad on the side.