How to Serve Gnocchi

Co-authored by Amy Bobinger

Last Updated: March 9, 2022 References Tested

Gnocchi is a soft, pillowy pasta made with potatoes, and it's an extremely versatile dish. Classic gnocchi is typically served with a sauce made from browned butter and sage, but you can use almost any sauce you like with your pasta! Whether you buy pre-made gnocchi or make your own, you can find a variety of delicious ways to serve this dish!

Ingredients

Classic Gnocchi with Butter and Sage

1 tbsp (21 g) salt for the water, plus 1/4 tsp (1.4 g) for the sauce
1 lb (450 g) Pre-made or homemade gnocchi
1/4 cup (57 g) butter
1 clove garlic
1 tsp (1 g) dried sage
1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 cup (25 g) Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp (0.5 g) black pepper

Gnocchi with Tomato Sauce

1 lb cooked gnocchi
24 fl oz (710 mL) tomato sauce
1 cup (113.4g) mozzarella

Crispy Gnocchi

¹⁄₂ cup (120 mL) olive oil
Cooked gnocchi
Your choice of sauce

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Serving Classic Gnocchi with Butter and Sage

1
Bring 4 US quarts (3.8 l) of salted water to a boil. You cook gnocchi much the same you cook pasta–by dropping it into a pot of boiling water. The gnocchi will have a better flavor if the water is lightly salted.^{[1]
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- Typically, for 1 pound (0.45 kg) of pasta, you would use 4 US quarts (3.8 L) of water and 1 tbsp (about 21 g) of salt.
2
Cook 1 lb (450 g) of gnocchi in the boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Gnocchi doesn’t take very long to cook, making it perfect for a quick and easy weeknight meal! Whether you’re using pre-made gnocchi or you started from scratch, it should only take a few minutes before the gnocchi is ready. You’ll know the gnocchi is fully cooked when it floats to the surface.^{[2]
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- Don’t overcrowd the water! There should be only enough gnocchi in the water to cover the bottom of the pot. If you’re using a smaller pot or if you double the recipe, cook the gnocchi in batches rather than dumping them all in at once.
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3
Remove the gnocchi with a slotted spoon and set it aside. When the gnocchi start to float, carefully remove it from the boiling water and transfer it to a plate. If you’re cooking batches of the gnocchi, add the next batch to the water and continue until it’s all cooked.^{[3]
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4
Melt 1/4 cup (57 g) of butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the butter, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until it starts to develop a light golden color. You should also start to smell a slightly nutty flavor as the butter browns.^{[4]
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- This will be about half a stick of butter.
- Watch the butter carefully to ensure it doesn’t scorch.
5
Add 1 clove of minced garlic into the butter and cook for 4 minutes. As it cooks, stir the garlic frequently with your wooden spoon to keep it from burning. If your butter starts to get too dark, turn the heat down to about medium. After the 4 minutes, the garlic should be soft and should be a slightly darker color.^{[5]
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- If you’re using garlic that’s already minced, use about 1 tsp (4.6 g).
6
Add 1 tsp (1 g) of dried ground sage and 1/4 tsp (1.4 g) of salt into the butter. Stir the sage and salt into the butter and let the sage cook for about 1 minute. Once you can smell the sage, your sauce is ready!^{[6]
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- If you like a little spice in your pasta, add a pinch of dried red pepper flakes at the same time that you add your sage.
7
Remove the sauce from the heat and toss in the cooked gnocchi. Gently transfer the gnocchi into your pan, then toss or swirl the pan so the gnocchi gets completely covered with your butter and sage sauce.^{[7]
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8
Top with 1/4 cup (25 g) of Parmesan cheese and 1/4 tsp (0.5 g) of pepper. There’s nothing better than pasta with Parmesan, and gnocchi is no exception! Top off your dish with Parmesan and plenty of black pepper, then serve while it’s still warm!^{[8]
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Think about placing a little pot of Parmesan on the dining table to allow diners to decide how much Parmesan they'd like to sprinkle over their own serving of gnocchi.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Baking Gnocchi with Tomato Sauce

1
Preheat your oven to 400 °F (204 °C). Since your gnocchi will already be cooked when you bake it, you can turn your oven to a higher temperature so the dish will get done faster. This will prevent the gnocchi from becoming dense due to sitting in the sauce for too long.^{[9]
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2
Spray an 8 in (20 cm) oven-safe dish with cooking spray. Choose a dish with high sides so the sauce and cheese won’t spill in your oven while you’re cooking. Make sure to coat the dish thoroughly with the spray so the gnocchi doesn’t stick.^{[10]
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- If you prefer, you can use smaller individual-sized ramekins instead of one large baking dish.
3
Boil 1 lb (450 g) gnocchi for 2 minutes. You can make this dish using frozen pre-made gnocchi or fresh gnocchi from scratch. Either way, cook the gnocchi the same way you would make it for a classical preparation–by boiling it in hot water until it floats.^{[11]
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- If you're using pre-made gnocchi, follow the package instructions.
4
Mix the cooked gnocchi and 24 fl oz (710 mL) tomato sauce. Pour the tomato sauce into a bowl, then gently add the cooked gnocchi and toss them all together. The gnocchi should be completely coated with the tomato sauce.^{[12]
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- If you’re looking for a way to make this dish even easier, you can use a jar of your favorite store-bought tomato sauce. However, you can also make a tomato sauce from scratch in just a few minutes if you want to add your own homemade touch.
5
Layer the gnocchi with 1 cup (113.4 g) of mozzarella cheese. Spoon about half of the gnocchi mixture into the bottom of your greased baking dish, then top with half of the cheese. Repeat with the remaining gnocchi and cheese.^{[13]
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- Layering the cheese will give your baked gnocchi a comforting, melty quality that really takes it to the next level.
6
Place the dish in the oven for about 10 minutes. Since you preheated the oven to 400 °F (204 °C), it won’t take long to heat the dish all the way through. You don’t want to overcook the gnocchi, otherwise, it won’t have that soft, pillowy texture it’s known for.^{[14]
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- If you want the cheese to brown on top of the dish, turn on the broiler for 1-2 minutes after the dish is cooked.
7
Remove the baked gnocchi from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Use pot holders and be careful, since the dish will be very hot. Give the gnocchi a little time to cool before you serve it.^{[15]
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8
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. This delicious dish usually goes fast, but if you do have any leftovers, transfer them to a container with a tight-fitting lid and place the gnocchi in the refrigerator. Eat it within a few days.^{[16]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Making Crispy Gnocchi

1
Heat ¹⁄₂ cup (120 mL) olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. In order to get beautiful, crispy gnocchi, you’ll need to quickly pan-fry it. Heat your oil until it’s shimmering, but don’t let it get so hot that it starts smoking.^{[17]
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- This works best with a heavy-bottomed skillet like an iron skillet or a Dutch oven.
2
Add cooked gnocchi in a single layer and fry it for 3-4 minutes. Don’t stir the gnocchi as it’s cooking. You can fry as much or as little gnocchi as you want, but you don’t want to overcrowd the pan. If you have too much gnocchi to cover the bottom of the pan in a single layer, fry it in separate batches.^{[18]
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- If it’s not already cooked, you can cook your gnocchi by placing it in boiling water for 2-3 minutes or until it floats.
- Try this the next time you have leftover gnocchi that you want to reheat!
3
Turn the gnocchi and cook it for about 3 more minutes. As the gnocchi finishes frying, you can turn it occasionally so it doesn’t stick. After about 3 minutes, the gnocchi should be browned and crispy.^{[19]
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4
Remove the gnocchi from the pan and toss it with your favorite sauce. Use a slotted spoon to carefully remove the gnocchi from the hot oil, then transfer it to your serving dish. Add your favorite pasta sauce to the bowl and toss it until the gnocchi is fully coated with the sauce.^{[20]
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- Feel free to get creative with the sauce. Try tomato sauce, roasted red pepper sauce, Alfredo, pesto, or anything else you can imagine!
- Try tossing in add-ons like spinach, bacon, or pine nuts!
5
Serve the gnocchi while it’s warm! This dish is a crowd-pleaser. It’s quick and easy and it’s sure to be a favorite for years to come!