The Easiest Homemade Gnocchi Recipe In A Brown Butter Sauce! (2024)

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Gnocchi in Brown Butter Sage Sauce is an easy dinner recipe with made homemade potato pasta. My recipe has a sneaky shortcut that makes it perfect for a lazy, comforting dinner. Let’s do this!

The Easiest Homemade Gnocchi Recipe In A Brown Butter Sauce! (1)

Table of Contents

  • Easy Homemade Gnocchi with Sage and Butter
  • Is Gnocchi a Pasta or Potato?
  • The Ingredients You’ll Need
  • Let’s Make Gnocchi!
  • Tips and Hacks
  • Serving Suggestions
  • How to Store and Reheat Leftover Gnocchi
  • Can I Freeze This Dish?
  • Get the Recipe
  • More Comforting Dinner Recipes

    Easy Homemade Gnocchi with Sage and Butter

    I’m all for a good diet-friendly, low-carb recipe now and then. We all make our little resolutions from time to time, so we can lose holiday pounds or get ready for swimsuit season, blah blah. But you know, when faced with a plate of light and fluffy gnocchi, all of that sounds super… lame.

    The only drawback to gnocchi is that it’s kind of a long process to make them, so for a lot of us, gnocchi are just a restaurant or take-out thing. Well, all of that is about to change, because today we are making gnocchi using (get ready for it) dehydrated potatoes!

    Before you go all purist on me, let me explain – a while back, I had the chance to visit Idaho and some of the amazing potato farms there. I also got to go behind the scenes and learn about what happens to all the potatoes that are too “ugly” or large to make it to your local grocery store. Seeing the potato-flake process firsthand has made me much more comfortable throwing them into my recipes. This gnocchi recipe is one of the best.

    You can also use these easy homemade gnocchi in my favorite or this Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup!

    The Easiest Homemade Gnocchi Recipe In A Brown Butter Sauce! (2)

    Is Gnocchi a Pasta or Potato?

    Gnocchi is sort of both! It’s a potato-based “dumpling” that you boil in water, like fresh pasta. It’s pronounced “NYO-kee.” (Pro tip: there are also gnocchi made with ricotta cheese, polenta, and other ingredients, but potato gnocchi are probably the most famous here in the U.S.) You can buy gnocchi ready-to-cook in the pasta aisle of most grocery stores, but they tend to be kind of heavy and chewy. Fresh gnocchi are much tastier, and with this potato flake hack, they’re really easy as well.

    The Easiest Homemade Gnocchi Recipe In A Brown Butter Sauce! (3)

    The Ingredients You’ll Need

    Besides potato flakes, what do you need for this recipe? Just a few simple items. Even the sauce here is incredibly easy to make.

    For the Gnocchi

    • Potato Flakes: AKA instant mashed potatoes.
    • Flour: I just use all-purpose flour, but if you wanted to be a little extra, use half cake flour and half all-purpose.
    • Water: For bringing the dough together.
    • Eggs: Large, whole eggs add richness and help bind the mixture.
    • Butter: Melt the butter before using.
    • Salt and Pepper
    • Oregano

    For the Sauce

    • More Butter: I like unsalted butter, so I can adjust how salty the sauce is more easily.
    • Shallots: These are usually found near the garlic in the produce section. Some are short and teardrop-shaped (like French shallots and Jersey shallots) while others are longer and thinner (banana shallots and yellow shallots). Any kind will work.
    • Sage: Fresh sage leaves, finely minced, give this simple sauce an incredible flavor! If you don’t have fresh sage, dried rubbed sage would be fine.
    • Salt and Black Pepper
    • Asiago Cheese: Parmesan is also good.

    What Are Instant Potato Flakes Made Out Of?

    Basically, instant potatoes are made out of regular potatoes! Russet potatoes that are good, but not the right size or shape for bagging and sending to the grocery store, are cooked, mashed, and then quickly dried in a thin, flat layer. From there, the dried mashed potatoes are broken into little flakes, and packed. Some varieties include a few added ingredients to keep the potato flakes from sticking and clumping, or to preserve their freshness longer.

    The Easiest Homemade Gnocchi Recipe In A Brown Butter Sauce! (4)

    Let’s Make Gnocchi!

    The process here are very simple, and there’s no need for baking, peeling, and mashing the potatoes – which is great, because I always used to rush through those steps and end up with burnt fingers. (I have no patience.) A food processor makes everything even easier.

    The Easiest Homemade Gnocchi Recipe In A Brown Butter Sauce! (5)
    The Easiest Homemade Gnocchi Recipe In A Brown Butter Sauce! (6)
    • Mix the Dough Ingredients. First, get out your food processor (or use a mixing bowl and a hand mixer). Combine the potato flakes, water, eggs, melted butter, and seasonings in the food processor, and process on low speed to make a dough. Don’t over-mix, or the gnocchi will be tough.
    The Easiest Homemade Gnocchi Recipe In A Brown Butter Sauce! (7)
    The Easiest Homemade Gnocchi Recipe In A Brown Butter Sauce! (8)
    • Cut and Shape the Gnocchi. Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface, and cut it into 6 roughly equal pieces. Working with one piece at a time, roll the dough into a long rope about 1/2 inch thick. Slice into little chunks about 1/2 inch long. Pick up each piece, and roll it against the tines of a fork to give it that classic gnocchi shape. Set aside on a floured tea towel or tray. Repeat with the rest of the dough.
    The Easiest Homemade Gnocchi Recipe In A Brown Butter Sauce! (9)
    The Easiest Homemade Gnocchi Recipe In A Brown Butter Sauce! (10)
    • Cook. (Note: at this point, you can refrigerate or freeze the uncooked gnocchi – see instructions for storing and freezing below!) To cook the gnocchi, bring a large pot of water to boil. Add a bit of salt, and cook the gnocchi until they float to the top of the pot. Once they have floated there for 30 seconds to one minute, take them out of the hot water with a slotted spoon and spread them out on a baking sheet while you make the sauce.
    • Make the Brown Butter Sage Sauce. While the gnocchi cook, heat up the rest of the butter in a deep skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat. Once the butter melts, let it cook undisturbed until the outer edges begin to brown and caramelize. This should only take a couple of minutes. Swirl the butter in the skillet, and add the shallot and sage. Let those ingredients cook for one minute before seasoning the sauce with salt and pepper.
    The Easiest Homemade Gnocchi Recipe In A Brown Butter Sauce! (11)
    The Easiest Homemade Gnocchi Recipe In A Brown Butter Sauce! (12)
    • Add Gnocchi and Cheese. Immediately add the gnocchi to the sauce in the pan, and let it heat through. Sprinkle the asiago cheese all over the top.
    • Enjoy! Serve the finished dish immediately.
    The Easiest Homemade Gnocchi Recipe In A Brown Butter Sauce! (13)
    The Easiest Homemade Gnocchi Recipe In A Brown Butter Sauce! (14)

    Tips and Hacks

    This dish isn’t hard to make once you understand the basic process, but there are always a few helpful tricks that can make even the simplest dish a little better. Here are my best bits of advice:

    • Don’t Overwork the Dough: Like many doughs that include wheat flour, this one should be gently mixed so that the gluten doesn’t over-develop. Developing gluten is great when you want a chewy loaf of bread, but not so great when you want light, un-chewy gnocchi!
    • Skip the Fork: Shaping the gnocchi with a fork is traditional, but not necessary – you can definitely make these little dumplings without the fork step.
    • Don’t Overboil (Simmer Gently): Since gnocchi tend to be delicate, it’s helpful to cook them in water that’s lightly boiling or simmering, instead of a true rolling boil.
    The Easiest Homemade Gnocchi Recipe In A Brown Butter Sauce! (15)

    Serving Suggestions

    You’ll be tempted to scarf these down right out of the skillet, but if you can hold off long enough to make some sides, that’s good too! These yummy dishes would be perfect.

    • Salad: Any easy salad would do – throw together a caesar salad, or drizzle ranch over an iceberg wedge. If you’d like to do something a little fancier, try my spinach strawberry salad – it’s the best!
    • Protein: Chicken, beef, or ham would be wonderful alongside this dish, but I really think some caramelized salmon would be amazing. For an ultra-quick prep, this air fryer salmon can’t be beat.
    • Veggies: Serve up your favorite easy veggie for a nice, nutritious side dish. We love easy sauteed green beans with bacon, and air fryer asparagus. Yum.
    The Easiest Homemade Gnocchi Recipe In A Brown Butter Sauce! (16)

    How to Store and Reheat Leftover Gnocchi

    You can store gnocchi in the fridge cooked, or uncooked. Here’s how:

    • Cooked Gnocchi: Leftover cooked gnocchi can be placed in an airtight container with any sauce, and then refrigerated for up to 2 days.
    • Uncooked Gnocchi: Uncooked gnocchi should be laid out, not touching, on a large floured tray or baking sheet. Sprinkle the tops with a tiny bit of flour, and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for up to 2 hours before cooking.
    • Reheating: If you want to reheat the leftovers, just warm them gently along with their sauce in a covered skillet over low heat, adding more butter as needed if they seem dry.
    The Easiest Homemade Gnocchi Recipe In A Brown Butter Sauce! (17)

    Can I Freeze This Dish?

    It’s not recommended to freeze cooked gnocchi, because they can get very mushy when thawed and reheated. Freezing uncooked gnocchi is fine, though! Here’s how:

    • To Freeze Uncooked Gnocchi: Spread out the gnocchi, not touching, on a lightly-floured baking sheet or tray. Freeze this way for a couple of hours, until the gnocchi are frozen solid. Then move them to a freezer bag or airtight container, and store in your freezer for 1 month. Cook directly from frozen.

    The Easiest Homemade Gnocchi Recipe In A Brown Butter Sauce! (18)

    5 from 3 votes

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    Yield: 4

    Homemade Gnocchi in a Brown Butter Sage Sauce

    Gnocchi in a Brown Butter Sage Sauce is an easy dinner recipe with homemade potato pasta. Take out that food processor and let's get started on some Italian comfort food!

    Prep Time30 minutes minutes

    Cook Time10 minutes minutes

    Additional Time2 hours hours

    Total Time2 hours hours 40 minutes minutes

    Ingredients

    For the Gnocchi

    • 2 cups instant potato flakes
    • 1 cup all purpose flour, plus more for rolling
    • 1 cup water
    • 2 eggs
    • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon oregano
    • freshly ground black pepper, to taste

    For the Brown Butter Sage Sauce

    • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
    • 2 shallots, thinly sliced
    • 3 tablespoons fresh sage, minced
    • Freshly ground black pepper and salt, to taste
    • ½ cup grated asiago cheese

    Instructions

    • In afood processor, combine all ingredients (potato flakes, flour, water, eggs, melted butter, salt, oregano and black pepper). Mix at low speed until dough forms.

    • Cut the dough into 6 equal pieces and place 1 piece on a lightly floured work surface. Roll piece into a long rope, about 1/2-inch in diameter, flouring lightly if needed.

    • Slice the rope into pieces 1/2-inch wide. Holding one piece at a time, roll the tines of a fork against the dough until slight indentations are formed. Repeat with each piece of dough, setting formed gnocchi on a floured kitchen towel or baking sheet.

    • At this point, you may refrigerate the uncooked gnocchi for up to 2 hours or freeze them on the baking sheet and then transfer them into a covered container and store in the freezer for several weeks.

    • Bring a large stock pot of water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt, and cook the gnocchi until they float to the top. With a slotted spoon, remove the gnocchi and spread on a baking sheet while brown-butter sauce finishes cooking.

    • While the gnocchi are cooking, heat the butter in a deep sauté pan over medium-high heat. Once butter is melted, let sit undisturbed until the outside edges have begun to caramelize, about 2 minutes. Quickly swirl the skillet and add shallot and sage.

    • Let cook for 1 minute longer, season with salt and pepper to taste and add gnocchi to skillet to toss with sauce and rewarm if necessary. Sprinkle with asiago cheese and serve immediately.

    Notes

    You can add a little half and half (about 1/4 cup) to the sauce if you are craving a creamy sauce. Just whisk it in right before you stir in the gnocchi!

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 579kcal, Carbohydrates: 52g, Protein: 14g, Fat: 36g, Saturated Fat: 22g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 169mg, Sodium: 898mg, Potassium: 478mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 1139IU, Vitamin C: 25mg, Calcium: 222mg, Iron: 3mg

    © Jessica

    Cuisine: Italian

    Category: Dinner Ideas

    Categories:

    • Diet
    • Dinner Ideas
    • Recipes
    • Vegetarian

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    The Easiest Homemade Gnocchi Recipe In A Brown Butter Sauce! (2024)

    FAQs

    How do you thicken brown butter sauce? ›

    As we mentioned, flour and cornstarch are the most popular ingredients used to thicken butter sauce for pasta. After you've heated your butter and water combo in your skillet, turn your heat down so nothing scorches as you work in the dry ingredients. Then slowly whisk in your flour or cornstarch.

    What goes well with brown butter gnocchi? ›

    It would be delicious with a simple basil pesto or a tomato sauce. I would serve this as a main meal but you could also have it as a side dish with some meat or vegetables of your choice. Next time you could try my fall inspired Pan Fried Gnocchi with Pumpkin and Brown Butter.

    Which flour is best for gnocchi? ›

    If you want to be true to Italian gnocchi, look for imported Italian flour marked "00 tenero," which is milled from soft wheat with a low protein content.

    How much liquid do you add to brown butter? ›

    Add 1 tablespoon (14g) water (or other liquid) for every 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons, 113g) of butter used. Failing to add this extra liquid may yield a somewhat greasy final result, especially in something like chocolate chip cookies. For the biggest bang, use brown butter in butter-forward baked goods.

    What kind of butter is best for brown butter? ›

    You can use either salted or unsalted. We like using unsalted butter, especially for baking, because you can control the quantity of salt in your dish.

    Do you saute gnocchi after boiling? ›

    You can skip the boiling when frying your gnocchi. However, if you prefer your gnocchi a touch softer, you could boil it first and then pan fry them for about 3-5 minutes instead of the full time to brown.

    What do Italians eat with gnocchi? ›

    Tomato, pesto (or pesto alfredo), and butter-based sauces are the best components in a delicious Italian gnocchi recipe. All three are commonly found on restaurant menus. Some restaurants may offer gnocchi as part of a soup, salad, or paired with a plate of vegetables as well.

    What potato is best for gnocchi? ›

    Why This Recipe Works {My Best Gnocchi Tips!}
    • Egg Yolks (only) bind the dough together without the chewiness from whole eggs. ...
    • Yukon Gold Potatoes are THE BEST potatoes for homemade gnocchi. ...
    • Tipo 00 Flour is a soft, fine milled flour from Italy.
    Mar 13, 2022

    How do you keep gnocchi from getting mushy? ›

    When cool enough to handle, scrape off the skins and push the potato through a ricer or food mill, then, while still warm, start working your dough on a floured work surface. (Here, Davies offers up another tip to fight the mush: “Spread out the mash to cool; the escaping steam will further take away any moisture.”)

    Who makes the best gnocchi? ›

    Both Trader Joe's and Capello's sweet potato gnocchi were delicious in flavor and texture, but we like that Cappello's product offers the ability to pair with any sauce or topping.

    Why did my homemade gnocchi turn to mush? ›

    Your gnocchi may be mushy because of any or all of the following reasons: boiled the potatoes instead of baked them. used waxy new potatoes with too much moisture in them. not used eggs to help texture.

    How to cook gnocchi perfectly? ›

    Cook gnocchi:

    Bring a large pot water to a boil; add 1 tablespoon salt. Add half of the gnocchi; when they rise to the top (after about 2 minutes), continue to cook until tender, about 15 seconds more.

    What are the ingredients for gnocchi? ›

    Gnocchi are basically little dumplings made of mashed potato, flour and egg. They sometimes include other ingredients, such as herbs or seasonings. Italian in origin, they're often eaten in the same way as pasta (however, they're not pasta) – with a sauce or tossed in butter and garlic.

    What is the best way to thicken sauce that has become too watery? ›

    The most readily available sauce-thickener is flour. For a too-thin sauce, try adding a slurry (equal parts flour and water, whisked together) or beurre manie (equal parts softened butter and flour, kneaded together to form a paste)—both are ideal thickeners for rich and creamy sauces, such as steak sauce recipes.

    How to thicken a butter sauce with flour? ›

    How to Use Flour to Thicken Sauce
    1. Use two tablespoons flour mixed with ¼ cup cold water for each cup of medium-thick sauce.
    2. Thoroughly mix in the water to prevent lumps.
    3. After stirring the combined flour and water into the sauce, cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly.
    Aug 28, 2023

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