There's no doubt about it, making gnocchi is a labor of love. It's an easy task (toss the ingredients in a food processor and pulse the dough, chill it, roll it out into ropes that you slice into 1-inch pieces, mark them with the tines of a fork and then boil them).
But making gnocchi is tedious. All those fluffy little dumplings! But these gluten free zucchini ricotta gnocchi have some major selling points…
What makes this recipe for zucchini ricotta gnocchi special.
You're going to use up a lot of zucchini and yellow squash in this recipe. If you're anything like me, and you're greeted each morning by a veritable bumper crop of the stuff that seems to have sprung up overnight in your backyard, this is a very, very important thing.
If you're not like me, and you live anywhere near me, I insist we meet in person, so I can hand some over. I'm drowning, and I can only make so many loaves of gluten free zucchini bread.
Ricotta gonicchi is easier than potato gnocchi
For ricotta gnocchi, instead of preparing the potatoes, all you do is drain the ricotta cheese. Different ricotta cheese will have different levels of moisture. Typically, the higher the quality of cheese, the less moisture—although some lower quality versions have much, much less moisture because they have added starches.
The more moisture you drain from your ricotta, the less additional flour you'll need when you shape the little gems. And the less flour you use, the more flavor your gnocchi will have.
One final selling point: they're light and fluffy and full of flavor—all without an oven. Now where are we going to meet for me to get you those zucchini?
Gluten Free Zucchini Ricotta Gnocchi
Equipment
- Food processor, fitted with the steel blade
Ingredients
For the gnocchi
- 1 ½ cups (210 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend (I used Better Batter; please click thru for full info on appropriate blends) plus more for shaping
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese finely grated (about 3/4 cup)
- 1 (50 g (weighed out of shell)) egg beaten
- 1 pound (16 ounces) part-skim or whole milk ricotta cheese drained of excess liquid (I use a fine mesh strainer placed above a large bowl)
- 3 cups (375 g (as drained)) zucchini and yellow squash grated and squeezed dry of all liquid (from about 3 medium zucchini/squash) (See Recipe Notes)
For serving
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Tomato sauce
- Fresh or dried herbs
Instructions
Make the gnocchi dough.
- In the bowl of food processor fitted with the steel blade, place the flour, xanthan gum, salt, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, egg, ricotta cheese, and shredded and wrung out zucchini and squash, in that order.
- Pulse until the mixture begins to come together. Turn the food processor on high and process until the mixture is thick and well-combined.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured flat surface, sprinkle lightly with more flour, and pat into a disk. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and place the dough in the refrigerator to chill for 10 minutes.
Shape the gnocchi dough.
- Once the dough has chilled, remove the plastic wrap and place on a lightly floured surface.
- Using a sharp knife or a bench scraper, cut off pieces of dough and roll them into rounds that are about 1 1/2-inches in diameter, sprinkling lightly with more flour to prevent sticking.
- Using the fingers of both hands and pushing away from your body, roll each round into a rope of dough about 6-inches long, and about 3/4-inch in diameter.
- Be careful not to push down on the dough, but rather roll it out. Sprinkle lightly with additional flour as necessary.
- Using a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut the ropes of dough into 1-inch long pieces.
- Mark the top of each piece with the floured tines of a fork to make ridges.
- Continue to flour the tines of the fork as necessary to prevent sticking.
Cook the gnocchi.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add salt generously.
- Drop the shaped raw gnocchi dumplings in batches and allow them to cook for about 3 minutes.
- The gnocchi will float after they have been boiling for about 2 minutes.
- Continue to boil for another minute before removing with a strainer and placing on a plate in a single layer, so they do not stick together.
- Do not overcook or the gnocchi will begin to fall apart.
Serve the gnocchi.
- Drizzle lightly with olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Serve with tomato sauce, and fresh or dried herbs.
Notes
Gluten Free Zucchini Ricotta Gnocchi
Equipment
- Food processor, fitted with the steel blade
Ingredients
For the gnocchi
- 1 ½ cups (210 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend (I used Better Batter; please click thru for full info on appropriate blends) plus more for shaping
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese finely grated (about 3/4 cup)
- 1 (50 g (weighed out of shell)) egg beaten
- 1 pound (16 ounces) part-skim or whole milk ricotta cheese drained of excess liquid (I use a fine mesh strainer placed above a large bowl)
- 3 cups (375 g (as drained)) zucchini and yellow squash grated and squeezed dry of all liquid (from about 3 medium zucchini/squash) (See Recipe Notes)
For serving
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Tomato sauce
- Fresh or dried herbs
Instructions
Make the gnocchi dough.
- In the bowl of food processor fitted with the steel blade, place the flour, xanthan gum, salt, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, egg, ricotta cheese, and shredded and wrung out zucchini and squash, in that order.
- Pulse until the mixture begins to come together. Turn the food processor on high and process until the mixture is thick and well-combined.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured flat surface, sprinkle lightly with more flour, and pat into a disk. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and place the dough in the refrigerator to chill for 10 minutes.
Shape the gnocchi dough.
- Once the dough has chilled, remove the plastic wrap and place on a lightly floured surface.
- Using a sharp knife or a bench scraper, cut off pieces of dough and roll them into rounds that are about 1 1/2-inches in diameter, sprinkling lightly with more flour to prevent sticking.
- Using the fingers of both hands and pushing away from your body, roll each round into a rope of dough about 6-inches long, and about 3/4-inch in diameter.
- Be careful not to push down on the dough, but rather roll it out. Sprinkle lightly with additional flour as necessary.
- Using a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut the ropes of dough into 1-inch long pieces.
- Mark the top of each piece with the floured tines of a fork to make ridges.
- Continue to flour the tines of the fork as necessary to prevent sticking.
Cook the gnocchi.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add salt generously.
- Drop the shaped raw gnocchi dumplings in batches and allow them to cook for about 3 minutes.
- The gnocchi will float after they have been boiling for about 2 minutes.
- Continue to boil for another minute before removing with a strainer and placing on a plate in a single layer, so they do not stick together.
- Do not overcook or the gnocchi will begin to fall apart.
Serve the gnocchi.
- Drizzle lightly with olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Serve with tomato sauce, and fresh or dried herbs.
Notes
Thanks for stopping by!
Hi, I’m Nicole. I create gluten free recipes that really work and taste as good as you remember. No more making separate meals when someone is GF, or buying packaged foods that aren’t good enough to justify the price. At Gluten Free on a Shoestring, “good, for gluten free” just isn’t good enough! Come visit my bio!
Jessica says
My son is allergic to egg do you know anyway to make this without egg?
Tag-Along says
Oh man!! I think I know what I’m making for dinner tonight!!
Tabby says
Have I told you yet that I love your blog???? <3
Jennifer S. says
ooo these look yummy. Maybe you need to set up a zucchini CSA? :) sell those babies!
Mare Masterson says
Anyone need 25 lbs of Better Batter flour? I was just told by doctor I will not be going back to eating grains at all. I made one recipe out of the new flour. I would hate to see it go to waste. I am a very sad person!
Jennifer S. says
Oh Mare! I’m so sorry! I’m teetering on this too. Do you have to be 100% no grains or can you save it for special occasions when you can have a few grains?
Mare Masterson says
Jennifer, no grains.
Tag-Along says
Do you have a local food pantry/church that would be willing to take an open bag?
Sorry to hear about you not being able to have any grains any longer.
Michelle says
My family has always made potato gnocchii, but I have wanted to try ricotta gnocchi for a while. Great idea to add the zucchini!
Carla says
How well do they freeze? What would be cooking procedure for frozen gnocchi?
Michelle says
Gnocchi generally freeze well. We have always frozen ours. We use the same cooking method- they just have to stay in the water a little longer.