Light and fluffy homemade spinach gnocchi is packed with vibrant fresh spinach and tossed in a sage browned butter and lots of fresh Parmesan.
Ready for the ultimate green-themed cooking project? All eyes are on this spinach gnocchi and wow, are they ever lookers.
This gnocchi has all the traditional parts you know and love about gnocchi which means you’re in for a pillowy-soft texture that melts in your mouth, a flavorful butter sauce, and we’re shaking things up with the added ingredient of beautiful minced fresh baby spinach for some added nutrients and a gorgeous pop of green color.
This gnocchi somehow tastes even better than it looks so you know we mean serious business today and I sincerely hope you brought your pasta appetite.
Never tried homemade gnocchi before? I walk you through each and every step to success throughout the blog post so let’s get started!
This Gnocchi Features…
- A soft and fluffy texture
- A vibrant green color from fresh baby spinach
- Flavorful sage browned butter and lots of grated Parmesan
Making the Gnocchi
(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)
Ingredients You Will Need
- Potatoes
- Baby spinach
- Egg
- Kosher salt
- All-purpose flour
- Unsalted butter
- Sage leaves
- Parmesan cheese
Choosing Your Potatoes
I recommend using russet potatoes for this gnocchi as the dry, starchy texture works great in homemade gnocchi. You will need 2 lbs russet potatoes for this gnocchi (about 3-4 medium potatoes).
The cooking method for the potatoes is simple: we’re just going to bake the potatoes whole 50-60 minutes at 425F until tender and then scoop out the filling for the gnocchi.
Tips for Perfect Homemade Gnocchi
- Pulse spinach in food processor – pulse the spinach several until it’s finely chopped.
- Bake potatoes until tender – the potatoes are done when a fork slides in without any resistance.
- Allow potatoes to cool completely – I recommend slicing the potatoes in half so they release steam and cool quickly.
- Rice potatoes – you can use a handheld potato ricer or a food mill for this step. Ricing the potatoes is essential for getting a smooth lump-free mash.
- Gently work dough – make a well in the center of potatoes and use a benchscraper to toss in the egg, salt, flour, and spinach. Use a light hand for this part so as not to overwork the dough.
- Roll gnocchi – divide dough into 8 portions and roll each portion out into 8-inch ropes. Make sure your surface is lightly floured for this part otherwise it will be sticky and messy.
- Cut gnocchi – use a bench scraper or a knife to cut ropes into 1-in pieces. Now, run gnocchi along the tines of a fork to make the signature patterned gnocchi design.
- Boil gnocchi – work in batches for boiling. Drop gnocchi into simmering lightly-salted water and cook until gnocchi floats to surface.
- Crisp the sage leaves – melt butter in a large skillet and add the sage leaves in a single layer. Cook until the sage is crispy then drain on paper towels.
- Toss gnocchi in browned butter – toss the boiled gnocchi in butter until evenly coated and top with the crispy sage and Parmesan.
Recipe Variations
Try these ideas for a different twist on this gnocchi.
- Try another sauce – try tossing gnocchi with an alfredo sauce or pesto.
- Use another cheese – try grated asiago, fresh mozzarella slices, or burrata.
- Add garlic – sauté a few cloves of minced garlic along with the sage leaves.
The almighty spinach really is doing double-time on its job today! This gnocchi not only looks gorgeous but it’s also incredibly light and absolutely melts in your mouth.
Do yourself a favor and get this green goodness on your menu immediately.
Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven.
More spinach-heavy dinners you’ve got to try next!
Homemade Spinach Gnocchi
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Ingredients
- 2 lbs (900 g) russet potatoes (3-4 medium potatoes)
- 1 cup (50 g) firmly-packed baby spinach
- 1 large (45 g) egg, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) kosher salt
- 1 cup (150 g) all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter
- 5 medium sage leaves
- Grated fresh Parmesan for serving
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F. Scrub potatoes clean and arrange in a single layer on a medium sheet pan. Prick potatoes all over with a fork.
- Roast potatoes at 425F 50-60 minutes until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. Slice each potato in half horizontally to allow steam to escape and allow potatoes to cool completely.
- Place spinach in a food processor and pulse until spinach is finely minced. Set aside.
- Remove skins from potatoes and run potatoes through a ricer or a food mill onto a large cutting board. Make a well in the middle of potatoes and drizzle in egg and sprinkle with salt, minced spinach, and flour. Use a benchscraper to gently fold and toss mixture. Keep gently folding and kneading dough until a smooth ball forms.
- Divide dough into 8 pieces and sprinkle a light dusting of flour on cutting board. Gently roll each portion of dough out into an 8-inch rope, dusting surface with additional flour as needed. Use a benchscraper to cut rope into 1-inch pieces.
- Dip the tines of a fork in flour and gently indent each gnocchi, rolling back and forth and dipping fork in additional flour as needed.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and lightly salt. Working in batches, boil gnocchi 2-3 minutes until the float to the top of water. Use a slotted spoon to remove gnocchi and transfer to a plate.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add sage leaves and cook 2-3 minutes, turning occasionally until sage is crispy and butter is golden-brown. Remove sage and drain on paper towels.
- Add gnocchi to sage butter in pan and toss 1-2 minutes over medium heat until gnocchi is evenly coated. Remove gnocchi from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Top gnocchi with freshly grated Parmesan and crispy sage leaves. Serve warm and enjoy!
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