Try These Soft, Pillowy Gnudi Dumplings With Your Favorite Sauce (2024)

Gnudi are soft, creamy Italian pillows of ricotta and Parmesan cheese—they are similar to gnocchi but are made with little or no flour. The word gnudi means "naked"—that makes sense because they are like cheese ravioli without the pasta covering. Gnudi is typically chilled for at least 24 hours, but this version uses a small amount of flour, making them slightly sturdier and less temperamental. It needs only about 1 hour in the fridge, and then it's ready to cook.

The gnudi recipe contains a simple marinara sauce, but feel free to use store-bought or your favorite homemade pasta sauce or tomato sauce, or serve it with an herb and brown butter sauce.

Too much moisture can make the delicate gnudi fall apart, so use a good quality whole-milk ricotta and remove as much moisture as possible. The quickest way to remove the moisture is to press the ricotta between triple layers of paper towels.

"These gnudi are like pillows of ricotta, despite adding flour they are fluffy and tender. Make sure you buy full-fat ricotta, this gives the gnudi structure. Chilling the gnudi for an hour will prevent them from falling apart. If you’re unsure of the doneness keep an eye on them. Once they float, they’re typically done." —Jacqueline Tris

Try These Soft, Pillowy Gnudi Dumplings With Your Favorite Sauce (1)

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

For the Gnudi:

16 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
1/2 cup (1.75 ounces) grated parmesan cheese, more for garnish
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, more as needed
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more as needed
1/3 cup (50 grams) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup semolina flour, divided

For the Sauce:

1 (28-ounces) can crushed tomatoes
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6 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 dash freshly ground black pepper
1 dash dried oregano
1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes, optional
Basil leaves, for garnish, optional

Steps to Make It

Gather the ingredients.
Press the ricotta cheese between triple layers of paper towels or clean kitchen towels to extract excess moisture. If the paper towels become very wet, use fresh towels and press again.
In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan cheese, egg, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. With a silicone spatula, fold in the all-purpose flour until just combined.
Spread about 1/2 cup of semolina flour in a rimmed baking sheet.
See Also
How to make gnocchi
Scoop out the gnudi with a 2- to 3-tablespoon cookie scoop or spoon. Using damp hands, shape them into 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 inch balls. Place the shaped gnudi in the semolina coated baking sheet.
When the gnudi are all shaped, sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup semolina, rolling them gently in the flour to coat. Cover and chill until firm, about 1 hour.
Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil.
Meanwhile, prepare the marinara sauce. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the crushed tomatoes, garlic, kosher salt, pepper, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, if using. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
Reduce the heat to low and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. If the sauce is too thick, add a little water. Adjust the seasoning to taste. Remove from the heat, and keep warm.
Use a slotted spoon to gently transfer the chilled gnudi to the boiling water. Lower the heat slightly, and boil, gently stirring, until the gnudi float to the top, 5 to 6 minutes.
Spoon some of the marinara sauce into wide, shallow serving bowls. Divide the gnudi between the bowls. Drizzle with more of the marinara sauce. Top with freshly ground black pepper, Parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves, if desired. Serve immediately.

Tips

Parmesan cheese measurement can vary depending on how it is grated—2 ounces of good quality pre-grated store-bought Parmesan cheese—not the shelf-stable kind—is about 3/4 cup. However, fluffy, Microplane-grated fresh Parmesan is around 1 1/2 cups. Weigh if possible for the most accuracy.

What is the difference between gnocchi and gnudi?

Gnocchi is firmer and is made with starch, such as flour or potato, while gnudi are soft, creamy balls of ricotta and Parmesan cheeses, typically made with little or no flour, and may include a coating of semolina flour.

Why did my gnudi fall apart?

If your gnudi fell apart, the ricotta may have been too moist.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
358	Calories
12g	Fat
44g	Carbs
21g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4to 5
Amount per serving
Calories	358
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g	15%
Saturated Fat 6g	32%
Cholesterol 74mg	25%
Sodium 1021mg	44%
Total Carbohydrate 44g	16%
Dietary Fiber 4g	15%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 21g
Vitamin C 16mg	79%
Calcium 405mg	31%
Iron 4mg	24%
Potassium 682mg	15%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

gnudi
dinner
italian
family dinner

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