Best Vegan Gnocchi Recipe

If you’ve had gnocchi once, you know exactly why so many people around the world crave this delectable Italian dish. Filling without being heavy, creamy without the use of cream, this dish can easily fit into a healthy, balanced vegan lifestyle. After a bit of experimentation, you’ll come to adore this easy vegan gnocchi recipe!

Whether it’s a smaller side or expanded into a whole meal, this vegan gnocchi is guaranteed to become a crowd favorite. On nights you don’t feel like cooking, reach out to Willow! Our online ordering options make cruelty-free dining as easy as it is delicious. 

Making Vegan Gnocchi 

Though many commonly refer to these bite-sized wonders as “pasta,” they are actually a type of dumpling. Making this dish involves a few extra steps, but all the effort is worth the outcome. Though the preparation may be a bit more complex than the average meal, the overall dish is fairly simple, requiring only a few key ingredients: potatoes and flour. While traditional gnocchi occasionally calls for eggs, our vegan gnocchi uses oil instead to help bind your ingredients together while adding a rich, Italian flair. 

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Begin by baking all four potatoes until fully softened. Once fully cooked, remove the potatoes from the oven, peel away the skins, and set them aside to cool.
2. Once the potatoes have fully cooled, mash them with a fork until completely free of lumps. If necessary, you may use a ricer or food processor to achieve the smoothest mixture possible.
3. Add your olive oil, pepper, and a pinch of salt to taste.
4. Separately, fill a pot with salted water and bring it to a boil over your stove.
5. From here, slowly integrate the first cup of flour into the potatoes, constantly kneading the mixture as you go. Ideally, you’ll want to use only enough flour that the dough easily sticks to itself, without getting too dry. If you need to test the consistency, tear off a pinch, drop into the boiling water for a few minutes, then sample. If the dumpling tastes at all gummy, add more flour into the main mixture, up to 1 1/3 cups. 
6. Tear your dough into separate chunks, and roll each section into a long rope, roughly an inch or so in diameter. Cut each rope into small, bite-sized dumplings. These should be roughly 1/2 an inch long, but exact sizing may vary depending on individual tastes. 
7. Drop each dumpling into the boiling water, allowing it to cook for a few minutes. Once the gnocchi rises to the top of the water without sinking again, it’s fully cooked and ready to enjoy. 
8. Remove your cooked gnocchi from the pot with a slotted spoon, allow to cool, top with your favorite vegan sauces or seasonings, and enjoy!

Optional step: Before cooking your dough, you may gently roll each dumpling or “pillow” under a fork, leaving behind the traditional lines that many associate with this Italian dish. 

Enjoying your Vegan Gnocchi

This dish has a mild flavor, allowing it to pair perfectly with your favorite vegan sauce. We suggest pairing this dish with a mild marinara, vegan pesto, or even a simple drizzle of balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. 

After cooking, this vegan gnocchi is best served immediately. While it remains safe to eat in the fridge for several days, it may slowly develop a “sticky” quality over time, making it best enjoyed hot rather than as a part of weekly meal prep.

When uncooked, however, this dough can easily freeze and store for up to six weeks without suffering any dip in quality or overall flavor! We suggest making this delicious dough in large batches, separating, and storing it in your freezer. From there, you can enjoy quick, easy dinners for weeks, perfect for those busy nights on the go. 

Dining at Willow

For more traditional Italian fare without the fuss, stop by Willow and treat yourself to a creative, world-inspired meal! All of our dishes are prepared with the highest-quality ingredients by classically trained chefs, meaning every bite is guaranteed to satisfy.

If you love this gnocchi, we suggest trying our:

• Eggplant Lasagna, prepared with fresh, hand-rolled lasagna, Impossible meat, bright marinara sauce, vegan mozzarella, and fresh basil and thyme
• Pesto flatbread with baby arugula, topped with a delicious balsamic drizzle
• Meatball sub made from Impossible meat and our signature herb marinara sauce prepared on a vegan hoagie roll

Explore our menu to find out just how delicious plant-based dining can be! Not feeling up to a night out on the town? Place your order for pickup or delivery through our easy online ordering system. No matter your mood, Willow has you covered!