3-Ingredient Vegan Potato Gnocchi

Learn how to make 3-ingredient potato gnocchi for a hearty homemade dinner. This egg-free recipe pairs well with vegan vodka sauce, pesto, and more.

Kirsten Nunez, MS

By Kirsten Nunez, MS

6 Ratings

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If you’re looking to expand your arsenal of homemade vegan dinners, you’ll want to try plant-based potato gnocchi. This recipe, which contains zero eggs, is surprisingly easy to make. It also calls for just three basic ingredients: potatoes, all-purpose flour, and salt. In fact, you probably have everything you need at home. Ahead, learn how to make vegan potato gnocchi from scratch.

Vegan Potato Gnocchi
Photo: Kirsten Nunez

You Will Need:

  • Russet or yellow potatoes, washed and scrubbed
  • all-purpose flour
  • salt
  • vegan vodka sauce (or your favorite sauce)

You can also top your finished gnocchi with vegan Parmesan cheese, cooked veggies, and/or fresh herbs.

Ingredients for Vegan Potato Gnocchi: potatoes, vegan vodka sauce, flour, and salt
Photo: Kirsten Nunez

Peel and dice the potatoes, placing them in a bowl of water. This will prevent the diced potatoes from becoming discolored as you work.

potatoes cut and peeled on a cutting board
Photo: Kirsten Nunez

Add the potatoes to a pot of water, along with 1 teaspoon salt. Boil over medium heat until tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. You should be able to easily pierce the potatoes with a fork.

potatoes boiling in a pot
Photo: Kirsten Nunez

Drain the potatoes and add them to a large bowl. Mash with a potato masher or a large fork.

Let sit until the potatoes are cool enough to touch.

potatoes being mashed in a stainless steel bowl
Photo: Kirsten Nunez

Add the all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup at a time. Mix the dough between each addition. To avoid tough gnocchi, add the last 1/2 cup of flour gradually. Use just enough to form a firm yet tacky dough.

mashed potatoes and flour in a stainless steel bowl
Photo: Kirsten Nunez

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Continue kneading the dough until smooth and just combined. Avoid kneading the dough more than necessary.

Gnocchi dough on a silpat
Photo: Kirsten Nunez

Cut the dough into eight equal-sized pieces.

Gnocchi on a silpat cut into eight equal slices
Photo: Kirsten Nunez

Roll each piece into a long rope, about 1-inch wide. Slice the rope into squares, or “pillows.” Repeat with the remaining dough.

shaped Gnocchi on a silpat
Photo: Kirsten Nunez

Optional: Traditional gnocchi has ridges. If you have the time, you can imprint ridges with a gnocchi board or fork. This YouTube video demonstrates how to use both techniques.

To use a fork, press each pillow onto the back of the tines.

using a fork to make indentations in Gnocchi
Photo: Kirsten Nunez

Next, with your thumb, roll the end (near the handle) down and toward the tines.

Potato Gnocchi with fork indentations
Photo: Kirsten Nunez

Place the completed pillows on a floured surface. Roll the remaining pillows.

shaped Potato Gnocchi on a silpat
Photo: Kirsten Nunez

Boil a large pot of salted water. Add a single layer of gnocchi to the water; avoid adding too much, as they may stick together.

The gnocchi will sink to the bottom. After about 10 to 15 seconds, they will float to the top. This means they are cooked. Use a slotted spoon to remove the gnocchi.

Potato Gnocchi in a slotted wooden spoon
Photo: Kirsten Nunez

Transfer the cooked gnocchi to a bowl.

cooked Potato Gnocchi
Photo: Kirsten Nunez

Toss with vegan vodka sauce and add vegetables, shaved Parmesan cheese, or fresh herbs.

Vegan Potato Gnocchi served in a bowl with vegan parmesan cheese
Photo: Kirsten Nunez

Another option is to pair homemade gnocchi with pesto, vegan cream sauce, or a basic vegan butter sauce.

Alternatively, after boiling the gnocchi, you can sauté them in a frying pan before serving.

Vegan Potato Gnocchi
Photo: Kirsten Nunez

Store leftover cooked gnocchi in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Vegan Potato Gnocchi

3-Ingredient Vegan Potato Gnocchi

Learn how to make 3-ingredient potato gnocchi for a hearty homemade dinner. This egg-free recipe pairs well with vegan vodka sauce, pesto, and more.
Click stars below to rate, or leave a full review in the comments
6 Ratings
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Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword: vegan gnocchi
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 4
Calories: 502kcal
Author: Kirsten Nunez, MS

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Peel and dice the potatoes, placing them in a bowl of water. This will prevent the diced potatoes from becoming discolored as you work.
  • Add the potatoes to a pot of water, along with 1 teaspoon salt. Boil over medium heat until tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. You should be able to easily pierce the potatoes with a fork.
  • Drain the potatoes and add them to a large bowl. Mash with a potato masher or large fork. Let sit until the potatoes are cool enough to touch.
  • Add all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup at a time. Mix the dough between each addition. To avoid tough gnocchi, add the last 1/2 cup of flour gradually. Use just enough to form a firm yet tacky dough.
  • Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Continue kneading the dough until smooth and just combined; avoid kneading the dough more than necessary. Cut the dough into eight equal-sized pieces.
  • Roll each piece into a long rope, about 1-inch wide. Slice the rope into squares, or “pillows.” Repeat with the remaining dough.
  • Optional: Traditional gnocchi has ridges. If you have the time, you can imprint ridges with a gnocchi board or fork. To use a fork, press each pillow onto the back of the tines. Then, with your thumb, roll the end (near the handle) down and toward the tines. Place the completed pillows on a floured surface. Roll the remaining pillows.
  • Boil a large pot of salted water. Add a single layer of gnocchi to the water. Avoid adding too much, as they may stick together.
  • The gnocchi will sink to the bottom. After about 10 to 15 seconds, they will float to the top. This means they are cooked. Use a slotted spoon to remove the gnocchi.
  • Transfer the cooked gnocchi to a plate. Toss with vegan vodka sauce and add vegetables, shaved Parmesan cheese, or fresh herbs.

Notes

  • This recipe makes about 4 large dinner servings. If enjoying this as an appetizer, you will have more servings.
  • Nutritional information for this recipe is a rough estimate automatically calculated by the Spoonacular food database and does not include optional ingredients.

Recommended Tools & Products

Potato Masher
Potato Peeler
Cutting Board
Cutting Board

Nutrition

Calories: 502kcal | Carbohydrates: 95g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 969mg | Potassium: 1338mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 602IU | Vitamin C: 53mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 6mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @CleanGreenSimple or tag #CleanGreenSimple!

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