Ricotta Gnocchi with Creamy Lemon Sauce

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Homemade gnocchi made from plain flour, eggs and ricotta, cooked in a creamy lemon sauce. A deeply satisfying dish to prepare as an entree or main.

Creamy Lemon Ricotta Gnocchi served in a white bowl with grated lemon rind and parmesan cheese scattered over the top

I was lucky enough to make a version of this Creamy Lemon Ricotta Gnocchi whilst on holiday in Minori on the Amalfi Coast. The whole experience was amazing and reminded me that sometimes, simple is best. As soon as I got home, I made my own version which is incredibly tasty.

Once you get the hang of making your own gnocchi you can use them in any of my delicious gnocchi recipes including One Pot Chicken and Gnocchi or Mushroom Gnocchi One Pot.

A woman standing on a sunny deck wearing a green apron, holding a glass of rose. — At my cooking class in Minori, Amalfi Coast.

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Ingredient notes:
Step by step instructions:
Recipe FAQs:
Storage:
Top tips:
Related Recipes:
Creamy Lemon Ricotta Gnocchi

Ingredient notes:

The ingredients to make Creamy Lemon Ricotta Gnocchi on a grey bench top

Ricotta: Gnocchi is typically made with either potatoes or ricotta. This recipe uses ricotta for a creamy flavour.
Lemon: Try to use lemons without a 'waxy' outer on them to get the best flavour from the zest. If you only have waxy lemons, place them in a bowl of very hot water for 5 minutes then gently brush the wax off.
Flour: This recipe calls for plain flour. I haven't tried making these with gluten free flour.

Note: Scroll to the recipe card for the ingredients, quantities and the full method.

Step by step instructions:

Use a lemon zester to peel long strands of lemon peel. Place them in a glass, cover with water, then set aside.
Gnocchi: To a large bowl, add the ricotta, eggs, salt and pepper. Grate in some fresh nutmeg then add 50g of the grated parmesan and stir to combine.

Flour being added to the ricotta and egg mixture to make gnocchi in a glass bowl

Mix in half of the flour then add the rest and fold together until you get a dough consistency. On a well-floured bench, knead the dough a few times to bring it into a ball shape. Cut it into four pieces.

Gnocchi dough rolled into a ball in a glass bowl

Gnocchi dough split into four even sizes on a floured bench top.

Roll each piece into a long log, about 2 cm thick. Cut each log into pieces about 2 cm wide. Coat the pieces in a little bit of flour and then place on a tray. (If you want to do this earlier in the day then you can refrigerate the gnocchi at this point).

Gnocchi dough being cut into bit sized peices on a floured bench top

Bit sized peiced of floured gnocchi dough on a baking tray on a grey bench top

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil, then add the gnocchi (you may have to cook it in two batches so as not to crowd the pot). Cook the gnocchi for 2-3 minutes until it floats to the top, then scoop out and place in a colander while you make the lemon sauce.

Bit size peices of gnocchi in a large pot of boiling water

Place a large saucepan onto a medium heat, then add the cream. Drain the water from the lemon peels, then add them to the cream along with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice from the lemon.

Cream, parmesan cheese and pepper gently boiling in a frypan

Season well with salt and pepper then add the remaining 20g of grated parmesan. Stir everything together and simmer until the sauce starts to thicken. Add the cooked gnocchi and stir to coat in the sauce. Serve immediately with extra lemon zest and parmesan on top.

Recipe FAQs:

What other meals could this gnocchi be used in?

Because this gnocchi is fairly plain tasting, it can be paired with any flavour from lemon to tomato.

Why do you place the lemon zest in water?

The lemon zest in the water is a trick I learnt at the Italian cooking class. It is supposed to take the bitterness out of the lemon peel.

Storage:

The gnocchi is at its best, immediately after being cooked. I wouldn't recommend storing in for another day.

Top tips:

The sauce is quite tart, so start with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice if you prefer before adding both and check the flavour is to your taste.
My ninja bullet blender does an amazing job at finely grating the parmesan.

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Creamy Lemon Ricotta Gnocchi

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Homemade gnocchi made with ricotta and lemon peel cooked in a creamy lemon sauce.

Ingredients

Ricotta Gnocchi

250g ricotta
2 eggs
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
¼ tsp fresh nutmeg
50g parmesan, finely grated
190g plain flour

Lemon sauce

1 lemon, zest and juice
300ml cream
20g parmesan, finely grated

Instructions

Use a lemon zester to peel long strands of lemon peel. Place them in a glass, cover with water, then set aside.
Gnocchi: To a large bowl, add the ricotta, eggs, salt and pepper. Grate in some fresh nutmeg then add 50g of the grated parmesan and stir to combine.
Mix in half of the flour then add the rest and fold together until you get a dough consistency.
On a well-floured bench, knead the dough a few times to bring it into a ball shape. Cut it into four pieces.
Roll each piece into a long log, about 2 cm thick. Cut each log into pieces about 2 cm wide. Coat the pieces in a little bit of flour and then place on a tray. (If you want to do this earlier in the day then you can refrigerate the gnocchi at this point).
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil, then add the gnocchi (you may have to cook it in two batches so as not to crowd the pot). Cook the gnocchi for 2-3 minutes until it floats to the top, then scoop out and place in a colander while you make the lemon sauce.
Lemon sauce: Place a large saucepan onto a medium heat, then add the cream. Drain the water from the lemon peels, then add them to the cream along with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice from the lemon.
Season well with salt and pepper then add the remaining 20g of grated parmesan. Stir everything together and simmer until the sauce starts to thicken.
Add the cooked gnocchi and stir to coat in the sauce. Serve immediately with extra lemon zest and parmesan on top.

Notes

This is quite a rich dish so the recipe makes 4 small portions, perfect for an entree at a dinner party.
The sauce is quite tart, so start with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice if you prefer before adding both and check the flavour is to your taste.
I was taught this recipe at a cooking class in the Amalfi coast in Italy. It is a local dish to Minori where we stayed and the Italians call it gnudi, pronounced noo-dee.
This is best eaten straight after cooking as the gnocchi doesn’t store well as leftovers.
My ninja bullet blender does an amazing job at finely grating the parmesan.
The lemon zest in the water is a trick I learnt at the cooking class it is supposed to take the bitterness out of the lemon peel.
If lemon cream sauce is not your jam then swap for a tomato based sauce or ragu to go with the gnocchi.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 660Total Fat: 40gSaturated Fat: 24gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 213mgSodium: 761mgCarbohydrates: 52gFiber: 2gSugar: 10gProtein: 22g

Nutritional values are approximate. Please use your own calculations if you require a special diet.

Thank you for checking out this recipe. I hope you enjoy making and eating it! If you have any questions, queries or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below.
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Vanya