Gluten Free Ricotta Gnocchi with Quick Tomato Sauce Recipe
Updated Nov 12, 2025, Published Sep 27, 2010
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Elegant, Comforting, and Naturally Gluten-Free
Few dishes capture the heart of Italian comfort food quite like gnocchi. Soft, pillowy, and rich with flavor, this Gluten-Free Ricotta Gnocchi with Quick Tomato Sauce delivers a restaurant-quality meal that’s surprisingly simple to make at home. Light yet satisfying, these gluten-free gnocchi melt in your mouth and pair perfectly with a bright, homemade tomato sauce infused with garlic, basil, and a hint of spice.
If you’ve ever thought gnocchi was too complicated, this recipe will change your mind. With just a few staple ingredients—ricotta, Parmesan, eggs, and potato starch—you can create a beautiful Italian-inspired dinner that’s as impressive as it is comforting.
What You’ll Need
This gluten-free ricotta gnocchi comes together with minimal ingredients, yet every element adds to its irresistible flavor and texture.
- Ricotta cheese: The star of the dish—light, creamy, and key to creating that signature melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Parmesan cheese: Adds saltiness and depth of flavor to the gnocchi while giving the sauce a rich finish.
- Eggs: Help bind the dough and give it structure.
- Potato starch or gluten-free all-purpose flour: The gluten-free base that ensures the gnocchi holds together perfectly.
- Nutmeg: Just a touch adds warmth and enhances the ricotta’s delicate flavor.
- Onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes: Build the base of the tomato sauce with savory, aromatic flavor.
- Whole plum tomatoes: The key to a quick yet authentic sauce with a rustic texture.
- Fresh basil: Adds a fragrant, herbaceous note to balance the acidity of the tomatoes.
- Olive oil: Gives the sauce richness and depth.
No Whey!
You need to drain the whey off the ricotta. This is simple. Place your ricotta in a strainer or wrap in some cheese cloth and put in a colander set over a bowl to catch the liquid, top with a piece of plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (or up to 24 hours). This will ensure your ricotta is nice and dry which will keep your gnocchi from becoming too dense.
Tips and Variations
There are many ways to make this Gluten-Free Ricotta Gnocchi with Quick Tomato Sauce uniquely yours:
- Use part-skim ricotta: For a lighter texture, drain the ricotta well before using to remove excess moisture.
- Add fresh herbs: A sprinkle of chopped parsley or oregano gives the sauce a garden-fresh twist.
- Make it dairy-free: Use dairy-free ricotta and Parmesan alternatives for a completely dairy-free version.
- Serve with extras: Pair with roasted vegetables, a crisp green salad, or garlic-infused olive oil for an elegant meal.
- Save time: Make the sauce ahead and refrigerate—it reheats beautifully when it’s time to serve the gnocchi.
This dish is elegant enough for entertaining yet easy enough for a weeknight dinner. Every forkful balances creamy ricotta gnocchi with the brightness of a freshly made tomato sauce—it’s classic Italian comfort, gluten-free style.
FAQs
Can I make the gnocchi ahead of time?
Yes. You can prepare the gnocchi mixture a few hours ahead and refrigerate it until ready to cook.
Do I need to drain the ricotta?
Yes, this step is key! Draining the ricotta ensures the gnocchi holds together and stays light instead of gummy.
Can I freeze the gnocchi?
Absolutely. Arrange uncooked gnocchi on a baking sheet, freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag. Cook straight from frozen when ready.
Is this dish fully gluten-free?
Yes. By using potato starch or a certified gluten-free flour blend, this recipe stays completely gluten-free without sacrificing texture or flavor.
Classic Comfort, Made Gluten-Free
This Gluten-Free Ricotta Gnocchi with Quick Tomato Sauce is proof that classic Italian comfort food can be both simple and gluten-free. The tender gnocchi, made from fresh ricotta and Parmesan, pairs beautifully with a quick homemade tomato sauce for a cozy meal that feels like a culinary indulgence.
Whether you’re cooking for family or guests, this dish is a guaranteed hit—elegant, flavorful, and surprisingly easy to prepare. It’s the perfect reminder that gluten-free cooking can be every bit as delicious as the original.
For more recipes with ricotta, how about trying Grilled Pineapple Bruschetta with Ricotta, Honey, and Fresh Mint, Creamy Pasta and Peas, or Roasted Tomato & Ricotta Basil Crostini?
If you would like to make your own ricotta (it is easier than you think!), go to this post on Homemade Ricotta.
Table of Contents
Gluten Free Ricotta Gnocchi with Quick Tomato Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
Gnocchi
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 2 large eggs
- Kosher or fine sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ¼-½ cup potato starch or gluten free all-purpose flour
Sauce
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 (35-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes, drained and sauce reserved
- 6-7 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
- Kosher or fine sea salt
- Black pepper
Instructions
- Place ricotta cheese in a strainer or wrap in some cheese cloth and put in a colander and set over a bowl to catch the liquid. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the ricotta and refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours.
- Mix the drained ricotta with the Parmesan cheese, eggs, small pinch of salt, and nutmeg until well blended. Starting with ¼ cup, add potato starch to the mixture and blend well to form the gnocchi batter.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and drop a big spoonful of the batter into the boiling water (I use a 1-tablespoon ice cream scoop). Cook until it swells and rises to the top, about 2-3 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove from the water and gently push it with your finger. If it falls apart, you need to add more potato starch to your batter. Repeat until one gnocchi comes out perfect. At this point, prepare the sauce, reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water and keep the rest of the cooking water warm until time to cook the remaining gnocchi.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the onions and crushed red pepper and cook until the onions are soft and translucent, about 7 or 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the drained tomatoes and break them up with a spatula into rough chunks. Add ¼ cup of reserved cooking water and the reserved sauce from the can of tomatoes. Raise the heat and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for 15 minutes. Blend the sauce either with an immersion blender or in a regular blender until almost smooth but not pureed. If blending in a regular blender, remove the plastic insert from the top and hold a kitchen towel over the top to keep it from exploding. If the sauce is too thick, add a little more of the reserved cooking water. Return the sauce to the pan and stir in the chopped basil. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Keep warm while cooking the gnocchi.
- Return the large pan of salted water to a boil. Drop the gnocchi batter into the boiling water with either a large spoon or small ice cream scoop – do this in 2 or 3 batches so there are only about 8-12 gnocchi in the pan at a time. Cook until the gnocchi swell and float to the top, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, spider skimmer or mesh strainer with a long handle. Blot with a clean tea towel and place on a plate. Keep warm until all the gnocchi are cooked.
- Ladle some sauce on the plate, spread it out a bit and place 4-6 gnocchi on top. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Beautiful! The only time I have made ricotta gnocchi was for a Daring Cooks challenge last year, and I've been thinking I need to revisit it and try them again :) These look perfect!
Wow. I think I'm going to have to make these this weekend. I made some ravioli a few weeks ago that was… eh… not good. I'll give this a shot though!
I didn't know you had to strain off the whey, Carol. Interesting and helpful for sure, but let's get to the really important stuff … this gnocchi looks so amazing! Your photos are absolutely stunning!
Hugs,
Shirley
Perfecto! Wow, your photos are so beautiful. Your recipes look great!
Genius! Ravioli without the labor and all the flavor. I am TOTALLY making these. Simple yet elegant I am really liking it. Way to go Carol!
I think I've died and gone to heaven.
p.s. made delicious lemon cheesecake bars with your flour blend. Need to buy some more so I can try out all the other recipes I wanted to get to!
This is such a beautiful post, and Congratulations, your work in photography is stunning and very inspiring.
Your gnocchi looks so much prettier than mine. I almost posted my recipe today. How funny. We must be on the same wave length. You are a kitchen magician. You're food always looks amazing and I bet it tastes even better.
These look absolutely delicious.
those are stunningly beautiful!