Next Post
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
This Spinach Ricotta Gnocchi with Sage Butter and Cherry Tomatoes makes for the perfect dinner from now through fall. Making gnocchi at home is easy with this recipe that uses frozen spinach and ricotta cheese. It’s light, pillowy, and tossed with juicy, blistered cherry tomatoes in a delicious nutty sage butter sauce. Serve this quick-cooking gnocchi topped with plenty of parmesan cheese. Every bite is layered with delicious, summery flavors. The perfect way to spend a relaxing night in the kitchen with family and friends.
I’m back home and already re-creating the dishes we ate in Mexico. Funny enough, we ate some incredible Italian food while in Cabo. I mean, we ate more tacos for sure. But between Flora Farms and a cute little Italian restaurant called, Romeo & Julieta we also ate plenty of pizza, pasta, and gnocchi!!
You guys ask all the time where I find inspiration for recipes. There’s no denying that traveling and eating out is always one of the best sources for new ideas. Granted there’s nothing all too creative about this gnocchi, but regardless it’s unreal how delicious it is. And I surely wouldn’t have had the idea to create the recipe if we hadn’t ordered something similar from Romeo & Julieta’s…a small spot in town.
I actually didn’t order this dish, but multiple people at the table did. And the verdict was pretty clear, the gnocchi was surely the thing on the menu to order. Well…the gnocchi and the the fresh burrata and fig appetizer.
Both are delicious…and I think I need to re-create that burrata next!
Ricotta gnocchi is easy – the details
If you have not made gnocchi at home, start with this recipe. It’s pretty no fuss and I am declaring it the best gnocchi recipe that currently lives on HBH.
You’re basically just mixing chopped spinach with ricotta cheese, flour, parmesan, and egg yolks. Yes, this gnocchi has just five ingredients. And while it takes some hands-on time, it’s really fairly simple to make. I usually put on a podcast while making, or ask the family to help if we’re doing a big dinner.
The dough comes together in no time. Once you’ve formed the dough, then it’s time to shape the gnocchi.
When it comes to forming the gnocchi, I keep it very, very simple. I like to roll the gnocchi dough into a long rope and then just cut that rope into pieces. And that’s it. No fancy tools, no fancy rolling method. Just keep it simple.
Once you’ve rolled and shaped the gnocchi they can be covered and kept in the fridge for a day or so or frozen for a few months. Then just boil them off before you’re ready to eat. I’m excited to have a batch already stashed in the freezer.
The sage butter sauce
It’s basic, but it sure is real good. Salted butter cooked together with sage and garlic. The butter browns and the sage get crispy. It’s really just perfect.
Once the gnocchi has cooked, toss it with the sauce and let it hang out in the sauce while you make the tomatoes.
Now the tomatoes
The dish that was served to us had smoked cherry tomatoes. I didn’t want to mess with smoking tomatoes (nor do I have a smoker), so I just made some simple blistered cherry tomatoes. It take five minutes tops.
Cook them in olive oil until they just begin to char. Once the tomatoes are charring, toss with thyme and balsamic vinegar. They turn sweet and become addictingly delicious.
To finish it up, serve the gnocchi and sauce with the tomatoes and extra parmesan on top.
Kind of fancy, kind of not, but definitely SO GOOD!
Tip? Pour yourself a glass of wine, or make a fun spritz, and enjoy these awesome summer nights. Oh, and a loaf of crusty bread would be delicious too.
Looking for other summer recipes? Here are some favorites:
Pesto Cheese Zucchini Ravioli with Burst Tomatoes
Pesto Peach Chicken in White Wine with Burrata
Lastly, if you make this Spinach Ricotta Gnocchi with Sage Butter and Cherry Tomatoes, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Spinach Ricotta Gnocchi with Sage Butter and Cherry Tomatoes
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 327 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces thawed frozen chopped spinach
- 2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
- 2 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 pinch kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) salted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- 8 leaves fresh chopped sage
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups small cherry tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- 1. To make the gnocchi. In a bowl, mix together the spinach, ricotta, egg yolks, flour, parmesan, and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir until just combined. If the dough feels wet, add a tablespoon of flour at a time until the dough can be formed into a ball. The dough should be sticky.2. Flour the counter and scrape the dough out onto it. Cut the dough into four pieces. Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll the dough into a rope about 1-inch thick and cut into bite-size pieces. Repeat this process, placing the gnocchi on a floured baking sheet. 3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the gnocchi until they float to the top and are cooked through, about 3-4 minutes. Drain.4. Melt together the butter, garlic, and sage in a large skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally until the butter is browning and the sage is crisp, about 4-5 minutes. Drop the gnocchi into the butter sauce, gently tossing to combine. Keep over low heat. 5. In a skillet set over medium heat, add the olive oil, tomatoes and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook until the tomatoes begin to pop, about 4-5 minutes. Turn off the heat, toss the tomatoes with the thyme and balsamic vinegar. 6. Divide the gnocchi and sauce among bowls. Top with tomatoes and parmesan. EAT!
Notes
To Make Ahead: Form the gnocchi through step 3. The gnocchi can be kept covered in the fridge for up to 1 day or frozen for 4 months. Simply boil just before you’re ready to eat and toss with sauce.
I have not made this yet …but I think when I do I’ll add some potato…I thought that was a basic ingredient to gnocchi…hopefully it will help with the falling apart
Hi Jon,
These are not potato gnocchi:) I’ve never tried adding potato to this recipe, so I am not sure of the results. Here are some other gnocchi recipes you might enjoy:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/sweet-potato-gnocchi-with-herbed-white-wine-pan-sauce/
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/pesto-brown-butter-gnocchi/
Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Our gnocchi fell apart too when I cooked it! I squeezed out the spinach well, so I thought. I didn’t know if maybe I boiled it too long because it seemed fine in the pot, then it wasn’t. Maybe next time I need to use my stand mixer with the dough hook to pull it together more. I’d be willing to try again. We called it gnocchi soup! Hahaha.
Hey Melissa,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, so sorry to hear about the gnocchi. You could try chilling the dough next time to see if that helps as well! Let me know! xx
Great taste but our execution was a little off. We consider ourselves novices. Had I read the comments in advance, I would have squeezed out the spinach more and not been so worried about adding more and more flour. Our gnocchi were not quite right on consistency but we’re good enough, and great in the taste department with the sage butter and tomatoes. Would consider making again to get it right the next time. Great recipe for those who have more experience/confident and fun for those of us just getting started.
Hey Kris,
Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback! Let me know if you give it another try:) Happy Thursday! xx
Ricotta and spinach gnocchi are easy and delicious, and this is a good recipe. I would add that whether you use frozen or fresh spinach, you strain it well. Place the cooked spinach in a clean cheesecloth or dish towel and squeeze the water out of it, or you can also use a potato ricer. Also, if you put the dough in the fridge for an hour or so, it will make it easy to make the gnocchi. The tomato/goat cheese sauce turned out well. It also tastes great with a sage and butter sauce. You can make gnocchi with butternut squash and sage and butter sauce too. In Uruguay, where my husband comes from, it is an old custom to make potato gnocchi, on the 29th of the month. My mother in law explained that most people were paid monthly, and by the end of the month they were short on cash, and it is cheap and economical meal.
This was a hit! My very picky 9-year-old even ate it. What a tasty way to get in some healthy spinach.
Hey Aimee,
LOL love when the picky one enjoys the recipe:) Thanks for giving this dish a try! Happy Monday! xTieghan
Great recipe! I doubled it for a larger group. For those who commented that theirs fell apart try it again but make sure to get all the moisture out of the spinach after thawing. If your ricotta is moist there is a great video on reducing its moisture as well. Like the creator stated if it’s too wet make sure to add flour. My family was super happy! Light and fluffy gnocchi
Hey Salvades,
Amazing!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it and sharing your review! Thanks for sharing your tips! xxT
Definitely SQUEEZE OUT the spinach before adding to the ricotta. I had to add tons of flour ND still had trouble because I missed that step.
Even so, it was quite yummy! Especially the freshness of the popped tomatoes. Next time I might even add double tomatoes!
Hey there,
Wonderful! I am so excited to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks for trying it out! xx
The flavor was really delicious but I had to double the flour to get the consistency suitable for rolling. I had a difficult time rolling the dough into a rope. I wound up rolling small balls. I want to make it again since everyone loved it but I’ll need to find another strategy to roll the rope shape. As usual you know how to create a winning recipe. Thank you.
Hey Rachel,
Amazing!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it and sharing your review! Let me know if you find another trick to rolling the rope! xxT
Made this recipe and loved it! My family too.
Was a little messy to roll out. I think that’s because I was in a rush and defrosted the spinach right before making the dough. I squeezed the water out but was still a little warm from the microwave! Lesson for next time.
Hey Kathryn,
Happy Sunday!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad it was a hit! xTieghan
I made these gnocchi tonight and loved them. However, I had to triple the flour to get the right consistency. I’m wondering if I didn’t drain the spinach well enough. When I looked back through the post and recipe there was no mention of draining the spinach, maybe that’s where people are having trouble?
Hey there,
Thanks for making this recipe and sharing your feedback!! I will definitely add that part in, hopefully that will help! xTieghan
I don’t know what I did wrong but I followed the directions and it was HORRIBLE. I’ve never had such a fail with a HBH recipe before. Gnocchi fell apart when I tried to boil and competely dissolved. Had to order out.
Hey Alexa,
Oh no!! So sorry to hear this! Was there anything you may have adjusted in the recipe? Please let me know how I can help! xTieghan
sounds incredible! could I swap the spinach for zuchini you think?
Thanks Natalie! Sorry, I wouldn’t recommend zucchini, I would stick with the spinach. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try! xx
I have a pot of water with spinach floating around gelatinous goop. Disaster! I have no idea what happened.
Hi Cynthia,
So sorry to hear you are having some issues. A little more info would be helpful. Was there anything you may have adjusted in the recipe? At what point did things seem off? Let me know how I can help! xTieghan
Pretty tasty! I added some basil and rosemary because that’s what I had in the garden. Wish I could add a picture because my gnudi turned out beautifully.
Hi Rachel,
Happy Friday! I am so excited that you enjoyed this recipe, thanks a lot for giving it a go! xT?
Looking forward to trying this! I make Ricotta Gnocchi with short ribs many times each year – family favorite! Thinking to add some fresh basil for part of the spinach – what are your thoughts? I have so basil and love basil and tomatoes.
Hey Killeen,
Sure, that should work for you! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
Thanks for responding! I thought I had made the recipe as is, but I’m going back through and realizing that our grocery store subbed part skim ricotta for whole milk. Maybe that’s the issue?
I even froze it overnight to see if the dumplings would hold up better, and they didn’t. However, I think they’ll make a decent spinach dip 🙂
So sorry! It could have been the ricotta…also you want to make sure to drain the spinach well!
Hi Tieghan! Just made your recipe and it was great. It didn’t look as pretty as your final product but the flavor was there. Thank you for sharing.
Hey Alyssa,
Happy Wednesday!? Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad it was a tasty one! xxT
It’s been over a year and you are still calling these gnocchi when they are actually gnudi and tons of people have asked you to fix your error.
Gnoochi means dumpling. I don’t thinks it’s confusing that she uses that term. Gnudi is from Tuscany. So you both are correct depending on where in Italy your getting you’re recipes or ideas from.
The other comment is right to ask if you are to drain the spinach. That is an exceptionally important step left out of the directions. I normally don’t read comments but I am glad I did. Since I follow it relatively exact as the first trial and I would have left it thinking the liquid was important to the recipe.
I made this. Except my store was out of thyme, rosemary and any other appropriate seasoning so I subbed with basil.
The recipe is very good. The tomatoes don’t add much so you could ultimately do without especially if you aren’t a tomato fan. I could even see chopped sun dried tomatoes as an alternative within the sauce.
But it’s very good. Especially since I really can’t stand potato gnocchi so this is a fantastic alternative for me.
Hi Amanda!
Happy Sunday! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was a winner:)
I’m excited to make this recipe, but I have a couple of questions. Do I need to squeeze the water out of the frozen spinach before adding it in? That seems to be a common step when using frozen spinach. Also, can I make this with fresh spinach?
Hey Sharon,
Yes, you will definitely want to squeeze the liquid out of the spinach. If you use fresh spinach you will want to sauté that down and then also remove any extra liquids. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx