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This potato gnocchi paired with Marcella Hazan’s tomato sauce is one of my favorite dishes to prepare, no matter the season. It’s an amazing “scratch” meal that’s easy to pull together and sure to impress! Gnocchi is my favorite homemade pasta to make because it’s so delicious and not overly fussy!
Gnocchi are small, soft dumplings that originate from Italian cuisine. They are typically made from potatoes, flour, and eggs. The dough is rolled into ropes, cut into bite-sized pieces, and often shaped with a fork or ridged board to help hold sauce and enhace texture.
The iconic ridges in gnocchi is not required, however, it improves the overall texture. You can alternatively use your thumb to make a small dimple on the side. This is quicker and has a similar effect.
Table of Contents
Marcella Hazan’s Tomato Sauce
Marcella Hazan’s famous, yet foolproof sauce is made with canned whole San Marzano tomatoes, butter, onion, and a pinch of salt. The process consists of gently simmering everything together for 45 minutes or until the tomatoes are broken down and the sauce has thickened into a rich and delicious sauce. It’s honestly what makes this recipe so good.
The sauce can be kept in the fridge for 3-5 days or can be frozen in an airtight container.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Yukon gold potatoes: Yukon gold is my favorite potato for mashing or making gnocchi because of its texture and flavor. Russet potatoes are another very popular option.
- 00 Flour: 00 flour is finely milled and lower in protein than all-purpose flour, meaning it develops less gluten. Less gluten prevents the gnocchi from becoming tough or chewy. All purpous flour is fine to use in a pinch and still makes good gnocchi.
- Whole San Marzano or plum tomatoes: look for imported tomatoes from Italy for the best results. The other common option is “San Marzano-style tomatoes”, which are often grown in California. See also my simple homemade bolognese using the same tomatoes.
- Unsalted butter: adds richness and delicious flavor. It’s arguably the most important ingredient that pulls everything together.
- White or yellow onion: either works in the recipe. It adds a subtle complimentary flavor. I’ve also used red onion in a pinch.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities below.
Freezing Gnocchi
Like most homemade pasta, gnocchi freezes really well. You can make the pasta a few days in advance and boil it with no other adjustments. Frozen gnocchi should not be thawed prior to cooking. To freeze gnocchi, freeze on a baking sheet until frozen through. Once it’s cold, you can transfer it to a plastic bag for longer storage. This prevents pieces from sticking together.
Expert Tips
- Ensure the potatoes are fully cooled before adding the egg yolks. I bake my potatoes to reduce excess moisture. Letting them steam off once riced will also help reduce moisture. This prevents sticky dough.
- Always keep your work surface and gnocchi well-floured. This prevents clumping and makes the dough a lot easier to work with.
- Gnocchi cooks very quickly, as soon as they float to the surface of the water, they are done.
- A potato ricer renders the perfect texture for gnocchi. I also use it for my mashed potatoes. You don’t even have to remove the skin.
- When serving pasta, always mix the sauce with the pasta in a separate bowl with a little reserved pasta water. This adds texture and helps the sauce completely adhere to the pasta.
More Italian Recipes
Enjoy this recipe? If you made this recipe, please leave a ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ star rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments!
Simple Potato Gnocchi and Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Yukon gold or russet potatoes
- 2 large egg yolks
- salt, to taste
- 1 1/2 cups 00 flour, all-purpose flour is fine to sub
Tomato Sauce
- 28 ounce can of whole San Marzano or Plum tomatoes
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small white or yellow onion, peeled, stems removed, and cut in half
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
For the tomato sauce
- Add tomatoes (juices and all), butter, both onion halves, and salt to a saucepan. Cook uncovered at a very slow, but steady simmer for about 45 minutes, or until the sauce is thickened to your liking.
- Stir occasionally, crushing any large pieces of tomato with a wooden spoon. Taste and add more salt as needed.
- Discard the onion and serve as is or optionally use an immersion blender to blend the tomato chunks into a smoother more uniform texture. This will also slightly thicken the texture of the sauce. If it’s still too thin, you can continue to simmer the sauce after it has been blended.
For the gnocchi
- Pierce and bake potatoes at 400°F for 1 hour or until fork tender. Cut in half, let cool, and push through a potato ricer (with the skin still on). You can also manually remove the skin and crush with a fork. A potato ricer makes the process much easier.
- Add riced potatoes to a bowl and ensure the potatoes are no longer hot to the touch (should be warm to room temp). Add egg yolks and a big pinch of salt. Stir with a fork until mixed and fully incorporated.
- Add the flour on top and mix with a fork until a crumbly dough forms. Use your hands to gently bring the mixture into a smooth dough ball. Don’t overmix or over flour. Transfer to a floured surface and knead a few times until incorporated. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes.
- Cut dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope that is roughly 3/4 inches thick in diameter. Cut into small peices of desired size. Work in batches and keep other pieces covered until ready to roll. Lightly dust the finished gnocchi with flour and Transfer to a floured baking sheet while you prepare the remaining.
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add gnocchi and cook for 3-4 minutes or until gnocchi float to the surface. Stir if they get stuck to the bottom. You can also freeze uncooked gnocchi and cook at a later date. (flash freeze on the baking sheet and transfer to a freezer bag once frozen to avoid clumping)
- Toss gnocchi with tomato sauce in a saucepan with a splash of reserved starchy pasta water. Toss until gnocchi are coated in sauce and slightly thickened. Plate topped with freshly grated parmesan, a drizzle of nice olive oil, and chopped fresh basil.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
