Pan-fried Vegan Gnocchi

Crispy on the outside, pillowy soft on the inside, these homemade pan-fried vegan gnocchi are very easy to make from scratch. This recipe is egg-free and dairy-free.

I’m sharing two versions: sweet potato and white potato. No boiling necessary! Just sauté for a quick dinner.

The Italian word “gnocchi” means “knot in wood” or “knuckle.” They are small dumplings traditionally made with flour, potatoes and sometimes eggs.

Together with the flour, the cooked potatoes are mashed to make the dough, and then it’s formed into smaller dumplings to boil. It’s famously known and used as a type of Italian pasta.

Semolina gnocchi is a less well-known version made without potatoes and prepared similarly to polenta.

Choosing the Right Flour

The first time I made potato gnocchi, I used semolina flour. It’s a high-protein (gluten) flour commonly used to make pasta. The protein helps the pasta to maintain its shape after forming.

It’s also slightly coarser in texture than all-purpose flour, which helps keep them from sticking together when they are dry-dusted with it. It also helps enhance the crispiness when pan-fried.

But no worries if you don’t have semolina flour. You can make this recipe with all-purpose flour.
If you’re also looking for a gluten-free recipe, try my Gluten-free Pumpkin Gnocchi.

How To Make Vegan Gnocchi

1. Fill a pot with water. Cut in half a medium white potato (about 230g/8oz) and a large sweet potato (about 230g/8oz). Add to the pot and boil until tender for about 15-20 minutes.

Alternatively, you can bake the potatoes at 400°F/200°C, but this takes twice as long.

2. While still hot and holding with a kitchen towel, carefully peel the white potato first. Add to a bowl and mash with a fork to remove lumps.

3. Season with 1/2 tsp salt, then gradually mix in 4 tbsp (40g) of flour until it comes together in a light but non-sticky dough.

4. Next, place the dough on a floured surface, flatten it slightly with your palm or roll it into a log. Cut the dough into about 48 equal pieces.

4. Form each piece into a ball, coating them with extra flour to prevent sticking.

5. You can also roll each piece on a gnocchi board or the back of a fork to get the signature pattern, but this step is optional. The funny thing is, I used a silicone makeup brush scrubber that I never ended up using for brushes anyway.

6. Repeat steps 2 to 5 with the sweet potato adding more or less flour. I used Japanese sweet potato in this recipe which absorbed more water, so I added 5-6 tbsps flour.

FAQs

Do you need to boil gnocchi before pan-frying?

Not at all! Although it’s traditional to boil gnocchi before pan-frying, you can save some time by cooking them directly in the skillet (printable recipe below).

Can you deep fry gnocchi?

Definitely not. You wouldn’t want to deep fry them for the same reason you wouldn’t deep fry a whole tomato (seriously, don’t do that).

Gnocchi is soft and full of moisture, so when deep-fried, the water inside starts to boil, which rapidly builds up pressure and causes them to explode! That doesn’t sound pretty, so I would avoid dropping them into a deep fryer.

Can you prepare them in advance?

Sure you can. You can store uncooked vegan gnocchi in a container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Be sure they are coated well with flour, so they don’t stick together.

Similar to my Vegan Pierogies, these dumplings can be frozen for longer.

Place them on a baking sheet spaced apart and freeze for an hour. Then place them in a container and store them in the freezer for up to 2 months.

How do you cook gnocchi from frozen?

To pan-fry from frozen, heat one tablespoon of vegan butter or extra virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add 12 frozen pieces (1 serving) and spread in an even layer.

Let them cook until they are golden brown at the bottom, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Next, flip them and continue to cook until brown and crispy all over. You could also add garlic and fresh herbs such as rosemary or sage. Or serve with a quick homemade pasta sauce or sun-dried tomato pesto.

Which vegetables go well with gnocchi?

I like serving them with sautéed vegetables. My favorites are broccoli and mushrooms. They can also be served with roasted vegetables or in a soup like this Healthy Pumpkin Gnocchi Soup.

More easy pasta recipes

• Vegan Mushroom Lentil Meatballs
• Vegan Mushroom Pasta
• Vegan Pumpkin Pasta
• Vegan One Pot Pasta

Pan-fried Vegan Gnocchi

4.82 from 11 votes

Prep: 1 hour hr

Cook: 15 minutes mins

Total: 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Calories: 355kcal

Print Pin Rate

Crispy on the outside, pillowy soft on the inside, these homemade vegan gnocchi are egg-free and dairy-free. There are two versions, sweet potato and white potato. No boiling necessary. Just pan-fry with mushrooms and broccoli for a quick dinner.

Author: Jhanelle Golding

Baking Recipes: For more accuracy, use Metric measurements and measuring spoons.

Ingredients

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Gnocchi Dough

• ▢ 8 oz (230 g) potato, starchy types such as Russet or Idaho are best
• ▢ 8 oz (230 g) sweet potato
• ▢ 8 tbsps (80 g) semolina flour, or all-purpose flour
• ▢ ½ tsp (2 g) salt

Pan-frying

• ▢ 3 tbsps (40 g) olive oil, or vegan butter
• ▢ 6 fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• ▢ 1 medium head of broccoli, chopped
• ▢ 4 garlic cloves, minced
• ▢ 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary
• ▢ 1 handful (1) fresh basil, chopped
• ▢ Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

• Fill a pot with water. Cut the potatoes in half. Add to the pot and boil until tender for about 15-20 minutes. Alternatively, you can pierce the potatoes 3 times with a fork and bake at 400°F/204°C but this takes twice as long.
  8 oz (230 g) potato ,8 oz (230 g) sweet potato
• While still hot and holding with a kitchen towel, carefully peel the white potato first. Add to a bowl and mash with a fork to remove lumps. Season with 1/2 tsp salt, then gradually mix in 4 tbsps (40g) flour until it comes together in a light but non-sticky dough.
  8 tbsps (80 g) semolina flour ,1/2 tsp (2 g) salt
• Next place the dough on a floured surface, flatten slightly with your palm or roll into a log. Cut the dough into about 48 equal pieces.
• Form each piece into a ball, coating the pieces with extra flour to prevent sticking.
• Optional step: Roll the dough balls on a gnocchi board or back of a fork to get the signature pattern.
• Repeat steps with the sweet potato, adding more or less flour as needed.

Pan-frying Gnocchi

• Heat 1 tbsp of the oil or vegan butter in a large skillet. Add mushrooms and broccoli and cook until mushrooms are browned.
  6 fresh shiitake mushrooms ,1 medium head of broccoli ,3 tbsps (40 g) olive oil
• Remove from the pan and add the remaining oil. Add gnocchi and spread in an even layer. Cook until they are golden brown at the bottom, which will be about 2 to 3 minutes.
• Next, flip them and add rosemary, garlic and basil and continue to cook until they are brown and crispy all over.
  4 garlic cloves ,1 handful (1) fresh basil ,2 teaspoons fresh rosemary
• Toss in broccoli and mushrooms and season to taste. Remove from heat and serve immediately.
  Salt and pepper

Full Recipe Video

Notes

• You can use any other brown mushrooms in this recipe.
• Store uncooked gnocchi in a container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Be sure they are coated well with flour so they don’t stick together.
• For longer storage, place on a baking sheet, spaced apart and freeze for an hour. Then place them in a container and store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
• More vegan recipes: Vegan Semolina Gnocchi, Vegan Puff Pastry from Scratch, Healthy Pumpkin Gnocchi Soup, Vegan One Pot Pasta

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Nutrition

Calories: 355kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 378mg | Potassium: 1041mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 9017IU | Vitamin C: 149mg | Calcium: 106mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition Disclaimer

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian