You're going to love these delicious Spinach Gnudi! Made with ricotta cheese and spinach, these soft, pillowy dumplings are deceptively easy to make. Serve them on a bed of homemade tomato sauce (recipe included) for the perfect family-friendly meal.
I'm always looking for family-friendly dinner recipes. My Marry Me Chicken, Spaghetti with Healthy Turkey Bolognese Sauce, and Cheesy Turkey and Cauliflower Rice Taco Skillet are a few of my favorites.
Now I'm excited to bring you this unique dish- my Spinach Gnudi. The whole family will love this delicious vegetarian meal. It's elegant enough to serve to company but is actually deceptively easy to make.
Fluffy, creamy, and packed with flavor, these spinach gnudi may just become a regular in your dinner rotation!
Jump to:
What are Gnudi?
Gnudi literally means “nude” in Italian and that's exactly what gnudi are- naked ravioli. Picture the soft filling inside ravioli minus the pasta- that's gnudi!
Gnudi are different than gnocchi, which are little dumplings made with potatoes and flour. Gnudi are soft, pillowy dumplings made with ricotta cheese (instead of potato), egg, and parmesan cheese held together with just a little flour.
They're rolled into balls and dropped into boiling water until cooked. Ricotta gnudi are lighter than gnocchi and also easier to make.
To try something different, I decided to make spinach gnudi. After all, I love sneaking some healthy veggies into my recipes whenever I can!
So in addition to the usual ingredients, I also stir some spinach and nutmeg into my spinach and ricotta gnudi. The result is a fluffy ball of goodness with a soft, creamy interior, speckled with colorful spinach.
Why You'll Love This Dish:
- So tasty- these soft, pillowy dumplings are hard to resist
- Deceptively easy to make- these spinach gnudi are much simpler to make than homemade gnocchi or pasta
- Perfect for entertaining- impress your guests with this unique dish
- Family-friendly- kids will love these spinach gnudi too! Get your kitchen helpers ready- they'll love playing with the sticky dough and rolling the dumplings around in the flour!
- Hearty vegetarian dish- a delicious and filling meatless main dish
Ingredients
See recipe card below for complete ingredient list and measurements:
- Ricotta cheese- this is the star of the dish! You want to use a good quality, whole milk ricotta cheese
- Spinach- I use frozen, chopped spinach for convenience; if desired, you can use fresh baby spinach, steam it, and chop it finely
- Egg yolks- we only use the yolks in this recipe; save the egg whites for another use
- Pecorino-Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese- I recommend buying a block of cheese and grating it yourself. Pre-grated cheese won't melt as well.
- Nutmeg- complements the spinach
- Flour- I use all purpose flour
How To Make Spinach Gnudi Step-By-Step
See recipe card below for full recipe amounts and instructions:
- Step 1- Drain any excess water from the ricotta. Mix the ricotta, spinach, egg yolks, cheese, nutmeg, salt and pepper together in a large bowl.
- Step 2- Place a pile of flour on a cutting board. Drop large spoonfuls of the spinach and ricotta mixture (slightly larger than the size of a walnut) onto the flour.
- Step 3- Roll the gnudi dough in the flour, forming it into small balls. Dust off any excess flour.
- Step 4- Repeat with the remaining dough. Chill the spinach gnudi in the fridge.
When ready to serve, bring a large pot of salted water to a gently boil over medium-high heat. Gently drop the spinach gnudi balls into the water in batches and cook about 4 minutes, until they float to the top.
Drain them with a slotted spoon and serve on a bed of tomato sauce. Garnish with grated cheese.
Chef's Tips
- Use a good quality whole milk, dryer ricotta cheese like Galbani brand. If using a wetter ricotta, drain any excess liquid with cheese cloth or a dish towel.
- Squeeze all the water from the spinach so that it’s very dry. If there is a lot of moisture in the spinach, it will affect the consistency of the dough.
- Chill the spinach gnudi in the fridge before cooking. This helps to firm them up slightly so that they don't fall apart during the cooking process.
- When it's time to cook the spinach gnudi, bring the water to a gentle boil. If you drop them into strongly boiling water, they are more likely to burst open. I like to put the uncooked gnudi on a slotted spoon and gently lower them into the water.
- You'll know they're done when, after about four minutes, you'll see the spinach gnudi float to the surface and beckon you to eat them.
How to Serve Spinach and Ricotta Gnudi
Because you want the delicate flavor of the spinach gnudi to shine through, I would recommend serving them with either a simple browned butter and sage sauce or tomato sauce.
I’ve included my Simple Tomato Sauce recipe in the recipe card below. It's an easy red sauce that you can make while the gnudi are chilling in the fridge. However, if you're pressed for time, simply heat up some of your favorite jarred sauce. I love Rao's marinara sauce.
I like to spread some warmed tomato sauce on a serving platter and then arrange the spinach gnudi on top of the sauce.
To make a browned butter sage sauce, melt butter in a large frying pan over medium-low heat and add chopped sage leaves. Cook a few minutes until the butter turns a light golden brown and has a rich, nutty aroma.
Season the sauce with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir in the cooked gnudi.
This spinach gnudi is a filling vegetarian dish. I would recommend serving it with a nice salad on the side. You can also serve it with some crusty bread to dip into the sauce. Try my pan con tomate (Spanish tomato bread) or my cauliflower cheesy bread if you're watching your carbs.
Recipe FAQs
Gnocchi are small potato dumplings made from grated potatoes, flour, eggs, and olive oil. Gnudi are soft, pillowy dumplings made with ricotta cheese (instead of potato), egg, and parmesan cheese held together with just a little flour. They're lighter than gnocchi and also easier to make. Both gnocchi and gnudi and typically cooked by boiling them in water.
Gnudi literally means “nude” in Italian and that's exactly what gnudi are- naked ravioli. Picture the soft filling inside ravioli minus the pasta- that's gnudi!
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Recipe
Spinach Gnudi
Equipment
Ingredients
Gnudi:
- 2 cups good quality, whole milk ricotta cheese, drained of any excess water*
- 1 package (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed very dry
- 4 large egg yolks
- 2.5 ounces freshly grated Pecorino-Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (about ⅔ cup) plus extra for garnish
- ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, divided use
Simple Tomato Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil, optional
Instructions
- Mix the ricotta, spinach, egg yolks, grated cheese, nutmeg, salt and pepper together in a medium bowl until well combined. Stir in ½ cup flour until a sticky dough forms.
- Pile the remaining cup of flour on a cutting board or plate. Drop a large spoonful of the dough (slightly larger than the size of a walnut) onto the flour and lightly toss it around in the flour until it is coated.
- Gently form the dough into a ball with your hands, shaking off any excess flour. Repeat with the remaining dough. You should have about 24 gnudi in total. Discard the remaining flour or save for another use. Chill the gnudi in the fridge for 15 minutes while you make the sauce.
- To make the sauce, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, 7-8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another 1-2 minutes, then stir in the tomatoes. Season the sauce with the oregano, salt, pepper, and sugar. Simmer the sauce for a few minutes and then stir in the basil.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil then lower the heat to a simmer. Working in batches, place the gnudi on a slotted spoon and gently lower them into the water. Cook the gnudi until they float to the surface of the water, about 4 minutes. Carefully remove them with a slotted spoon.
- To serve, spoon some tomato sauce onto each plate and place the gnudi on top. Garnish with grated cheese.
Maureen Bush says
Excellent recipe. So gratifying. Best since Italy trip. Served alongside hot Italian sausage and small green salad.😀
Dr. Sonali Ruder says
I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed the dish, Maureen! It sounds like the perfect dinner with the sausage and salad. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review 🙂
Jessica Levinson says
The Spotted Pig is the first place I ever had gnudi also!!! (And a little kept secret is that in my single days I also fell down the stairs there after having one too many! Boy was that a fun place!! Love your recipe and can't wait to try it at home!
Jessica Covington says
Lovely post and great photos! You make it look so easy. I know several people who would love to try to make this. Maybe Ill give this a try soon. 🙂
A Little about Ally! says
These look great, Sonali...when in Italy at cooking school we made these, and I love them...yours are fabulous!! xo
sonaliruder says
Thank you- so gad you like them!
Debra Gates says
I was just thinking about pasta for dinner tonight, but I think I'll try these instead. They sound wonderful and so easy to make.
sonaliruder says
Thanks for stopping by!
The Slow Roasted Italian says
Sonali, these are fabulous! I am totally making these very soon! Pinned and bookmarked. Thanks for sharing.
sonaliruder says
Thanks for your comment!
parul says
Hey...thanks for posting these, I can't wait to try them!!! Just one problem though, I am a pure vegetarian and hence no eggs for me 🙁 can you plz tell me if I can make these without eggs, and what should I use as substitute??
Thanks!
sonaliruder says
That's a good question but unfortunately, I don't have a good answer because the egg is what holds the gnudi together so that they don't fall apart in the water. Perhaps you could try a vegetarian egg substitute?
Cut `n Clean Greens says
So pretty, so easy, so tasty! We are going to feature these on our Facebook page so everyone can see how to make them!
Kim Bee says
This is fantastic. I've never had anything like this.
Amee Livingston says
These are so gorgeous Sonali! Thank you for sharing at Fit and Fabulous Fridays!! I've got to try these soon. I hope your move goes well. I'll be thinking of you. Have a great evening.
Misbah says
Hi Sonali 🙂 This is coming on my list of "new things" to try. It looks quite delicious. .
bambiman says
Definitely one of those MUST TRY in my kitchen! Thanks for sharing! Exciting to try new dishes!
sonaliruder says
Thanks so much! Let me know how it goes if you try it!
ur says
Have never heard of gnudi in an Italian restaurant.
I love any dish with spinach!
Sounds fairly easy and less dougy than regular gnocchis. Definitely going to try it. I can freeze the extra gnudis.
sonaliruder says
Thanks, ur! Yes they are easy to make and not chewy or doughy at all like gnocchi can sometimes be. I've never freezer them before but that sounds like a great idea!
Lynda - TasteFood says
These look great. I'll happily give them a go.
sonaliruder says
Thanks Lynda! Let me know how it goes if you try them!
Laviza (eclecticgourmet) says
these look delish!
sonaliruder says
Thanks for stopping by!
Lisa @ Lisa's Dinnertime Dish says
I've never heard of gnudi before, but it sounds delicious! It also sounds a lot easier to make than ravioli or gnocchi. I'm going to pin this because I definitely want to give it a try!
sonaliruder says
Thanks, Lisa! Yes, they're easy to make and they always come out light and pillowy unlike gnocchi which can be a little trickier. Hope you like them!
sonaliruder says
Great! Let me know how it goes if you try it! They're also really good plain (no spinach) with a sage browned butter sauce.
Susan Young says
I am so going to try this recipe! Thank you Sonali!
sonaliruder says
Please let me know how it goes if you try it!
Jenni says
Man, I would love these! Thanks for sharing the recipe, Sonali!
sonaliruder says
Thanks for stopping by, Jenni!
Danielle says
Ive never had gnudi - I need to give it a try.
sonaliruder says
You won't regret it! Thanks for visiting!
Danielle says
I wanted to let you know that I featured this today in my "What I Bookmarked This Week" post - stop by and see.