Ricotta Gnocchi With Asparagus and Prosciutto Recipe (2024)

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Not only one of the fastest fresh pasta recipes around, but also the perfect way to showcase first-of-the-season asparagus.

J. Kenji López-Alt

Culinary Consultant

Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.

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Updated August 04, 2023

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Why It Works

Quick gnocchi dough comes together in less time than it takes to boil a pot of water.
Using heavy cream makes a quick and easy pasta sauce with minimal ingredients and great flavor and texture.

Did you know that you canmake fresh ricotta gnocchi in less time than it takes to boil a pot of water? It's absolutely the fastest fresh pasta recipe I know; with a little practice, I've gotten it down to under 10 minutes (8 minutes 53 seconds, to be precise). But the great part about this recipe is that it serves as a suitable base for a huge variety of sauces and flavors. It's one of those dishes you can pull out year-round, just changing up the toppings to suit the seasons. For instance, a friend of mine once brought over some delicious first-of-the-season fresh asparagus, which we turned into an impromptu meal on the spot.

Since then, I've tweaked the recipe a bit, adding some lemon zest to the cream sauce and fine-tuning the aromatics, but the basic premise is still a very simple one: Starting 100% from scratch, you should be able to make the gnocchiandthe sauce in just about half an hour.

I start by sautéing some thinly-sliced prosciutto or pancetta in olive oil until crisp and rendered, then add some green garlic ('tis the season, though thin-sliced scallions or even shallots both taste great) and some minced garlic to the mix. As soon as they become aromatic, I add my asparagus, which I've sliced on a bias. You could peel the asparagus if you like, but it seems like overkill for such a simple dish.

Once the asparagus has just started to soften, I add a glug of heavy cream.

Ricotta Gnocchi With Asparagus and Prosciutto Recipe (3)

AsDaniel has demonstrated, cream—when reduced in a skillet—can turn into a rich, silky sauce all on its own with just a few aromatics, no need for any thickener or stock at all. At first it'll seem like the cream will just slick off of the asparagus and prosciutto, but as it cooks down it should start to coat things nicely. Once it reaches a saucy consistency, I grate in some Parmesan cheese and season it with salt and pepper to taste.

The cooked gnocchi go into the pan along with a small splash of their cooking water, a squeeze of lemon, some lemon zest, and a big bunch of chopped chives. It looks like I might have gone a bit overboard with my cream-to-pasta ratio. You will make no such error. Unless you'd like to. The Italians tend to be very particular about their sauce-to-pasta ratio.

Ricotta Gnocchi With Asparagus and Prosciutto Recipe (4)

I tend to be very particular about not taking very particular people too seriously (but yes, I tinkered with the ratios a bit to arrive at the dish above which hasjustenough cream sauce to coat the gnocchi and asparagus while also leaving a tiny bit behind in the bowl for scooping up with bread at the end of the meal).

Ricotta Gnocchi With Asparagus and Prosciutto Recipe (5)

How's that for fast food?

May 2015

Recipe Details

Ricotta Gnocchi With Asparagus and Prosciutto Recipe

Active20 mins

Total20 mins

Serves3to 4 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces thinly-sliced prosciutto, cut into thin ribbons
1/4 cup thinly-sliced green garlic or scallions, white and pale green parts only (about 4)
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 pound asparagus, cut on a bias into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup heavy cream
2 ounces grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon grated zest plus 1 tablespoon juice from 1 lemon, divided
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
1 recipe ricotta gnocchi, prepared through the end of Step 4 (do not cook and do not make sauce)

Directions

Set a large pot of salted water over high heat. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet or slope-sided saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add prosciutto and cook, stirring, until mostly crisp, about 2 minutes. Add scallions and garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add asparagus and cook, tossing and stirring frequently, until asparagus is just starting to turn tender, about 2 minutes.
Add heavy cream and half of Parmesan. Cook, stirring, until cream thickens and coats the asparagus pieces, about 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Add gnocchi to now-boiling pot of water, stir gently, and cook until gnocchi float for 30 seconds, about 3 minutes total. Drain gnocchi, reserving 1/4 cup of pasta cooking water. Add gnocchi, lemon juice, half of lemon zest, chives, and 2 tablespoons of cooking water to saucepan with sauce and bring to a hard boil, stirring gently. Add more pasta water to thin sauce to desired consistency. Serve immediately, topped with lemon zest and additional Parmesan cheese.

Special Equipment

Large skillet or slope-sided saucepan

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Pasta Mains
Italian
Stovetop Pasta
Gnocchis
Asparagus

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
708	Calories
36g	Fat
68g	Carbs
30g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 3to 4
Amount per serving
Calories	708
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 36g	46%
Saturated Fat 19g	95%
Cholesterol 118mg	39%
Sodium 1324mg	58%
Total Carbohydrate 68g	25%
Dietary Fiber 6g	20%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 30g
Vitamin C 15mg	76%
Calcium 296mg	23%
Iron 4mg	24%
Potassium 693mg	15%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Ricotta Gnocchi With Asparagus and Prosciutto Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between gnocchi and ricotta gnocchi? ›

Traditional potato gnocchi are made of potato bound together with flour and egg, whereas ricotta gnocchi replaces the potato with ricotta cheese. Because of ricotta's springy texture and the lack of potatoes, ricotta gnocchi has a lighter texture than potato gnocchi.

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Why are my ricotta gnocchi mushy? ›

Not draining the ricotta properly will result in sticky dough that requires extra flour, which will make the gnocchi gummy. It should be thick and dense and almost sliceable when properly drained.

What are gnocchi made of ricotta cheese called? ›

Gnudi (Italian: [ˈɲuːdi]), also called malfatti, are gnocchi-like dumplings made with ricotta cheese and semolina instead of potato flour.

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Is gnocchi healthier than pasta? ›

Nutritional Value

Believe it or not, regular pasta is actually more carb-heavy than gnocchi, coming in at around 2 times the amount of carbs per serving. Gnocchi is also notorious for having a lot more sodium, with over 200 grams of it per serving. Regular pasta doesn't have nearly as high of a sodium content.

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Which gnocchi is better, potato or ricotta? ›

Comparatively speaking, ricotta gnocchi are quicker to prepare (just mix everything together- no potatoes to boil here!) and the texture is light and fluffy, in a unique “spongey” type way. As for the taste, potato gnocchi taste like…. potato, whereas ricotta gnocchi are more mild in flavor.

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What does gnocchi mean in Italian? ›

The word gnocchi may be derived from the Italian word nocchio, meaning a knot in wood, or from nocca, meaning knuckle. It has been a traditional type of Italian pasta since Roman times. It was introduced by the Roman legions during the expansion of the empire into the countries of the European continent.

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Who makes the best gnocchi? ›

Both Trader Joe's and Capello's sweet potato gnocchi were delicious in flavor and texture, but we like that Cappello's product offers the ability to pair with any sauce or topping.

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Is gnocchi good for you? ›

Compared to pasta, pizza or other types of food made from refined flour, gnocchi made only with potatoes and water have a lower glycemic index, despite the fact that the primary nutrients are carbs. Therefore, gnocchi can be a healthier option if chosen carefully.

Should gnocchi be soft or chewy? ›

A dough is formed, they are divided into small nuggets, and can then be gently fried, boiled or baked. Gnocchi are finished by being tossed in a sauce, olive oil or melted butter and herbs. Cooked gnocchi should have a light, squidgy texture, and should not be tough and chewy.

Which flour is best for gnocchi? ›

Italian flour

Plus, it has too much protein: High-protein wheat results in chewy gnocchi. If you want to be true to Italian gnocchi, look for imported Italian flour marked "00 tenero," which is milled from soft wheat with a low protein content.

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Why are gnocchi so expensive? ›

does take a bit of time to make, not because the. ingredients are expensive. They're potatoes.

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Is gnocchi ok for weight loss? ›

Both versions of pasta are pretty high in carbohydrates and lacking in significant amounts of other nutrients, unless the pastas are enriched. If you're looking to swap the pasta for something healthy, gnocchi may not be the best option.

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Why do Italians eat gnocchi? ›

Gnocchi, a substantial, high-calorie dish, was prepared on Thursday in anticipation of Friday, when, according to Catholic tradition, people fasted, abstaining from meat. On Friday, Romans traditionally ate fish-based dishes, such as chickpeas and cod, a dish still served on Fridays in the old-fashioned Roman taverns.

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How many gnocchi per person? ›

Typically, Italian guidelines recommend the following quantities of uncooked pasta per person: 60-100g of dried pasta. 70-120g of fresh pasta. 100-130g of gnocchi.

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What is ricotta gnocchi made of? ›

Ricotta Gnocchi Ingredients:

Whole milk ricotta cheese: Try to buy the best-quality brand available. We will then drain the ricotta quickly on paper towels to remove some of its excess moisture. Flour: I love making this gnocchi recipe with “00” flour, which makes them extra light.

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Are there different types of gnocchi? ›

In Piedmont, ravioles are a type of gnocchi made with cheese from the mountain, while chestnut flour and pumpkin gnocchi are called gnocchi ossolani. The term gnocchi also includes those made with semolina flour such as gnocchi alla romana or gnoches de gries.