Ricotta Gnocchi with Summer Veg

Traditional potato gnocchi has its place — it's comforting and delicious — but when I’m making gnocchi at home, I almost always reach for ricotta. It’s lighter, fluffier, way easier to throw together, and has that subtle creamy-cheesy richness that plays so well with a browned butter sauce. These ricotta gnocchi are like little pillows, and they’re paired here with a sauce full of bright seasonal veg and fresh herbs — perfect for summer.

This recipe works beautifully with either homemade or store-bought ricotta. There’s a subtle difference in texture and lightness when using homemade — slightly fluffier, a little silkier — but it’s marginal. If you’re using good-quality store-bought ricotta, you can have this dish on the table in under 30 minutes.

Ricotta Gnocchi with Summer Veg

Total time: 60 minutes / 30 minutes (with store-bought ricotta)
Hands-on time: ~30 minutes
Serves: 2

Ingredients

Homemade Ricotta (optional)

• 1 litre (4 cups) whole milk
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream (optional, for richness)
• 2 tbsp white vinegar or lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Gnocchi Dough

• 250 g strained ricotta (homemade or store-bought)*
• 2 large egg yolks (~35 g)
• 75 g 00 flour (start with 65 g; reserve 10 g as needed)
• 55 g Parmesan, finely grated
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Browned Butter Sauce with Summer Veg

• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 green onion, white and green parts separated and finely sliced
• 2/3 cup fresh asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 5–7 spears)
• 1/3 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
• Reserved pasta water
• 2 tbsp fresh herbs (mint, parsley, basil, or whatever you got)
• 2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan + extra for garnish
• 1 tbsp lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Make the ricotta (optional): Combine the milk and cream in a saucepan and gently heat over medium heat until it reaches 185–195°F (85–90°C) — just before simmering. Remove from heat. Add vinegar or lemon juice and very gently stir. Cover and let sit for 5–10 minutes.
2. Uncover, stir again gently. You should see soft curds separating from the whey. Pour through a cheesecloth-lined strainer and let drain 20–25 minutes, until thick but still creamy. This should yield ~250g strained ricotta.
3. Make the dough: In a mixing bowl, stir ricotta until smooth. Add yolks, parmesan, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Mix to incorporate. Add most of the flour (reserve ~10g) and gently fold until combined. Dough will look clumpy and sticky.
4. Turn the dough onto a floured surface, lightly flour the dough, and gently bring it together into a loose ball. Divide into two portions. Roll each into a rope about 3/4" in diameter, incorporating extra flour as needed.** Cut into 1” gnocchi-sized pillows. Transfer to a floured tray and chill in the freezer for 10 minutes.
5. Blanch the veggies: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch asparagus for 1 minute, then peas for 30–45 seconds until bright green. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside. Do not discard water.
6. Boil the gnocchi: In the same pot, cook gnocchi until they float (1–2 minutes). Remove with a slotted spoon to a lightly oiled tray.
7. Brown the butter: In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Once it foams, add green onion whites and cook, swirling, until butter is golden brown, about 3–4 minutes.
8. Sear the gnocchi: Add boiled gnocchi to the browned butter. Sear for 1–2 minutes until lightly golden.
9. Finish the sauce: Add blanched veggies and ~1/4 cup reserved pasta water. Stir in Parmesan to emulsify. Add lemon juice and toss to coat. Add more pasta water as needed until sauce is creamy and glossy.*** Fold in green onion tops and most of the herbs just before serving. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon to taste.
10. Serve: Plate the gnocchi, top with herbs, lemon zest, extra Parmesan, and freshly ground black pepper. Enjoy!

*This recipe works well with homemade or store-bought ricotta. If using store-bought, strain through cheesecloth for 10 minutes to remove excess liquid before incorporating into the dough.
**This gnocchi dough is very soft — unlike pasta dough, it should be mixed and handled as minimally as possible. Use a light touch!
***When emulsifying the sauce, don't be shy with the pasta water. It may look too liquidy when you first add it, but you'll notice that the pasta will absorb a lot of that liquid even as you're plating.