Homemade Potato and Beetroot Gnocchi are small dumplings with a characteristic red-purple color, prepared by adding pre-cooked beetroot to the classic gnocchi dough made from potatoes, flour and eggs.
With a sweet and slightly earthy aftertaste, typical of this tuber, beetroot gnocchi are perfect served with a simple butter and sage sauce, but also with a cheese sauce or other delicate condiments that enhance their flavor.
Once ready, you can bring them to the table for Sunday family lunch, or you can offer them for a special occasion or celebration.
What Are The Best Potatoes for These Gnocchi?
For this recipe, use old, yellow-fleshed potatoes. As you make the gnocchi, don't forget to flour your work surface thoroughly: this will prevent them from sticking together, which could compromise the final result.
Can I Use Uncooked Beetroot?
You can use raw beetroot for gnocchi, but it needs to be cooked first, ideally by roasting to reduce moisture and concentrate flavor. Using it raw in the dough would make the gnocchi too wet and dense, so cooking it beforehand ensures a better texture and easier shaping.
What Are The Best Sauces for Beetroot Gnocchi?
A classic choice is butter and sage, which adds richness without overpowering the gnocchi. Gorgonzola or other creamy blue cheese sauces work beautifully, creating a bold contrast, while a simple cream or mascarpone sauce keeps things smooth and delicate. For something lighter, a drizzle of olive oil with lemon zest or a mild garlic sauce adds freshness. Nutty flavors also shine here, so sauces with walnuts, hazelnuts, or browned butter are especially complementary.
Can I Make These Gnocchi Ahead of Time?
Beetroot gnocchi should be boiled within 2 hours of being prepared.
Can I Freeze Gnocchi?
Yes, you can! For best results, freeze them raw: place the shaped gnocchi on a tray in a single layer, freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. This keeps them from sticking together. When you’re ready to cook them, you can boil them straight from frozen, adding an extra minute or two.
Ingredients
How to Make Potato Beetroot Gnocchi
To prepare the beetroot gnocchi, first blend the pre-cooked beetroot with a boiled potato in a blender jug until you obtain a smooth and homogeneous puree.
To prepare the beetroot gnocchi, first blend the pre-cooked beetroot with a boiled potato in a blender jug until you obtain a smooth and homogeneous puree.
Place the flour in a fountain shape on the work surface, then add the remaining boiled potatoes, passed through a potato masher, and season with salt.
Place the flour in a fountain shape on the work surface, then add the remaining boiled potatoes, passed through a potato masher, and season with salt.
Pour the beetroot puree in the center.
Pour the beetroot puree in the center.
Shell the egg.
Shell the egg.
Start mixing the ingredients. At this stage, we recommend using food-grade latex gloves to avoid staining your hands.
Start mixing the ingredients. At this stage, we recommend using food-grade latex gloves to avoid staining your hands.
At the end you should obtain a smooth and homogeneous dough.
At the end you should obtain a smooth and homogeneous dough.
Take a little dough with a pastry cutter and then, on a floured work surface, shape it into 2 cm diameter loaves.
Take a little dough with a pastry cutter and then, on a floured work surface, shape it into 2 cm diameter loaves.
Make lots of gnocchi about 1.5 cm wide.
Make lots of gnocchi about 1.5 cm wide.
As they are ready, pass them over a floured gnocchi board, applying light pressure with your fingers.
As they are ready, pass them over a floured gnocchi board, applying light pressure with your fingers.
Then plunge the gnocchi into plenty of lightly salted boiling water and let them cook until they rise to the surface, then remove them with a slotted spoon.
Then plunge the gnocchi into plenty of lightly salted boiling water and let them cook until they rise to the surface, then remove them with a slotted spoon.
Transfer the gnocchi directly into a pan where you have melted a generous knob of butter with a few sage leaves and let them flavor for a few moments.
Transfer the gnocchi directly into a pan where you have melted a generous knob of butter with a few sage leaves and let them flavor for a few moments.
Distribute the beetroot gnocchi onto individual plates, complete with a sprinkling of grated cheese, bring to the table and serve.
Distribute the beetroot gnocchi onto individual plates, complete with a sprinkling of grated cheese, bring to the table and serve.
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