Purple potato gnocchi, with a little Halloween spirit
What I like best about these purple potato gnocchi is the combination of a classic Italian dish and a little American Halloween spirit. The color comes from purple potatoes, and the bright green basil pesto makes the whole plate feel playful. There is no food coloring in the dough, just potatoes, flour, an egg yolk and a pinch of salt.
I love the slower parts of homemade pasta making: pressing warm potatoes through a ricer, bringing a simple dough together and shaping each little piece by hand. This purple gnocchi recipe is a lovely place to start if you want something colorful without an elaborate filling or a complicated pasta shape.
It is a fun idea for a Halloween dinner, but I would happily make it in any season. The recipe takes under 1 hour and yields up to 8 portions. Use the jump button above whenever you want to go straight to the printable ingredients and method.
Choosing potatoes for naturally purple gnocchi
Look for potatoes with purple flesh, rather than potatoes that only have purple skins. The flesh is what gives the dough its color. Farmers markets and specialty grocery stores are good places to look, although availability varies. Purple sweet potatoes are a different ingredient; they are not the potatoes used in this recipe.
The exact shade can vary from one batch of potatoes to another. Think of the color as part of the character of the dish, rather than something that needs to match a photograph perfectly. Keep the pesto separate until serving so you can enjoy the contrast between the purple gnocchi and the green sauce.
I boil the potatoes with their skins on, then peel them once they are tender and cool enough to handle. A potato ricer makes it easier to get an even texture. If you use a masher, take a moment to remove any stubborn lumps before you add the flour.
A short ingredient list, with two separate parts
The dough uses 1 kg of purple potatoes, 300 g of all-purpose flour, 1 egg yolk and a pinch of salt. Weigh the potatoes and flour if you can: a scale is more useful here than trying to judge a loosely filled cup of flour by eye.
The pesto brings the freshness. It is made with basil, garlic, grated Parmesan, toasted pine nuts and olive oil, with salt and pepper to taste. The quantities for the dough and the sauce are listed in separate groups in the recipe card below, so you can have everything ready before you begin mixing.
There is no need to turn the ingredient list into a long shopping trip. A large pot, a ricer or masher, a clear work surface, a knife or bench scraper and a slotted spoon cover the main steps. For shaping, a wooden gnocchi board is useful, but a fork or your finger works too.
How to keep homemade gnocchi light
Drain the cooked potatoes well and let excess steam escape before making the dough. Water left on the potatoes makes the mixture harder to judge and can tempt you to keep adding flour. You want a dough that comes together, rather than one that feels like a firm bread dough.
Add the flour, egg yolk and salt, then mix gently. Stop once the ingredients are combined. Repeated kneading and generous handfuls of extra flour can make potato gnocchi heavier. Use a light dusting on the work surface to help with sticking, and handle the dough with a gentle touch.
Before you shape the whole batch, cook one small piece in simmering water. This gives you a chance to see how your dough behaves. If the piece breaks apart, gently work a little more flour into the remaining dough and test again. That small check is more useful than making a large adjustment all at once.
Shaping gnocchi with or without a board
Divide the dough into manageable pieces and roll each one into a rope. Cut the ropes into small pillows, keeping them roughly the same size so they cook at a similar pace. They do not have to be identical; a little variation is part of making pasta by hand.
To make ridges, gently roll each piece over a gnocchi board or the back of a fork. If you prefer a simpler shape, press a small indentation into each pillow with your finger. Both approaches give the pesto places to settle. You can also leave the cut pillows as they are.
Arrange the shaped pieces in a single layer on a lightly floured surface while you finish. Give them enough room that they are not pressed together, and avoid piling soft, uncooked gnocchi into a bowl.
Cooking purple gnocchi and finishing with pesto
Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil. Cook the gnocchi in batches so they have room to move. A crowded pot makes it harder to lift them out neatly, and vigorous boiling can be rough on a soft dough.
In this recipe, I wait for the gnocchi to float, then give them another 30–60 seconds before lifting them out with a slotted spoon. Check a piece if you are unsure: size and dough texture can affect how quickly they cook. Save a little cooking water before you empty the pot.
Blend the basil pesto in a food processor, adding the olive oil gradually until you like the consistency. Gently toss the cooked gnocchi with the pesto. A small splash of the reserved water can help loosen the sauce so it coats the pieces instead of sitting in thick patches.
Olga Kindel
Homemade Purple Potato Gnocchi with Pesto
Handmade purple potato gnocchi with basil pesto. Time: under 1 hour. Yield: up to 8 portions.
I start by boiling the purple potatoes with their skins on. Once tender, I peel and mash them, preferably using a potato ricer.
Then I add the flour, egg yolk, and salt, gently mixing everything into a soft dough. Do not overwork it.
I roll the dough into long ropes, cut them into small pieces, and shape them using my wooden gnocchi board. A fork or your finger works too.
I cook them in gently boiling salted water until they float, then give them another 30–60 seconds.
For the pesto, blend everything in a food processor, adding olive oil gradually until the desired consistency. Gently toss the gnocchi with fresh pesto, adding a splash of cooking water if needed.
Notes
Storage and Freezing
I like to cook these purple potato gnocchi as soon as they are shaped, or freeze them right away. To freeze, arrange the uncooked gnocchi in a single layer on a lightly floured tray, making sure they do not touch. Freeze until firm, then transfer them to an airtight freezer bag or container. For the best texture, use within 2 months.When you are ready to eat, cook them straight from frozen in gently boiling salted water. There is no need to thaw them first. Work in small batches and allow a little extra cooking time, until the gnocchi float and are cooked through.
Can I Make the Gnocchi Ahead of Time?
Absolutely. I often think freezing is the easiest way to prepare homemade gnocchi in advance. Shape the entire batch and freeze it uncooked, so all you need to do on the day you serve it is bring a pot of water to a boil and make the pesto.
What If the Dough Is Sticky or the Gnocchi Fall Apart?
If the dough feels too sticky or a test gnocchi falls apart in the water, gently add a little more flour, just enough to help the dough hold together. The gnocchi may end up slightly firmer, and that is okay. What matters most is not to overwork the dough. Mix it only until it comes together. The next time, handle it more gently and avoid kneading it like bread dough.
Serving ideas for a colorful pasta dinner
Serve the gnocchi soon after tossing them with the sauce, while they are warm and the pesto is easy to distribute. A little grated Parmesan and a few fresh basil leaves are enough to finish the plate. I like to let the color and the handmade shapes do most of the work.
For a Halloween table, the purple-and-green combination is already part of the decoration. For an everyday meal, a simple green salad or vegetables alongside can turn the same dish into a relaxed lunch or dinner. The yield is up to eight portions; the portion size you choose will depend on what else you are serving.
Purple gnocchi recipe questions
Do I need a gnocchi board?
No. Use the back of a fork, press a small indentation with your finger, or leave the dough as little cut pillows. Keep the pieces similar in size so they cook evenly.
What gives the gnocchi their purple color?
The purple flesh of the potatoes gives the dough its color. This recipe does not use added food coloring. A potato with purple skin and pale flesh will not give the same result.
Can I make this with ordinary potatoes?
Ordinary potatoes will make a different-colored version of potato gnocchi. This recipe and its photographs use purple potatoes; moisture and texture can vary between varieties, so test a small piece of dough before shaping the full batch.
Why is my gnocchi dough sticky?
Potatoes that are still wet, or a very warm dough, can be harder to handle. Drain the potatoes well, let excess steam escape and use a lightly floured work surface. Add extra flour cautiously rather than trying to make the dough completely dry.
Why did my homemade gnocchi turn out heavy?
Too much flour and too much working of the dough can both contribute to a firmer result. Mix just until the ingredients come together and handle each piece gently during rolling and shaping.
What is in the basil pesto?
Fresh basil, garlic, Parmesan, toasted pine nuts and olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper. Add the oil gradually, and use a little reserved gnocchi cooking water to loosen the sauce when tossing.
How long does the recipe take, and how many does it serve?
Allow under one hour for the recipe. The batch yields up to eight portions, depending on the size of your servings and whether the gnocchi are part of a larger meal.
