How to make potato and beet gnocchi. A rich and delightful variation on the regular potato gnocchi. Easy to make with few ingredients, they are delicate and tasty. Bring some color to the table with this classic homemade Italian pasta!
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By all means, we love making dishes with seasonal ingredients. Strolling through the farmers' market and seeing the stalls displaying what's in season is one of our favorite activity. And our fridge always reflects the changing seasons. Now, beets are all the rage and what a gorgeous ingredient it is! From sweet to savory options, with gnocchi holding a special place in my heart. I usually make Beetroot Ricotta Gnocchi, this time potato and beet gnocchi it is.
The ingredients
- Potatoes - Boiled with the skin until fork tender, then peeled and riced.
- Beets - Washed, peeled, cut into quarters, then boiled and pureed.
- Flour - The binding ingredient. All purpose flour or type 00 (my usual go-to, when making pasta).
- Salt - Optional, I do not use it. Add ¼ teaspoon of fine sea salt, if using.
Eggs or no eggs in the dough?
To explain, even in my basic potato gnocchi recipe, I do not add eggs in the dough. This is the traditional way I have been taught in Italy. Moreover, this way they are incredibly soft and tender, and also suitable for a vegan, or egg-free diet.
Tips on potatoes and beets
Potatoes
- When I am in Italy, I use red skin potatoes with a yellow flesh. In Canada, I use any yellow flesh potatoes. I've tried Russet but they are too starchy and I do not like the end result.
- Choose potatoes more or less the same size, so they will boil evenly.
- Do not remove the peel, otherwise, they will absorb too much water.
- Place whole unpeeled potatoes in abundant cold water and boil them until they are soft when you prick them with a fork.
- Drain the potatoes, remove the peel, then pass them through a potato ricer. A masher is fine, however, I would recommend a ricer (you see one in the picture). The riced potatoes are perfectly fluffy, ideal for gnocchi or superb mashed potatoes.
Beets
- Wash and peel the beets, then cut them into quarters so they will cook faster. Then drain the boiled beets.
- I first put them in a food processor with a drop of their boiling water, and then, if they are not pureed, I use an immersion blender to obtain a smooth puree.
- Pureed beets have a lot of moisture, so leave the puree in a fine sieve mesh on top of a bowl to drain as much water as you can.
How to make the dough
- Add the riced potatoes to a bowl and let them cool. Then, mix in the drained pureed beets. I do not add salt, but you could add ¼ teaspoon.
- After, start adding the flour and mix with a fork or wooden spoon.
- Transfer the raggedy dough onto a floured surface and add more flour.
- Mix very little and quickly, just enough to combine the ingredients (working the dough too much releases the moisture and you are tempted to add more flour). Shape the dough into a ball and keep some flour on the side.
- Then, cut a slice of dough at a time, dust a little flour on the work surface and start making a long rope about 1.5 cm round. With a knife or bench scraper, cut pieces of dough about 1.5-2 cm.
- Now, if you want to make the ridges, you can roll the gnocchi on the classic wooden board (rigagnocchi in Italian. You see one in the pictures). An alternative, you could roll them on a fork, or leave plain. If using a gnocchi board, dust the board with flour and also dust the gnocchi before rolling them. Press lightly with your thumb on the cut side on the top of the board and gently roll it down. As it rolls it creates an indentation on one side and the ridges on the other.
- As the gnocchi are ready, put them on a well floured tray (I put parchment paper and then dust with flour). Make sure they do not overlap and sprinkle a little more flour on top.
Can I freeze gnocchi?
Definitely! Place the tray with the gnocchi in the freezer. Then, once frozen, transfer the gnocchi to a Ziplock bag or freezer-safe container. When needed, do not thaw. Instead, throw them directly into the boiling salted water and then dress them with your favorite sauce.
More homemade gnocchi recipe to try
- Gnocchi alla Sorrentina (cheesy baked gnocchi)
- Homemade Purple Potato Gnocchi
- How to make Gnocchi all'Amatriciana
- Gnocchi with gorgonzola and walnut sauce
- Squash Gnocchi in butter sauce
- Sardinian gnocchi with sausage ragù
How to make potato and beet gnocchi
How to make potato and beet gnocchi. A rich and delightful variation on the regular potato gnocchi. Easy to make with few ingredients, they are delicate and tasty. Bring some color to the table with this homemade classic Italian pasta!
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 350 g potatoes, boiled, peeled, and riced
- 150 g cooked beets, pureed, and drained
- 150 g flour + more for rolling and shaping
- ¼ tsp fine salt, optional
Instructions
- Place whole unpeeled potatoes in abundant cold water and boil them until they are soft when you prick them with a fork. Drain the potatoes, remove the peel, then pass them through a potato ricer into a large bowl.
- Wash and peel the beets, then cut them into quarters so they will cook faster. Boil until tender, then drain. I first put them in a food processor with a drop of their boiling water, and then, if they are not pureed, I use an immersion blender to obtain a puree. Pureed beets have a lot of moisture, so leave the puree in a fine sieve mesh under a bowl to drain as much water as you can.
- Add the drained pureed beets to the riced potatoes and mix with a fork until combined. I do not add salt, but you could add ¼ teaspoon.
- After, start adding the flour and mix with a fork or wooden spoon.
- Transfer the raggedy dough onto a floured surface and add more flour.
- Mix very little and quickly, just enough to combine the ingredients (working the dough too much releases the moisture and you are tempted to add more flour).
- Shape the dough into a ball or loaf, and keep some flour on the side.
- Then, cut a slice of the dough at a time, dust a little flour on the board and start making a long rope about 1.5 cm round. With a knife or bench scraper, cut pieces of dough about 1.5-2 cm.
- Now, if you want to make the ridges, you can roll the gnocchi on the classic ridged wooden board. An alternative, you could roll them on a fork, or leave them plain. If using a gnocchi board, dust the board with flour and also dust the gnocchi before rolling them. Press lightly with your thumb on the cut side on the top of the board and gently roll it down. As it rolls, it creates an indentation on one side and the ridges on the other.
- As they are ready, put the gnocchi on a well floured tray (I put parchment paper and then dust with flour). Make sure they do not overlap and sprinkle a little more flour on top.
Notes
Gnocchi can be frozen. Place the tray with the gnocchi in the freezer. Then, once frozen, transfer the gnocchi to a Ziplock bag or freezer-safe container. When needed, do not thaw. Instead, throw them directly into the boiling salted water and then dress them with your favorite sauce.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Pasta, Vegetarian
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: gnocchi, homemade, beets, potatoes, Italian, classic, pasta, flour, no-egg, from scratch
I love baking and kneading dough because it takes me to a happy place in my soul.
Sharon says
I love the upgrade of beets combined with traditional gnocchi ingredients. Tossed with a simple butter sauce and dinner is served.
★★★★★
Thank you! Butter sauce, with hints of sage and Parmigiano, is the best sauce for these gnocchi.
veenaazmanov says
Love the combination of beet that goes with potatoes to making this delicious gnocchi recipe. Thanks for your healthy recipe.
★★★★★
Thank you! Yes, this recipe is also so healthy for you!
Mikayla says
We loved the color and the flavor, we drizzled it with a garlicky olive oil!
★★★★★
Thanks for the review. Best sauce to dress them is butter and sage, but that sounds good, too.
Jessica says
I'm not usually one to leave reviews, but this recipe deserves all the praise. It's easy to follow, delicious, and it made me look like a gourmet chef. Five stars, no doubt!
★★★★★
Thanks so much! It is definitely a gourmet, restaurant-quality pasta dish.
Ann says
I have never tried this before, but it sounds super tasty! Thanks for the recipe share! Excited to give it a try!
★★★★★
Thanks! If you've made regular gnocchi, this is just a variation. If you haven't made gnocchi before, you're in for treat 😉 .
Cathleen says
I love the vibrant color of this gnocchi!! I'm so excited to give this a try once I find some beets in my local grocery store 🙂
★★★★★
Thank you for the comment, hope you find some beets, they are in season so there should be plenty 😉 .
Jacqueline Debono says
Until now, I've made beet coloured pasta but not gnocchi. I love how easy these are to make and how beautiful they look. Will be making again for sure!
★★★★★
Thank you, Jacqueline! I love making beet colored pasta! If you like gnocchi, this is just another great use of beets 😉 .
Tammy says
The beets give them such a beautiful colour! Oh I have never thought of this but it sounds like a great idea and it will make for a beautiful dish too. Love gnocchi!
Thanks! Yes, it is not only a beautiful dish, but it also tastes delicious.
Tristin says
My kids helped me make this gnocchi and it was really simple. It was the prettiest color, also. Definitely making it again!
★★★★★
What a great activity to do with kids! Hope they had fun, I always have 😉 .
silvia says
What a delicious combo, and how fun making them. They look like small pieces of candy, so gorgeous. I served with a butter sauce and it was a very delicious meal.
★★★★★
Thank you! They're pretty, aren't they? A butter sauce is perfect for them