These creamy lemon gnocchi feature light and pillowy ricotta gnocchi paired with a buttery lemon pepper sauce. The inspiration for this dish comes from ndunderi (a type of ricotta gnocchi) from the Amalfi Coast of Italy, where lemons are plentiful.
Ndunderi are a popular type of ricotta gnocchi by Naples, Italy. I love pairing them with an al limone sauce. It’s one of my go-to sauces for pasta. It’s buttery, salty, and just tart enough from the lemon, and the butter and cheese form a creamy emulsion that clings to the gnocchi!
Ingredient Notes
Ricotta Gnocchi: This sauce pairs perfectly with homemade ricotta gnocchi but you can also make potato gnocchi or use your favorite store-bought version!
Lemon: The gnocchi and the sauce are loaded with lemon, including the zest and juice of the fruit. In the winter, I like using Meyer lemons for added fruitiness and sweetness.
Black pepper: The sauce is made up of just a few simple ingredients, so it’s important to strike the right balance of flavors. I like to add a good amount of freshly ground black pepper to cut the acidity of the lemon.
For the full list of ingredients and quantities, refer to the recipe card.
How to Make This Recipe
Steps 1 & 2 – Build the sauce: Melt the butter in a skillet (Image 1). Add half of the lemon juice, zest, and black pepper to the skillet. Let that all reduce for a couple of minutes (Image 2).
Step 3 – Cook the gnocchi: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the gnocchi. Once the gnocchi float to the surface, let boil for another 30 seconds (in total, they should take about 1 – 3 minutes to cook). Remove immediately with a slotted spoon and transfer to the skillet, reserving some pasta water (Image 3).
Step 4 – Add some pasta water and a couple spoonfuls of the cheese at a time (Image 4), stirring constantly until the sauce begins to emulsify and looks creamy. Let the sauce reduce for a couple of minutes until it clings to the gnocchi.
Serve: Taste the sauce, and add the additional reserved lemon juice if you want it more tart. Season with salt and pepper, garnish with cheese and parsley, and enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
- The key to perfecting the sauce is achieving a smooth, creamy emulsion. Add the cheese gradually while whisking over low heat. If the sauce starts to separate, simply incorporate some more pasta water (or a touch of cold cream). Remember, it’ll taste great no matter how it appears!
- The sauce should taste lemony and peppery. The pepper helps cut the acidity of the lemon and round out the flavors, so don’t skimp on this!
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Note: This recipe has been cross-tested by an in-house recipe tester.
Lemon Gnocchi
Ingredients
- 1 batch ricotta gnocchi
- 1 medium lemon
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for topping
- 1 ounce finely grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, loosely packed
- Salt
- A handful of freshly minced parsley or basil, for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Zest 1 medium lemon, and juice half of the fruit. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, melt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-low heat.
- Add the zest, half of the lemon juice, and ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper to the skillet. Stir frequently, about 1 – 2 minutes, until the black pepper is slightly toasted and aromatic and the lemon juice has reduced slightly. Reduce the heat to low.
- Once the pot of water has come to a boil, season generously, and add 1 batch ricotta gnocchi.Once they float to the surface, boil for another 30 seconds (in total, they should take about 1 – 3 minutes to cook).Remove immediately with a slotted spoon and transfer to the skillet, reserving about ½ cup of pasta water.
- Add ¼ cup of the pasta water to the skillet, and increase the heat to medium-low. Let the sauce reduce for a minute, occasionally stirring the gnocchi.
- Turn the heat off, then slowly sprinkle ¾ of the parmigiano-reggiano cheese evenly over the gnocchi, stirring constantly until the sauce begins to emulsify, appear creamy, and clings to the gnocchi. Add any additional pasta water if the sauce is too thick.
- Note: If the sauce is not thickening, you can turn the heat on the lowest setting to help it thicken slightly. Make sure to keep vigorously stirring or the sauce won’t emulsify properly.
- Taste the sauce, and adjust seasonings as needed; season with salt, pepper, and/or additional reserved lemon juice if you want it more tart. The pepper should really come through, as it will help balance the acidity of the lemon juice and add a bit of heat, so I like to give the dish a generous grind at the end.
- Garnish with the remaining cheese and herbs. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- The trickiest part of the sauce is to create a homogenous, creamy emulsion. Make sure to add the cheese slowly, whisking constantly, on low heat. If you find that the sauce doesn’t emulsify and the oil begins to separate, you can add a bit more pasta water (or even a touch of cold cream) to help bring the sauce together.
- Variation: For a creamier sauce, add ½ cup heavy cream with the lemon juice, zest, and black pepper. Let reduce until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, then proceed with the recipe as instructed.
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Love this dish! The flavors are so fresh and comforting. The texture of these gnocchi is amazing!
So happy you enjoyed!
These are so pillowy and delicious. I can’t wait to make this again!
It’s definitely a weekend activity for me, but well worth the effort. I love how soft this gnocchi comes out and the lemon sauce is the perfect accompaniment. Can’t wait to make this again soon!
It’s a labor of love! Thank you so much for trying out the recipe 🙂