• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • About
    • About Sam
    • FAQ's about veganism
    • Press
    • Contact
      • Reader Inquiries
      • Business Inquiries
  • Cookbooks
  • Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • Video
  • Start Here

It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Cookbooks
  • Recipes
  • Start Here
    • Tips to Use This Site
    • Press
    • Contact me
    • FAQ About Veganism
  • Join over 500,000 followers

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
    • Cookbooks
    • Recipes
    • Start Here
      • Tips to Use This Site
      • Press
      • Contact me
      • FAQ About Veganism
  • Join over 500,000 followers

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Pasta & Noodles

    March 8, 2023 7 Comments

    Best Homemade Vegan Gnocchi

    295 shares
    Jump to Recipe

    Pillowy, tender, chewy, and absolutely delicious! Making homemade vegan gnocchi is like bringing a 5-star restaurant dish into your own kitchen. Preparing gnocchi takes a few steps, but every step is simple and the results are so worth it! This is the perfect cooking project for when you want to make something extra special. You can enjoy the gnocchi within a few hours of making them or freeze them so they are ready to be cooked and served another day.

    Pillowy, tender, chewy, and absolutely delicious! Making homemade vegan gnocchi is like bringing a 5-star restaurant dish into your own kitchen. Preparing gnocchi takes a few steps, but every step is simple and the results are so worth it! This is the perfect cooking project for when you want to make something extra special. You can enjoy the gnocchi within a few hours of making them or freeze them so they are ready to be cooked and served another day. #itdoesnttastelikechicken #veganrecipe

    Homemade vegan gnocchi can seem like a tricky project, but it's actually pretty easy, it just takes a bit of time and a few steps. The first time I made homemade gnocchi was when I was just 16 years old! If I could do it as a teen, you know it's gotta be easy.

    Traditional gnocchi is made with eggs making it not vegan. My vegan gnocchi recipe has two substitution options.

    • Option 1 (my favorite): I've included a recipe to make a simple homemade egg yolk. This yolk recipe will provide all the flavor and color of eggs which really makes this gnocchi so tasty! (You won't be able to tell it's vegan). The egg yolk is easy to make and takes less than 2 minutes to whip up.
    • Option 2: or if you prefer not to make vegan egg yolk, simply replace it with two tablespoons of olive oil. This is still a tasty option and you will find many Italian restaurants prepare gnocchi this way as well.

    The rest of the gnocchi recipe is traditional: potatoes, flour, and salt. Mix to form a dough, roll into ropes, cut, and then boil. Toss with whatever sauce you like and enjoy!

    Pillowy, tender, chewy, and absolutely delicious! Making homemade vegan gnocchi is like bringing a 5-star restaurant dish into your own kitchen. Preparing gnocchi takes a few steps, but every step is simple and the results are so worth it! This is the perfect cooking project for when you want to make something extra special. You can enjoy the gnocchi within a few hours of making them or freeze them so they are ready to be cooked and served another day. #itdoesnttastelikechicken #veganrecipe

    Common Questions:

    What is vegan gnocchi made of? Potatoes, flour, salt, and vegan egg yolk. If you prefer you can substitute the vegan egg yolk with olive oil.

    What is a vegan egg yolk? I've included the recipe below. It consists of water, oil, cornstarch, nutritional yeast, black salt (also called kala namak), and turmeric. Just whisk them together and then microwave for about 45 seconds. Voila! It tastes and looks just like egg yolk. It adds gorgeous flavor and color to the homemade vegan gnocchi.

    Is gnocchi better with or without eggs? Without eggs is better. Eggless gnocchi is perfectly pillowy soft. Plus it has zero cholesterol, no animals are harmed, and it tastes just as delicious (if not better) than gnocchi made with eggs.

    What sauce should you serve with gnocchi? Any Italian-style sauce you enjoy on pasta will work wonderfully with gnocchi. I generally prefer a lighter sauce (nothing too heavy) but it is up to you. My favorite is either a simple tomato sauce or cashew pesto.

    Boil potatoes until tender.

    How to make the best Homemade Vegan Gnocchi:

    To cook the potatoes:

    Add the potatoes to a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook the potatoes until they are tender all the way through when pierced with a knife, 20 - 25 minutes. You can prepare the vegan egg yolk (if using) while the potatoes cook.

    Make a vegan egg yolk in the microwave.

    To make the vegan egg yolk:
    In a microwave-safe dish, whisk together the water, oil, cornstarch, nutritional yeast, black salt, and turmeric. Microwave on high in 15-second burst, stopping to mix, until it is slightly thickened, 45 - 60 seconds. Set aside to cool.

    You can alternatively prepare it in a small pot on the stove, cooking over medium heat and whisking until slightly thickened, 2 - 3 minutes.

    Use a potato ricer or small side of a cheese grater to shred the potatoes.

    To prepare the gnocchi:

    Once the potatoes have cooked, drain them and allow them to cool. The potatoes should still be warm but cool enough to handle. Peel off the skins using your fingers or a peeler, then pass through a potato ricer. If you do not have a ricer use the fine grater side of a cheese grater (that's what I do).

    Potatoes ready to make vegan gnocchi.

    A cheese grater works perfectly as a sub for a ricer!

    On a clean work surface, make a well in your flour and add your vegan egg yolk

    Pour the flour on a clean work surface and whisk in the salt. Make a well in the flour then pour in the vegan egg yolk. See how cute these little vegan egg yolks are!? They add great taste and color but if you prefer to skip making vegan egg yolk, sub for two tablespoons of olive oil.

    Then add the potato and salt.

    Along with the egg yolk (or olive oil) add the potato.

    Mix together until it forms a dough

    Use your hands to mix together to form a soft dough. If the dough is very sticky, sprinkle over more flour as needed. You do not want to knead the dough, just mix it until it all comes together.

    Divide into 4 and roll each section into a rope. Then cute gnocchi sized pieces. Cut the dough into four pieces. Take one piece and roll it into a rope that is about 1 inch thick, then cut it into small gnocchi pieces. Place the gnocchi on a floured baking sheet and repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.

    Optionally use a fork or a gnocchi board to score ridges.

    Optional step (I don't usually do this): Take each gnocchi piece and gently roll down a gnocchi board or the back of a fork to get ridges on your gnocchi.

    Boil the homemade vegan gnocchi for a few minutes until they float.

    To cook the vegan potato gnocchi:
    Whatever sauce you are planning to serve the gnocchi with, have it ready and simmering as cooking gnocchi is a quick process. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Use a slotted spatula or slotted spoon to lower a few handfuls of gnocchi into the pot. (This prevents splashing).

    The gnocchi is cooked when it floats, 1 - 2 minutes. Use the spatula or spoon to scoop up the gnocchi, letting the excess water drain off, then transfer it to your simmering sauce. Repeat with the rest of the gnocchi until it is all cooked. Gently toss in the sauce and serve hot. Store cooled leftover homemade vegan gnocchi in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

    Pillowy, tender, chewy, and absolutely delicious! Making homemade vegan gnocchi is like bringing a 5-star restaurant dish into your own kitchen. Preparing gnocchi takes a few steps, but every step is simple and the results are so worth it! This is the perfect cooking project for when you want to make something extra special. You can enjoy the gnocchi within a few hours of making them or freeze them so they are ready to be cooked and served another day. #itdoesnttastelikechicken #veganrecipe

    This homemade vegan gnocchi is...

    • super pillowy and soft
    • a million times better than store-bought gnocchi
    • fun to make!

    Vegan sauce recipes that pair well with gnocchi:

    Use any of the below sauces. Just swap the pasta in the recipes with your homemade gnocchi!

    Vodka Sauce
    Carrot Top Pesto
    Truffle Mac & Cheese
    Vegan Butternut Squash Sauce
    Cashew Pesto
    Creamy Vegan Lemon Asparagus Sauce

    If you try this recipe let us know by leaving a comment, rating it, and don't forget to tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram.

    Bon appetegan!
    Sam Turnbull.

    Print Recipe
    5 from 6 votes

    The Best Homemade Vegan Gnocchi

    Pillowy, tender, chewy, and absolutely delicious! Making homemade vegan gnocchi is like bringing a 5-star restaurant dish into your own kitchen. Preparing gnocchi takes a few steps, but every step is simple and the results are so worth it! This is the perfect cooking project for when you want to make something extra special. You can enjoy the gnocchi within a few hours of making them or freeze them so they are ready to be cooked and served another day.
    Prep Time30 mins
    Cook Time40 mins
    Total Time1 hr 10 mins
    Course : Main CoursePasta
    Cuisine : Italian
    Servings: 4
    Author: Sam Turnbull • It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken

    Ingredients

    For the gnocchi:

    • 1 pound Yukon gold or Russet potatoes scrubbed clean (not peeled)
    • 1 cup flour
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 vegan egg yolk recipe below (or sub 2 tablespoons olive oil)

    For the vegan egg yok:

    • ¼ cup cold water
    • 1 ½ teaspoons light oil (such as vegetable or canola)
    • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
    • ½ teaspoon nutritional yeast
    • â…› teaspoon black salt (also called kala namak)
    • 1 pinch turmeric
    US Customary - Metric
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    To cook the potatoes:

    • Add the potatoes to a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook the potatoes until they are tender all the way through when pierced with a knife, 20 - 25 minutes. You can prepare the vegan egg yolk (if using) while the potatoes cook.

    To make the vegan egg yolk:

    • In a microwave-safe dish, whisk together the water, oil, cornstarch, nutritional yeast, black salt, and turmeric. Microwave on high in 15-second burst, stopping to mix, until it is slightly thickened, 45 - 60 seconds. Set aside to cool. You can alternatively prepare it in a small pot on the stove, cooking over medium heat and whisking until slightly thickened, 2 - 3 minutes.

    To prepare the gnocchi:

    • Once the potatoes have cooked, drain them and allow them to cool. The potatoes should still be warm but cool enough to handle. Peel off the skins using your fingers or a peeler, then pass through a ricer. If you do not have a ricer use the fine grater side of a cheese grater (that's what I do).
    • Pour the flour on a clean work surface and whisk in the salt. Make a well in the flour then pour in the vegan egg yolk (or olive oil), and the potato.
    • Use your hands to mix together to form a soft dough. If the dough is very sticky, sprinkle over more flour as needed. You do not want to knead the dough, just mix it until it all comes together.
    • Cut the dough into four pieces. Take one piece and roll it into a rope that is about 1 inch thick, then cut it into small gnocchi pieces. Place the gnocchi on a floured baking sheet and repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.
    • Optional step (I don't usually do this): Take each gnocchi piece and gently roll down a gnocchi board or the back of a fork to get ridges on your gnocchi.

    To cook the gnocchi:

    • Whatever sauce you are planning to serve the gnocchi with, have it ready and simmering as cooking gnocchi is quick. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Use a slotted spatula or slotted spoon to lower a few handfuls of gnocchi into the pot. (This prevents splashing). The gnocchi is cooked when it floats, 1 - 2 minutes. Use the spatula or spoon to scoop up the gnocchi, letting the excess water drain off, then transfer it to your simmering sauce. Repeat with the rest of the gnocchi until it is all cooked. Gently toss in the sauce and serve hot. Store cooled leftover gnocchi in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

    Notes

    Make ahead/Freezing: Fresh gnocchi can be prepared and cut, and then stored on the baking sheet in the fridge for a maximum of 6 hours before cooking. If you wish to freeze it, gnocchi can be frozen on the baking sheet, then once frozen transfer to a freezer bag or air-tight container and return to the freezer. Cook from frozen. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving without sauce (recipe makes 4 servings) | Calories: 219kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 372mg | Potassium: 517mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 2IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 2mg
    Did You Make This Recipe?Tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram and Hashtag #itdoesnttastelikechicken

    More Italian Vegan Recipes:

    « Quick & Easy Vegan Cookie Dough (Edible)
    Best Shiitake Bacon Recipe »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Stephanie Doublait says

      March 19, 2023 at 5:15 pm

      5 stars
      Sam your recipes are always my favorite but I live in France and the flour here is so different and when I follow American recipes, I need to adjust. Since I didn't know what this was supposed to feel like, I didn't know how to adjust and my gnocci were way too soft. They still tasted great with pesto, but they absolutely needed more flour next time. I need to try again soon!

      Reply
      • Jess @ IDTLC Support says

        March 21, 2023 at 3:10 pm

        Sorry to hear they didn't turn out as hoped for! Given the differences in our ingredients, be sure to use the metric converter listed beneath the listed ingredients. Hopefully that would help clear up the confusion.

        Reply
    2. Mechtilde says

      March 14, 2023 at 8:25 am

      Hé Sam,
      The vegan egg yolk intrigues me. I would like to use it also for substitute the egg in making vegan Spätzle. But I’am not sure how to measure the amount of egg yolk. In your recipe for the gnocchi you let us know; 1 vegan egg yolk. The recipe for egg yolk itself is for serving 4. So do I need to bring this back at serving 1 and make this amount to use for the gnocchi? Since we are replacing vegan egg yolk for the real egg; do 2 tablespoons of egg yolk agual 1 egg?
      The kala namak is a great asset to my vegan meals, I love it! And thank you for your dedication on making vegan food and sharing them with us. It is also very funny to watch you on the YouTube recordings; a happy, jumping bunny in the kitchen!!!!
      Greetings, Mechtilde

      Reply
    3. Joanne says

      March 12, 2023 at 9:28 am

      5 stars
      I made these last night with a sun dried tomato pesto. They are incredibly delicious. I did it with the vegan egg yolk. I kept smelling eggs and even though I knew it was the kala namak, it was strange. It really added to the flavour of the gnocchi. Definitely don't skip the black salt!

      Reply
      • Jess @ IDTLC Support says

        March 15, 2023 at 5:00 pm

        That sounds delicious!

        Reply
    4. Marianne Surges says

      March 08, 2023 at 11:17 am

      Marianne

      Reply
    5. Marianne Surges says

      March 08, 2023 at 11:16 am

      Do you think chickpea flower could be substituted?

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Sam Turnbull

    Hi Friends!

    I'm Sam. Bestselling cookbook author and full-time vegan recipe creator! I LOVE vegan food, but it didn't start that way. As someone who comes from a family of hunters, butchers, and chefs I'm the last person I thought would go vegan. Here's My Story →

    Join over 500,000 followers

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Amazon.com • Amazon.ca • Barnes & Nobel • Indigo • Kobo • Book Depository

    Amazon.com • Amazon.ca • Barnes & Nobel • Indigo • Kobo • Book Depository

    Footer

    Stay Connected

    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Copyright

    I love when you share! All of the images and text on this site is the property of It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken. Feel free to share photos and quotes with a link back to my original post. Do not share entire recipes, large bodies of text, or edit my photos in anyway without first obtaining permission from me. Social media shares are always welcome. Thank you!

    Affiliate Link Disclosure

    On this site, I sometimes use affiliate links. This means that if you were to make a purchase through one of these links, It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken would receive a small cut, at no cost to you.

    Privacy Policy

    Footer

    COPYRIGHT

    I love when you share! All of the images and text on this site is the property of It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken. Feel free to share photos and quotes with a link back to my original post. Do not share entire recipes, large bodies of text, or edit my photos in anyway without first obtaining permission from me. Social media shares are always welcome. Thank you!


    AFFILIATE LINK DISCLOSURE

    On this site, I sometimes use affiliate links. This means that if you were to make a purchase through one of these links, It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken would receive a small cut, at no cost to you.

    Privacy Policy | Contact | About | Sponsor Newsletter

    COPYRIGHT © 2022 - IT DOESN'T TASTE LIKE CHICKEN