Air Fryer Gnocchi
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Air Fryer Gnocchi gives you crisp-edged, soft-centered potato dumplings without standing over a pot of frying oil or heating the oven. These are made from scratch, and after years of cooking gnocchi, I’ve found the whole thing turns on two moves.
The first is ricing the potatoes while they’re still warm, and the second is stopping the moment the dough comes together. Overwork it, and the gnocchi turn dense instead of light, so I mix mine just until it holds and leave it there.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- You make the gnocchi yourself from a couple of pounds of potatoes and some flour, so you control the texture in a way a shelf-stable pack never gives you.
- The air fryer crisps the gnocchi edges while the centers stay soft, and you never heat the whole oven to do it.
- You can shape a batch ahead and freeze it uncooked, then cook it straight from the freezer on a night you don’t want to think.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You’ll need all the ingredients shown in the photograph below.
- Potatoes. Starchy potatoes like russets mash the fluffiest and make the lightest gnocchi. Two pounds is the base here, and it’s worth weighing them, since the flour amount depends on it.
- All-purpose flour. This binds the dough and sets the texture. Add it, bring the dough just together, and stop, because more flour and more kneading both push the gnocchi toward dense and chewy.
- Egg. One medium egg holds the dough together and makes it easier to shape. You can leave it out, though the dough turns softer and wants a longer rest.
- Fresh basil. It brightens the starchy potato. Parsley or oregano stand in well if that’s what you have.
- Parmesan. Here’s the vegetarian catch most recipes skip. Standard Parmesan is made with animal rennet, so it isn’t vegetarian, and you’ll want a hard cheese labeled rennet-free or a vegetarian Parmesan-style cheese instead. A vegetarian Parmesan still gives the salty, savory finish.
- Butter and olive oil. These melt together in the air fryer and coat the gnocchi so the edges color and the basil clings.
- Fine salt and black pepper. Season the dough lightly, since the cheese adds more salt at the end.
How to Make Air Fryer Gnocchi
A complete printable recipe and the measurements in both US customary and metric are available in the recipe card below.
Boil and mash the potatoes
Rinse the potatoes and leave the skins on, then boil them in a large pot of water for about 25 to 30 minutes, until a fork slides in easily.
Drain them, peel them while they’re still warm, and mash them with a ricer or a fork. Warm potatoes go through a ricer more easily and make fluffier gnocchi than cold ones do.
Mix and knead the dough
Let the mashed potato cool slightly, then combine it with the flour, a lightly beaten egg, and a pinch of salt. Knead it gently, just until a soft, firm dough forms. Stop there, since overworking is what turns gnocchi dense and chewy.
Shape the gnocchi
Divide the dough into eight portions and keep the ones you aren’t working with covered so they don’t dry out.
Roll each portion into a rope about as thick as your thumb, then cut it into pieces about 2 cm long. Press each piece over the back of a fork to give it ridges, which is where the butter catches later.
Rest the gnocchi
Arrange the shaped gnocchi on a floured tray and let them rest for 20 to 30 minutes so they firm up and hold their shape. If you left the egg out, give them another 20 to 30 minutes on top of that.
Boil the gnocchi
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the gnocchi, stirring gently so they don’t stick together. Boil them for about 2 to 3 minutes, until they float to the top, then let them cook for another 25 seconds before lifting them out with a slotted spoon.
Air fry with butter and basil
Put the butter and olive oil in a small heatproof dish that fits your air fryer basket and cook at 350°F (180°C) for 3 minutes, until melted. Add the basil leaves and the boiled gnocchi, then air fry for 3 more minutes.
Toss and serve
Toss the gnocchi in the melted butter from the dish, then top them with the grated vegetarian Parmesan and freshly ground black pepper. Serve them while they’re warm.
Recipe Notes and Expert Tips
- Keep the dough on the dry side and handle it as little as possible. A wetter, overworked dough is what makes gnocchi gluey.
- Flour your hands and your work surface, not the dough itself, so you don’t work extra flour in while shaping.
- Cut the gnocchi to a similar size so they cook evenly and finish at the same time.
- If your first piece falls apart in the boiling water, knead a little more flour into the dough before shaping the rest.
Recipe Variations
- Leaving the egg out is a tested change: the dough still holds together; it just turns softer, so give it the extra 20 to 30 minutes of rest before cooking.
- Swapping the basil for fresh parsley or oregano is a supported change that keeps the timing the same, with each herb taking the flavor a slightly different way.
- Adding a pinch of red pepper flakes or cayenne with the butter is another supported option, and a little garlic powder and onion powder round it out, with no change to the cooking time.
How to Store Leftovers
To make these ahead, shape the gnocchi and freeze them before cooking. Freeze uncooked gnocchi in a single layer until solid, about an hour, so they don’t stick together, then transfer to a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Air-fry from frozen and add a minute or two.
Once they’re cooked, cool them briefly and keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Reheat them in the air fryer at 350°F (180°C) for 2 to 3 minutes to bring the edges back. Put cooked gnocchi in the fridge once the steam stops, rather than leaving them out to cool all the way down.
What to Serve With Air Fryer Gnocchi
I like these with a green vegetable that crisps in the same machine while the gnocchi rest. Air fryer asparagus or air fryer green beans both work, and a sharp green salad with lemon cuts the richness of the butter.
To make it a bigger meal, I add air fryer stuffed peppers on the side, or a bowl of soup and some crusty bread to round out the plate. These also sit right alongside my air fryer baby potatoes.
FAQs
Yes, this recipe boils them first. Give them 2 to 3 minutes in salted water until they float, then finish them in the air fryer with the butter and basil.
Usually that’s too much flour or too much kneading. Mix the dough only until it comes together and then stop, because the more you work it, the chewier the gnocchi get.
A crowded basket steams the gnocchi instead of crisping them. Give the pieces a single layer with a little space around each one, and cook in batches if your basket is small.
You can. Skip the potato and dough steps and start at the boil, then air fry as written. Shelf-stable gnocchi can need a minute less, so watch the first batch.
More Air Fryer Recipes to Try
Here are a few more air fryer dishes I keep in the rotation.
- Air Fryer Zucchini Fritters. These are what I make when I want another crisp bite from the basket, and they take well to a dip.
- Air Fryer Mashed Sweet Potatoes. What I go with for a soft, sweet side against the salty cheese here.
- Air Fryer Portobello Mushroom Fries. The ones I make when I want the plate to eat more like a main.
- Air Fryer Fingerling Potatoes. They keep it simple with crisp skins, and I make them when I’m already in a potato mood.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds potatoes
- 2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 egg medium
- 1 pinch fine salt
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Basil leaves to taste
- ½ cup parmesan cheese grated
- ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Rinse the potatoes thoroughly and leave the skins on. Boil them in a large pot of water for about 25-30 minutes, until they are fork-tender. Drain, peel while still warm, and mash using a ricer or fork.2 pounds potatoes
- Allow the mashed potatoes to cool slightly. In a large bowl, combine them with flour, a lightly beaten egg, and a pinch of salt. Knead gently until a soft, firm dough forms, being careful not to overwork it.2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour, 1 egg medium, 1 pinch fine salt
- Divide the dough into eight portions, keeping the rest covered to prevent drying. Roll each portion into a rope about the thickness of a thumb, then cut into 2 cm pieces. To create ridges, roll each piece over the back of a fork.
- Arrange the gnocchi on a floured tray and let them rest for 20-30 minutes. If no egg was used, extend the resting time by an additional 20-30 minutes.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the gnocchi and stir gently so they don’t stick together. Boil for about 2–3 minutes, until they float to the top. Let them cook for another 25 seconds before removing with a slotted spoon.
- Place the butter and olive oil in a small heatproof dish that fits in the air fryer basket and air fry for 3 minutes at 350ºF (180°C), until melted. Add the basil leaves and gnocchi, then air fry for 3 more minutes.¼ cup butter, 1 tablespoon olive oil, Basil leaves
- Toss the gnocchi in the sauce, then top with grated Parmesan cheese and freshly ground pepper before serving.½ cup parmesan cheese
Notes
Nutrition
