Potato Gnocchi with Gorgonzola Cream
Light, pillowy homemade potato gnocchi bathed in a rich gorgonzola cream sauce and finished with toasted walnuts and chives.
By Marisol Vance, Founder & Head of Recipe Development
Published May 21, 2026
- Prep
- 45 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 15 min
- Total
- 2 hrs
- Servings
- 4
- Level
- Advanced
Great gnocchi should be tender and light, not dense little sinkers. The secret is baking the potatoes rather than boiling them, so they stay dry and need less flour, then handling the dough as little as possible.
The sauce is a northern Italian classic. Gorgonzola dolce melts into cream and butter to make something tangy, rich, and savory, and a little parmesan and nutmeg round it out. Toasted walnuts bring crunch and a gentle bitterness that balances all that richness.
It is a dish for a slow weekend afternoon, and a fun one to make with a helper. Serve small portions as a first course, or pair a full plate with a bitter greens salad and a crisp white wine.
- Pillowy homemade potato gnocchi
- Tangy gorgonzola cream sauce
- Toasted walnut crunch
Ingredients
Directions
Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Pierce the potatoes a few times with a fork and bake directly on the oven rack for 50 to 60 minutes, until very tender.
While the potatoes are still hot, halve them, scoop out the flesh, and pass it through a ricer or food mill onto a clean work surface. Spread it out and let the steam escape for about 10 minutes.
Sprinkle the potatoes with the salt and 1 cup of the flour, then add the egg yolk. Use a bench scraper or fork to gently bring it together into a shaggy dough, adding more flour only as needed. Knead briefly, just until smooth and slightly tacky.
Test the dough by boiling a small piece in salted water. If it falls apart, work in a little more flour.
Divide the dough into 4 pieces and roll each into a rope about 3/4 inch thick. Cut into 3/4-inch pieces, roll them over a fork or gnocchi board if you like, and set them on a floured sheet pan.
Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes until fragrant, then chop them coarsely.
For the sauce, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and cook the shallot for 2 minutes. Add the cream and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until slightly reduced.
Reduce the heat to low, add the gorgonzola, and stir until melted. Stir in the parmesan, nutmeg, and pepper, and keep warm.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the gnocchi in batches, lifting them out with a slotted spoon about 1 minute after they float to the surface.
Transfer the gnocchi directly to the sauce and toss gently, adding a splash of cooking water if the sauce is too thick.
Serve topped with the toasted walnuts, chives, and a few grinds of black pepper.
Test-kitchen tips
- Freeze uncooked gnocchi in a single layer on a floured sheet pan, then bag them for up to 1 month. Cook straight from frozen.
- Work the dough while the potatoes are still warm and knead as little as possible. Overworking develops gluten and makes gnocchi gummy.
- If gorgonzola is too bold for your crowd, use half gorgonzola and half fontina for a milder, meltier sauce.
