This traditional gnudi recipe brings a taste of Tuscany to your kitchen with just a few simple ingredients. Gnudi, meaning “naked” in Italian, are delicate ricotta and spinach dumplings—like ravioli without the pasta. Made with ricotta, spinach, Parmesan, and a pinch of nutmeg, they’re light, fluffy, and packed with flavour.
What makes this gnudi recipe so special is its rich yet subtle taste and pillowy texture. Even better, you don’t need much to serve them—just a quick butter and sage sauce is enough to let the dumplings shine.
Best of all, gnudi are easier to make than you might think. Simply mix the ingredients, roll into balls, coat with flour, and boil until they float. Whether you’re looking for an authentic Tuscan dish or a low-carb recipe that still feels indulgent, this one is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
Enjoy it as a comforting main or serve as a refined starter—either way, this gnudi recipe is sure to impress.
What Are ‘Gnudi’?
Gnudi (pronounced nyoo-dee) are soft, delicate dumplings made primarily from ricotta cheese and a small amount of flour—like the filling of ravioli, but without the pasta shell. The word gnudi means “naked” in Italian, because they’re essentially naked ravioli. Gnudi originate from Tuscany, where they’ve been a traditional comfort food for centuries. They’re often served simply with sage butter, olive oil, or a light tomato sauce.
How to Shape Your Gnudi Perfectly
Shaping the dumplings is one of the most important steps in this gnudi recipe. The mixture can be quite soft, so to make it easier to handle, lightly oil your hands before rolling—this helps prevent sticking without adding extra flour, which can make the gnudi dense.
Use about 1 heaped tablespoon of mixture per dumpling, which gives you the ideal size—roughly 2.5 to 3cm in diameter. This size cooks evenly and holds its shape well without falling apart in the water.
After shaping, roll each dumpling gently in flour to coat it lightly. This helps form a delicate outer layer that holds up during boiling. Place the floured gnudi on a tray or board, leaving space between them, so they don’t stick together.
Repeat until all the mixture is used. You should get around 23-25 gnudi from this recipe, depending on size. Once they’re all shaped and floured, they’re ready to go into gently boiling water—no need to chill them first unless you want to prepare ahead.
Why Butter and Sage Is the Perfect Sauce for This Gnudi Recipe
The most traditional—and arguably the best—way to serve gnudi is with a simple butter and sage sauce. This classic pairing enhances the delicate flavour of the ricotta and spinach dumplings without overpowering them. The nutty richness of the butter, combined with the earthy aroma of crisped sage leaves, creates a fragrant coating that complements the soft, pillowy texture of the gnudi beautifully.
To make it, melt 2–3 tablespoons of butter in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add 6–8 fresh sage leaves and cook for about 2–3 minutes, until the butter begins to foam and the sage turns slightly crispy—but not brown. Once the gnudi are cooked and drained, gently add them to the pan and spoon the buttery sage mixture over them to coat. Let them cook together for about a minute, then serve immediately with an extra sprinkle of Parmesan.
Tips
- Use fresh ricotta: Good quality ricotta gives the gnudi a creamier, more delicate texture.
- Dry out the spinach: Make sure to remove as much water as possible—this helps the gnudi hold together.
- Flour your hands: If the dough sticks, add a little flour or oil to your hands when rolling.
- Boil gently: Keep the water at a soft boil so the gnudi don’t fall apart.
- Don’t skip the butter and sage: It’s the traditional way to serve gnudi and adds amazing flavour.
- Customise the flavour: Add lemon zest or crushed garlic to the mixture for an extra twist.
Swaps
Spinach: Swap with Swiss chard or cavolo nero if preferred—just make sure to cook and drain well.
Ricotta: Cottage cheese can work in a pinch, but it needs to be well-drained.
Parmesan: Use Grana Padano or Pecorino Romano for a stronger flavour.
Flour: Gluten-free flour blends can be used instead, though texture may vary.
Storage
Fridge, uncooked gnudi: Store on a floured tray, covered, in the fridge for up to 24 hours. This works well if you want to prep the gnudi recipe ahead of time.
Fridge, cooked gnudi: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a pan with a little butter before serving.
Freezer: Freeze raw, floured gnudi on a tray until solid. Transfer to a container or freezer bag. Cook directly from frozen—just add them to boiling water and simmer until they float to the top.
More Ricotta Recipes
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Gnudi Recipe – Traditional Tuscan Ricotta and Spinach Dumplings
Ingredients
- 300 g spinach
- 250 ricotta
- 1 egg
- 70 g Parmesan cheese
- 40 g flour
- salt pepper, nutmeg
Instructions
- In a on cook the spinach with a bit of garlic and oil. When they go soft they are ready.
- Remove the excess water from the spinach: you can leave the spinach to drain into a colander, with a bowl underneath to catch the dripping water or, much faster, like I did, just squeeze with your hands.
- Put the spinach on a chopping board and chop finely.
- In a large bowl add all the ingredients and mix well with a fork, until all the ingredients are well incorporated.
- Now it’s time to roll into balls: to make this process easy, add a drizzle of oil in your hands so the dough won’t stick to your hands. Prepare a small bowl with extra flour and keep it next to the large mixing bowl.
- Grab a tablespoon of the mix and roll into balls with you hands (~2.5cm in size), roll the ball into the small bowl with the extra flour so we can lightly coated it.
- Leave the Gnudi on a chopping board or another clean surface while you make the rest.
- Once the Gnudi are ready, cook them in boiling water like you would do with gnocchi: the Gnudi are are when they float on the surface.
Video
Notes
- This gnudi recipe works best with fresh ricotta—drain it well for the right consistency. Squeeze out as much water as possible from the spinach to avoid soggy gnudi.
- If the mixture feels too wet, add a little extra flour before rolling.
- Keep the dumplings small (around 2.5cm) for even cooking.
- Boil gently to stop them from breaking apart.
- Serve with a simple butter and sage sauce, or try olive oil and lemon zest for a lighter twist.
- This traditional Tuscan dish is packed with flavour and easier to make than ravioli.