This Zero Waste Homemade Gnocchi is easier to make than you think AND also only needs 5 ingredients (not counting the salt). Leftover potatoes, squash, and other root vegetables seem to be very a common leftover food item found in fridges and are perfect for making gnocchi the next day. Zero waste homemade gnocchi is not like other fresh pasta. It’s way easier to make from scratch— and that’s been a great food activity to do with my kids. Serve it with your favorite sauce creations. Day old cooked gnocchi? Best served fried.

Zero-Waste Tip While freshly cooked pasta is wonderful, sometimes it’s even better the next day. One of my favorite ways to serve pasta is fried up in a really hot pan so some of its bits and pieces get nice and crispy.

Food 911 “00” or double zero flour is a finely milled Italian flour that is considered one of the best for pasta making because of its high protein content and silky texture. You can find this more and more in your major grocery stores, if not an Italian grocer. But you typical App Purpose Flour works in a pinch as well.

Waste Free Homemade Gnocchi

USES UP cooked potatoes, squash or other root vegetables

SERVES 2 as a main

TOTAL TIME 25 minutes

KEEPS FOR up to 2 days in the fridge, cooked, or up to 6 months in a sealed container in the freezer, uncooked and lightly tossed in flour.

CAN SUBSTITUTE
 Potatoes with winter squash, sweet potato, other root vegetables or celery root

Ingredients

2 cups well-mashed or riced cooked baked potato, see substitutions

1 egg yolk

1-1 1/2 cups “00” or all-purpose flour (+ extra for dusting)

1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh or 1 tsp dried herbs, like basil, oregano, or thyme

Pinch salt

Your favorite sauce creation

1. To make the dough, in a large bowl, combine the mashed potato and the egg yolk and stir until combined. Add the flour, herbs, and salt and continue to stir until you have a fairly dry dough. Depending on how wet or dry your mash is to begin with, you may need to add more flour.

2. To form the gnocchi, transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and divide into 4 portions. Using your hands, roll a portion into a long snake until it is about 1⁄2 inch in diameter. With a floured knife, divide it into approximately 1-inch-long gnocchi. If you like, you can press each gnocchi lightly with the back of a fork to create lines.

3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and simmer the gnocchi until they rise to the top, 3 to 5 minutes.

4. Drain and toss with your favorite sauce.

For more recipes and ideas like this check out my new cookbook Cook More, Waste Less and my Instagram

For more recipes using up leftover potatoes try my Nan’s Fish Cakes, Pierogi Night