Pink beet gnocchi are a lively and colorful dish, one of many creative variations of gnocchi. Experimenting with natural ingredients to create gnocchi in eye-catching colors is a fun way to make a classic Italian dish unique. Besides yellow potato gnocchi, you can also make, for example, green gnocchi with spinach, or orange gnocchi using pumpkin. Making beet gnocchi at home is quite simple and they also work well in a gluten-free version: just replace all-purpose flour with a gluten-free fresh pasta mix. To get a workable dough without needing to add too much flour – which would make the gnocchi hard and tasteless – it’s crucial to use old potatoes and cook them in a way that they don’t absorb too much water. Follow my tips and you won’t have any problems. Pink beet gnocchi can then be seasoned in many different ways: at the end of the recipe, I leave you some ideas!
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Very economical
- Preparation time: 40 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cooking methods: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 378.13 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 80.73 (g) of which sugars 3.70 (g)
- Proteins 12.80 (g)
- Fat 1.71 (g) of which saturated 0.55 (g)of which unsaturated 0.69 (g)
- Fibers 6.23 (g)
- Sodium 148.90 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 250 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for about 1 kg (2.2 lbs) of beet gnocchi
To prepare gluten-free beet gnocchi, I used Nutrifree Fresh Pasta Mix.
- 1.8 lbs potatoes (old)
- 3.5 oz beet (precooked)
- 1.7 oz egg (1 small)
- to taste all-purpose flour (about 1 cup; I used gluten-free fresh pasta flour)
- 1 pinch salt
Tools
- 1 Pot
- 1 Potato masher
- 1 Immersion blender
- 1 Gnocchi board
How to Make Pink Beet Potato Gnocchi
If you don’t have a microwave, wash the potatoes thoroughly and, without peeling them, place them whole in a large pot of cold water. Bring the water to a boil and cook them until they are tender (for medium potatoes, it will take about 40 minutes). Another option is to boil them in a pressure cooker (always whole and with the skin) for 20 minutes from whistle.
Once cooked, peel and mash them with a potato masher, letting them fall into a bowl. Lightly salt them and allow them to cool completely. This step is also very important for the successful outcome of the gnocchi (in general, not just beet ones) because cooling reduces moisture content and they will absorb less flour.
While the potatoes cool, blend the beet until smooth. In a small bowl, crack the egg, beat it with a fork, and then weigh 1.7 oz.
On the work surface, pour 1 cup of flour and form a well. In the center, add the mashed potatoes, beet puree, and egg. Start incorporating the flour with the other ingredients, initially using a fork and then continuing with your hands.
If the dough is too soft even after all the flour is absorbed, you can add a little more. In the end, you should have a smooth, soft but workable dough.
Take a portion of it and, on the floured surface, form a roll. Cut it into pieces of the same size (about 1.5-2 cm) and pass them over a gnocchi board or the tines of a fork to form the classic grooves.As you make your pink beet gnocchi, place them on a well-floured tray so they don’t stick to the bottom. Then cook them in plenty of salted boiling water, draining them as they rise to the surface.
How to Store Beet Gnocchi
You can store pink beet gnocchi at room temperature for 3-4 hours, sprinkled with flour and covered with a cloth to prevent drying out too much. If you need to prepare them many hours in advance, the best solution is to freeze them: place them in the freezer on a tray, then, once perfectly frozen, you can transfer them to a plastic bag. When ready to consume, cook them without thawing.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
How to Dress Beet Gnocchi?
Since the flavor of beet is not dominant, pink gnocchi can be dressed in many different ways. To preserve their color, it’s better to choose white sauces, such as a classic butter and sage that can be enriched with briefly sautéed cubes of pancetta or speck. Cheese lovers can opt for a delicious gorgonzola fondue, or take inspiration from the sauce of this four-cheese pasta. Another great pairing is with mushrooms: prepare this mushroom sauce using champignons, porcini, or a mix of various mushrooms.
