Barley Free Potato Gnocchi
Pillowy, golden-edged, and deeply satisfying, this homemade gnocchi is the kind of dish that feels like a restaurant treat but comes together in your own kitchen. The secret is baking the russet potatoes instead of boiling them — that extra step drives out moisture and gives you light, tender dumplings rather than dense, gummy ones. Rice flour stands in for the usual all-purpose or semolina flour, keeping every bite completely free of barley and any grain that tends to sneak into traditional recipes. A simple finish of garlic-infused oil and butter crisps the gnocchi to a gorgeous golden crust in just a few minutes, adding a savory depth that needs almost no embellishment. Optional Parmesan and sliced scallion tops bring a little sharpness and freshness to round everything out. The ingredient list is short, the technique is straightforward, and the result is genuinely impressive — proof that a few careful swaps don't mean sacrificing anything on the plate.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the gnocchi
- 2 lb russet potatoes (about 3 large)
- 1 cup rice flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 large egg
- ¾ tsp fine salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
For boiling
- 1 tbsp salt (for the boiling water)
For finishing
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp garlic-infused oil
For serving
- ¼ cup scallion tops, thinly sliced (optional)
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese, finely grated (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Pierce each potato several times with a fork, place directly on the oven rack, and bake for 50–60 minutes, until a skewer slides through the center with no resistance. (Baking rather than boiling keeps the potatoes dry, which is essential for light gnocchi.)
- 2
While the potatoes are still hot, halve them and scoop the flesh into a potato ricer or press through the large holes of a box grater onto a clean, lightly rice-flour-dusted work surface. Spread the riced potato out and let it steam for 3–4 minutes until no visible steam rises — the drier the potato, the less flour you'll need.
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