Name: How To Store Gnocchi
Prep time: 6 min
Total time: 6 min
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 portion gnocchi

Table of Contents

Gnocchi is a delicious pasta dish that can be enjoyed any time of year, any time of day. It is incredibly versatile and can be prepared in several ways. Life happens, though, and you often have to store things.

So how do you store Gnocchi?

There are two choices when it comes to storing gnocchi:

Cook the gnocchi and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days
Freeze the uncooked gnocchi shapes. Raw gnocchi dough will last up to 6 weeks in the freezer

How To Store Fresh Gnocchi

If you’re planning to eat your gnocchi within a few days of making it, the best thing to do is pre-cook it and refrigerate it. For longer-term storage, or to store uncooked gnocchi, you should freeze it.

Uncooked gnocchi doesn’t fare well in the fridge.

When you put raw gnocchi dough in the fridge, the potato continues to leak water into the dough rendering it sticky and soggy. The gnocchi will tend to stick to whatever tray you put them on and can also lose their shape. Another problem you might have is that the gnocchi turns gray – this is the potatoes oxidizing.

How To Store Cooked Gnocchi

Cooked gnocchi is best stored plain without a sauce. If the gnocchi is already in a sauce, this is okay, but the leftovers might get a little mushy.

Follow these steps to store your cooked gnocchi in the refrigerator (assuming it’s plain):

Fill a bowl with cold water and ice cubes.
Cook the gnocchi.
When it’s done, remove it from the pot using a slotted spoon.
Place the gnocchi in the bowl of ice water to cool.
Drain the gnocchi once cool.
Place gnocchi in an airtight container, toss with a small amount of olive oil to keep the gnocchi from sticking together.
Refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Gnocchi submerged in ice water — Submerging the gnocchi in ice water prevents it from overcooking

Drizzling oil over the gnocchi before storing prevents them from sticking together

To reheat, simply warm the gnocchi on the stove in your favorite sauce.

If the gnocchi is already in a sauce, simply put it in an airtight container to store. It will last 2-3 days.

How To Freeze Gnocchi

If you plan on keeping your gnocchi for more than a few days, it is best to freeze it. Freezing is usually the most effective choice when it comes to long-term storage.

It’s better to freeze the gnocchi before cooking it. Uncooked gnocchi is more sturdy and will last for longer in the freezer than its cooked counterpart.

Also, when reheating frozen cooked gnocchi, there’s a strong chance it’ll turn to mush.

How To Freeze Uncooked Gnocchi (Gnocchi Dough)

It’s always best to shape your raw gnocchi before your freeze it. It can be difficult to shape the dough after it’s been frozen and thawed.

Gnocchi drizzed with flour on baking tray — Coating the gnocchi in flour before freezing helps to prevent them from sticking together

Shape your gnocchi.
Leave your gnocchi pieces to dry at room temperature for at least 45 minutes. Drying the gnocchi out a bit before freezing means it’s less likely to fall apart when you cook it.
Cover the uncooked gnocchi with flour and spread the individual pieces out on a baking tray, making sure they don’t touch.
Put the baking tray into the freezer, making sure it’s level.
Let gnocchi freeze until solid. This may take as long as three hours.
After the gnocchi is frozen solid, place the pieces inside an air-tight container or sealable Ziploc freezer bag. As the pieces are pre-frozen, they won’t stick together.
Label with date. Keep frozen for up to 6 weeks.

Gnocchi in airtight freezer bag ready for freezing — You can use a straw to remove excess air from the freezer bag

You should cook the gnocchi straight from frozen. There’s no need to thaw. Boil it as you would fresh gnocchi.

There might be a slight texture change, but nothing too noticeable.

How To Freeze Cooked Gnocchi

The only time I would recommend freezing cooked gnocchi is if you’ve baked it. Transfer the dish to an airtight container, or cover the tray with a layer of plastic wrap followed by foil and put it in the freezer.

Most dishes will be good for about a month.

To reheat the dish, bake it from frozen in the oven until it’s heated through. You can add extra sauce or cheese if you feel the dish is a bit dry.

How Long Does Gnocchi Last?

Fresh uncooked gnocchi will last a few hours before going sticky, but up to 6 weeks in the freezer. Cooked gnocchi will keep for 2 days in the fridge but shouldn’t be frozen.

Can You Reheat Gnocchi?

Yes, it is straightforward to reheat gnocchi. To reheat cooked gnocchi that’s been sitting in the fridge, warm it up on the stove in a sauce of your choice. Don’t boil it again. A gentle warming is all that’s needed.

If your cooked gnocchi is already in a sauce then you can use the microwave.

To reheat frozen gnocchi, put it straight in a big pot of boiling water. Don’t leave it to thaw.

It’s important to use a big pot and to make sure the water is boiling because the gnocchi will reduce the water temperature when you put it in. If the water gets too cold, this will ruin the gnocchi. If you have too much gnocchi to put in one pan, cook it in batches.

Frozen gnocchi will take slightly longer to cook than fresh gnocchi but will still rise to the surface when it’s done.

How To Store Gnocchi

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: gnocchi

Prep Time: 6 minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes

Total Time: 6 minutes

Servings: portion

Calories: 197kcal

Equipment

Airtight container
Baking tray

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 portion gnocchi