Have you always wanted to make your own gnocchi, but it seemed too time-intensive? This 3-ingredient Cottage Cheese Gnocchi takes all the hassle out of traditional gnocchi making and produces light, fluffy dumplings in just minutes! Cooked in a delicious cottage cheese Alfredo sauce, this dish is high-protein and packed with flavor.
It’s literally amazing how cottage cheese can save the day when it comes to making quick and easy recipes. From our Blackberry Cheesecake Cottage Cheese Ice Cream to our Whipped Cottage Cheese Mashed Potatoes, cottage cheese adds a creamy texture and protein boost to any dish. I LOVE adding it to this gnocchi recipe because it gives the dumplings a soft and fluffy texture without all the extra work of boiling, peeling, and mashing potatoes!
Making this gnocchi is actually effortless… and so much fun! You simply mix together blended cottage cheese, flour, and salt until a dough forms. Then roll out the dough into ropes and cut them into bite-sized pieces before cooking ’em with your sauce. Delish!
- Cottage cheese: We use blended, full-fat cottage cheese for the gnocchi and unblended, 2% or whole milk cottage cheese for the sauce.
- All-purpose flour: Flour is the main ingredient in traditional gnocchi and helps give it its fluffy texture.
- Garlic: A major flavor enhancer in the alfredo sauce.
- Olive oil or butter: Used to saute the onions and garlic for the sauce so it’s rich and flavorful.
- Sea salt: We use sea salt for the sauce to bring out all the flavors of the ingredients.
- Cherry tomatoes: A pint of cherry tomatoes goes a long way in adding beautiful acidity to the dish.
- Grated parmesan cheese (optional): A little cheese makes everything better, right?
If you’re not a fan of the texture of cottage cheese, know that we blend the cottage cheese to make the gnocchi, and it melts smooth in the sauce. But if it’s more of a taste thing, try using ricotta cheese or skyr yogurt instead!
Stuff your cottage cheese gnocchi recipe with all sorts of tasty fillings! Some of our favorites include:
- Spinach and artichoke: For a cheesy, creamy filling that pairs perfectly with the rich alfredo sauce.
- Bacon and cheddar: Because everything is better with bacon and cheese, right?
- Mushrooms and herbs: Add some earthy flavor with chopped mushrooms and fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary.
- Sundried tomatoes and feta: For a Mediterranean twist on traditional gnocchi.
- Pesto and pine nuts: Add some green goodness with a dollop of pesto and a sprinkle of toasted pine nuts. Yum!
To make blended cottage cheese, add 1 cup of cottage cheese to a high-speed blender and blend on high until silky smooth. That’s it!
Our Favorite
Beast Blender
The Beast Blender is our go-to blender for smoothies, dips, soups, and everything in between. It’s the perfect size and moderately priced. Oh, and oh-so powerful!
here’s our biggest tip!
In step #9, be sure the pan isn’t too hot, or it will curdle the cottage cheese sauce.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave before serving.
Serving Suggestions
This healthy gnocchi recipe can be served as a main or side dish. We absolutely love it with our Roasted Root Vegetables, a fresh salad like this Butter Lettuce Salad, or a protein such as this Juicy Grilled Chicken or Easy Broiled Shrimp!
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Start by preparing the gnocchi. Add the blended cottage cheese to a large mixing bowl. Add the flour and salt and gently mix to combine or until the flour is absorbed. Do your best not to over-mix.
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Turn the gnocchi dough out on a clean and floured surface. Knead the dough a few times and then separate it into quarters.
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Using your hands, gently roll out each quarter into an even log, keeping enough flour on your workspace so that the dough doesn’t stick. If the log gets too long to handle, divide it in half and continue rolling until you reach ¾-inch wide.
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Cut each log into bite-sized pieces, about ¾-inch long. Lightly dust the gnocchi with flour once more, and toss to gently coat with the flour so that they don’t stick. Set aside.
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Prepare the cottage cheese alfredo. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium/high heat. Add onion and season with a pinch of salt. Saute the onions for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and the remaining salt and saute until fragrant. Remove from onions and garlic from the skillet and let cool for 10 minutes.
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In the same skillet, add 3 more tablespoons of olive oil, tomatoes, and salt. Cover and heat over medium/high heat. Cook for 5 minutes, and then add the garlic. Cover again and cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. The goal is to get the tomatoes to burst. Once they burst, transfer the tomatoes to a separate bowl.
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Once the onions have cooled, add them to a high-speed blender with 1 cup of cottage cheese and blend until it is completely smooth. Set aside.
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In the same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add the gnocchi. Toss the gnocchi and cook until both sides are slightly brown. Repeat until all the gnocchi have been browned.
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Remove the skillet from the heat and toss the gnocchi with the smooth cottage cheese sauce.* Heat over low heat, if needed. Top with burst tomatoes, grated parmesan, and freshly cracked pepper. Enjoy immediately.
- To make blended cottage cheese, add 1 cup of cottage cheese to a high-speed blender and blend on high until silky smooth.
- In step #9, be sure the pan isn’t too hot, or it will curdle the cottage cheese sauce.
Calories: 272 kcal, Carbohydrates: 19 g, Protein: 10 g, Fat: 17 g, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 4 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography: photos taken in this post are by Erin from The Wooden Skillet.
