Spinach Ricotta Gnudi – Tender Italian ricotta dumplings filled with spinach and parmesan and topped with a creamy béchamel sauce and kasseri cheese. An amazingly elegant meal perfect for dinner tonight!

Have you ever tried gnudi before? I actually hadn’t even heard of this classic Italian dish until I was researching recipe ideas and was immediately intrigued.  Dumplings are so tasty and I thought pairing the ricotta base of gnudi with some spinach, parmesan, and kasseri cheese would be incredible!

I used Stella® Cheeses for all of the cheese in this recipe, which there is a lot of! This gnudi recipe has 3 different cheeses and is truly a cheese lovers dream come true! I love how authentic Stella® Cheeses are, they take dishes to a whole new level with a touch of historic charm and romantic flavor!

If you haven’t tried Stella® kasseri cheese yet, it is really amazing! It’s a tangy, slightly salty cheese that originated in Greece.  It’s a harder cheese that adds a distinctive, strong flavor to an overall subtle dish.  That complement of flavors really makes this classic Italian gnudi recipe stand out!

This gnudi recipe is so perfect for the holiday season! It doesn’t take too long to make and is a great way to feed a crowd with an elegant, impressive dish!

Do you have a creative recipe idea using Stella® cheese? Submit it to Stella®’s “Taste of Authenticity” Recipe Contest” for a chance to win up to $3000.  Enter HERE! I just entered with this Italian Spinach Ricotta Gnudi recipe and I’m sure it’s going to be a winner!

Tips on spinach ricotta gnudi recipe

• Rolling the dumplings into balls is much easier that into more of an egg shape.  Unlike gnocchi which are typically long a bit more of an egg shape, rolling these into balls is easiest.
• I used Stella®’s product locator to help find the nearest store to get their cheeses at.
• Cheese on top not browning up? Broil for 2-3 minutes, just watch closely to make sure nothing burns!

Gnudi vs Gnocchi

Gnudi are dumplings made from ricotta while gnocchi are made from a potato base.  While both are dumplings, the flavors and texture are quite different!

Make sure to check out the video!

Yield: 6

Spinach Ricotta Gnudi

Print

Tender Italian ricotta dumplings filled with spinach and parmesan and topped with a creamy béchamel sauce and kasseri cheese.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

Gnudi

• 32 oz ricotta
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup spinach
• 1/2 cup Stella® Parmesan Cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• pinch of nutmeg

Béchamel Sauce

• 2 cups milk
• 3 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1/3 tsp salt
• 1/3 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg

Toppings

• 1/3 cup Stella® Kasseri Cheese, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup Stella® Parmesan Cheese
• fresh parsley

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine ricotta, spinach, egg, parmesan, garlic, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and half of the flour (1 1/2 cups). Stir until well combined.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and preheat oven to 375. While the water is heating, take healping tablespoons of ricotta base and roll in bowl of flour until well coated. Once the water is boiling, place 2-3 dumplings in the water and boil 2-3 minutes. Once boiled, place in a greased dish and set aside.
3. In a small pot, melt butter for sauce over medium heat. Once melted, stir in flour and let cook for 5 minutes before adding in remaining ingredients. Pour over dumplings and then top with kasseri cheese and parmesan. Bake for 25-27 minutes or until the top begins to brown.

Looking for desserts to pair with this ricotta gnudi recipe? Make sure to check out my French Palmier Cookies, Spiced Chai Macarons, and Pumpkin Madeleines!