After Thanksgiving dinner, give your leftover potatoes new life by turning them into the most delicious homemade gnocchi! Once you realize how easy it is to make leftover mashed potato gnocchi from scratch, you'll want to make these little dumplings way more often!
Although we're all about eating our leftovers, sometimes you need to change things up. This leftover mashed potatoes gnocchi recipe is such a great alternative to reheating old mashed potatoes and gravy for every meal. Plus, they taste great with a wide variety of sides and toppings, and they only take a couple of minutes to make!
Why You'll Love This Leftover Mashed Potato Gnocchi
- So easy to make. The great thing about this recipe is that it's so simple to make! Since the mashed potatoes are already cooked, you don't even have to peel a single potato. Just add all of the ingredients to a bowl, knead it into a workable dough, then cut the gnocchi into 1 inch pieces.
- Fun to eat. I'm not sure which part is more fun - making the gnocchi or eating it! There's something so nice about popping a little perfectly seasoned gnocchi into your mouth. They have such a light, chewy texture, and they taste great with a variety of sauces.
- Finish your leftovers. Don't let those potatoes go to waste! This recipe will ensure every last bit of those mashed potatoes gets eaten. It’s one of my favorite way to repurpose leftovers!
Ingredient Notes
To make this delicious leftover mashed potato gnocchi recipe, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):
- leftover mashed potatoes - let your mashed potatoes rest overnight in the fridge until fully chilled. The next day, use them to create your dough.
- flour - use regular all purpose flour. Add half the flour first, then gradually add more.
- egg - you'll need one whole egg to bind the potatoes and flour together. This will also help the pillowy gnocchi float to the top of the water.
You will also need a large bowl, spatula, knife or pastry cutter, fork or gnocchi board, a large pot, and slotted spoon.
How to Make the Best Leftover Mashed Potato Gnocchi
- Make dough. In a large mixing bowl, add mashed potato, half of the flour, and egg. Stir well with a spatula until the flour is well incorporated. Add the remaining flour a little bit at a time and use your hands to mix together until all the flour is evenly combined. The dough should be soft but not sticky.
- Divide dough. On a lightly floured surface, divide the gnocchi dough into 4 pieces.
- Cut dough into pieces. Roll each piece into 1 inch thick rope. Cut each rope into 1 inch long pieces. Lightly sprinkle the gnocchi pieces with flour if needed.
- Add pattern. Use the back of a fork or gnocchi board to shape each gnocchi piece with ridges.
- Cook. Add gnocchi in a large pot of boiling water and sprinkle with a little bit of salt. Boil over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until the gnocchi floats.
- Serve. Remove with a slotted spoon and toss in your favorite pasta sauce, such as marinara.
Recipe Variations
- Make sweet potato gnocchi. Instead of regular Russet potatoes, use leftover roasted sweet potatoes. But skip the sweet potato casserole leftovers — it's far too sweet to convert into a savory dish.
- Butternut gnocchi. Transform leftover roasted butternut squash into gnocchi, following the same steps!
- Shape your noodles. The little grooves help the sauce adhere, so they're important to add! For the thumbprint version, place the gnocchi on top of the tines of a fork and gently press down and roll.
- Add herbs or spices. Since Thanksgiving mashed potatoes are so heavily seasoned and flavored, you don't usually need to add much to bring this recipe together. For extra flavor, feel free to add your favorite herbs like rosemary, parsley, sage, or thyme. They're also great with some roasted garlic!
How to Serve
This leftover potato gnocchi recipe is delicious served on its own tossed in some pasta sauce like Alfredo, Bolognese, or Marinara, or serve it as a complete meal paired with some of delicious mains and sides including:
- Butternut Squash Apple Soup
- Roast Beef
- Fall Harvest Salad with Butternut Squash and Apple
- Skillet Chicken with Lemon Garlic Sauce
- Cream of Mushroom Soup
For more recipe inspo, see our 30 Side Dishes for Pasta.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Add the flour gradually. If you add too much flour at once, it'll be hard to bring the dough together, and you'll make your gnocchi too dry. Start by adding half the amount of flour and add more as needed.
- Adapt the seasoning to your sauce. On their own, these gnocchi are quite neutral. They can be used with a range of different flavors and sauces, like brown butter, creamy cheese sauce, marinara sauce, and more. Adjust the seasonings to match the flavor of the sauce.
- Use salted water. Anytime you cook pasta, including traditional gnocchi, you always want to salt the water really well. This draws out lots of flavor to make sure every bite is flavorful.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
How to Store
Store leftover gnocchi in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
How to Reheat
You can either microwave leftover gnocchi or reheat it in a skillet with more delicious sauce and toppings. It may help to add a splash of water as well to rehydrate the cooked gnocchi. Be careful not to overcook them, or they can become gummy.
How to Freeze
For best results, freeze uncooked gnocchi in a single layer on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Once fully frozen, store the gnocchi dumplings in an airtight container or freezer bag for 2-3 months. Thaw in the fridge before cooking like normal.
FAQ
You certainly can fry gnocchi instead of boiling them in salted water, but you might notice that they are crispy on the outside and dense on the inside. When boiled, the dough becomes tender and light with a slightly chewy texture. For the best of both worlds, boil the gnocchi, strain them really well to avoid splatters, then pan-fry them in butter with sage leaves. So good!
Instead of just heating up the same old mashed potatoes, change things up! This homemade gnocchi recipe uses Christmas or Thanksgiving leftovers and transforms them into a totally different dish. It only requires 2 other ingredients, so it's a very simple technique that gives old potatoes new life! They can be seasoned in a variety of ways and served with the sauce of your choice and leftover turkey, pork roast, or roasted chicken.
If your gnocchi does not float, that's usually a sign that you haven't added enough flour or the water isn't hot enough. If you see some of your gnocchi floating and not others, you should remove them all at the same time. Some gnocchi may not float properly, but if others from the same batch are ready, it's best to remove them so you don't overcook them.
More Leftover Mashed Potato Recipes
- Mashed Potato Casserole
- Mashed Potato Soup
- Potato Dinner Rolls
- Mashed Potato Cakes
- Mashed Potato Balls
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