I can’t stop making this ricotta gnocchi recipe! The moment you realize how easy and delicious they are, I don’t think you will be able to stop, either!

Making ricotta gnocchi for the first time made me feel like a total rockstar! It’s one of those recipes that seems almost too easy. It’s genuinely so simple, not to mention it turns out just as well as our beloved potato gnocchi recipe!

Ricotta makes the dumplings unbelievably light, fluffy, and almost cloud-like! About 20 minutes stand between you and delicious homemade gnocchi. You’ll make our simple dough, roll it into ropes, and quickly cut it into little squares. Then, you only need 5 minutes to cook them!

Key Ingredients

• Flour: You can use either all-purpose or “00” flour. Many traditional Italian recipes call for “00” flour, but don’t stress if you don’t have it. All-purpose works perfectly well. If you buy “00” flour and have some leftover, I also use it to make homemade pasta and pizza dough.
• Ricotta: This is the star of our recipe, so use the highest quality you can find. Whole milk is a must for this one, and we want it to be thick. If your ricotta seems watery, add it to a fine mesh strainer and let it sit for 10 minutes to drain any excess water.
• Egg: One egg helps our dough come together, adds a bit of fat, and keeps it light and fluffy.
• Parmesan: For the best flavor, use Parmigiano-Reggiano and finely grate it yourself. Pre-grated cheese doesn’t melt as well and won’t be as fine.
• Lemon: This is optional, but I love adding a little finely grated lemon zest to my ricotta gnocchi dough. If you aren’t into it or don’t have a lemon, don’t worry, the gnocchi will still be excellent without it. As a substitute, you can add finely chopped fresh herbs (like basil, dill, or parsley).

Find the full recipe with measurements below.

How to Make Ricotta Gnocchi

Tip 1: Make the dumplings. Stir the dough ingredients together with a spoon, shape into a rectangle, and cut into 4 equal(ish) pieces. Then, use your childhood play dough skills and roll them into ropes. From there, cut into little squares. At this point, you can cook them or freeze them (freezing tips are below).

Tip 2: Cook the dumplings. My favorite way to cook ricotta gnocchi is to boil them in salted water (just like homemade pasta). It only takes 2 to 3 minutes. Then, toss them into a skillet with melted butter to get them a little crispy around the edges.

Tip 3: Freeze for later. Place a baking sheet lined with parchment paper with the uncooked gnocchi into the freezer and freeze for 1 hour or until the individual pieces are hard. Transfer the semi-frozen gnocchi to airtight freezer-friendly bags. Then, keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

When you are ready to cook, remove it from the freezer and cook it from frozen using the directions above.

Servings Suggestions

You can serve these with some extra cheese or toss them in your favorite sauce. My favorites are my quick marinara, slightly more decadent red pasta sauce, and basil pesto.

This is lovely all by itself, but you can always round out your meal with something on the side. We especially love a fresh salad, like this Italian chopped salad, fresh greens tossed with balsamic vinaigrette, or Caprese salad. For something warm, try sautéed spinach or a slice of roasted garlic bread.

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These savory Ricotta Fritters are delicious and so easy to make. They make a tasty low carb appetizer or side dish!

It’s so easy to get in a rut with your keto side dishes. It happens to the best of us! That’s why I try to come up with easy but creative recipes like these Spinach and Ricotta Fritters.

I love fritters of all sorts and so do my readers. From the classic keto zucchini fritters, to the ever-popular Cheesy Chicken Fritters, they make tasty appetizers or snacks. Now we’ve got a new recipe to add to our collection!

I had some leftover ricotta I needed to use and I wanted to make something a little different. After a little searching on Pinterest, I spotted a recipe for savory ricotta fritters and I knew I could make a low carb version.

I made mine in the air fryer and they were absolutely delicious, but these could easily be fried in a pan on the stovetop too.

Ingredient Notes

• Frozen spinach: I recommend frozen spinach rather than fresh for simplicity. It’s easier to remove more of the liquid from frozen spinach.
• Ricotta cheese: Use whole milk ricotta cheese and drain off any liquid that has accumulated around the top.
• Almond flour: You could also use sunflower seed flour for a nut-free alternative.
• Parmesan: Make sure the parmesan is finely grated so that it mixes in better.
• Egg: You do need an egg to help hold the fritters together properly.
• Butter or oil: Lightly brushing the fritter with oil makes them brown more nicely in the air fryer. If you fry them in a pan, you will need additional oil.
• Seasonings: Italian seasoning, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.

Step by Step Directions

1. Squeeze the spinach: Place the thawed spinach in a kitchen rag or tea towel and twist to release as much moisture as possible. This is best done over the sink!
2. Mix the ingredients: In a large bowl, stir together the ricotta, almond flour, parmesan, garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.
3. Stir in the egg: Add the egg and work that in until well combined. Use a silicone spatula to work everything together like a dough.
4. Form into patties: Using about 2 tablespoons of the mixture at a time, form into balls and then flatten the balls into patties. You should get at least 12.
5. Air fry: Preheat the air fryer to 400ºF and lightly grease the rack(s). Place the fritters in a single layer on the racks and brush lightly with melted butter or oil. If your air fryer is small, you may need to work in batches. Air fry for 10 minutes, flipping over partway through and brushing the second side with butter or oil.

Tips for Success

Ricotta can sometimes have a lot of liquid. I always find that it pools at the top of the cheese when you’ve already removed some. Make sure to pour off any of that liquid before measuring it out, or your mixture will be too wet.

If the ricotta you use is quite liquidy as is, consider straining it through a sieve lined with paper towel before using.

I recommend frozen spinach for recipes like this because it’s easier to work with. You can easily squeeze out all the extra moisture once it’s thawed. Fresh, uncooked spinach may work but I didn’t test this recipe with it

Stovetop Directions

Follow the directions for forming the fritters. Heat 2 tablespoon of oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the fritters and let cook until golden brown on the bottom, 4 to 5 minutes. Carefully flip over and cook on the second side until golden brown. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain a few minutes before serving.

More Keto Appetizers to Love

Spinach and Ricotta Fritters

Servings: 6 servings

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

These savory Ricotta Fritters are delicious and so easy to make. They make a tasty low carb appetizer or side dish!

1 Air Fryer (see notes for stove-top instructions)

• 8 ounces chopped frozen spinach, thawed
• 1 cup whole milk ricotta
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, optional
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 large egg
• 1 tbsp melted butter or olive oil

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• Place the thawed spinach in a kitchen rag or tea towel and twist to release as much moisture as possible. This is best done over the sink!

• In a large bowl, stir together the ricotta, almond flour, spinach, parmesan, garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.

• Add the egg and work that in until well combined. Use a silicone spatula to work everything together like a dough.

• Using about 2 tablespoons of the mixture at a time, form into balls and then flatten the balls into patties. You should get at least 12.

• Preheat the air fryer to 400ºF and lightly grease the rack(s). Place the fritters in a single layer on the racks and brush lightly with melted butter or oil. If your air fryer is small, you may need to work in batches.

• Air fry for 10 minutes, flipping over partway through and brushing the second side with butter or oil.

• Serve with marinara or other favorite dipping sauces.

Stovetop Directions: Follow the directions for forming the fritters. Heat 2 tablespoon of oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the fritters and let cook until golden brown on the bottom, 4 to 5 minutes. Carefully flip over and cook on the second side until golden brown. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain a few minutes before serving.

Serving: 2fritters | Calories: 176kcal | Carbohydrates: 5.7g | Protein: 10.1g | Fat: 12.9g | Saturated Fat: 5.7g | Fiber: 2.2g

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