Italian Spinach Ricotta Dumplings

Tuesday, June 29, 2021
Being a huge fan of  Potato Gnocchi, this style larger these Italian Spinach Ricotta Dumplings are a bit wonky in style but to my surprise a delicious addition to my Italian recipe collection.


These dumplings are loaded with flavor, the spinach is just the right ingredient to be drowning in a pool of fabulous homemade marinara sauce, even the pickiest of eaters loved these.


I just love the ricotta, spinach, and cheese combination they make a much lighter combination together it's a very "pillowy" kind of dish, unlike the often denser, chewier gnocchi.


These are seriously easy and can be made in no time unlike the rolling and cutting of pasta recipes, then boiled and plated with a simmering delectable homemade marinara sauce.


Make the sauce ahead of time to have a quicker weeknight meal in no time or you can substitute a jarred version to make sure it's super fantastic and top-notch in flavor.


Maybe you heard these called "malfatti"(which means badly formed in Italian) as they're a traditional Italian dumpling made out of spinach and ricotta then bound together with a little flour and egg, some parts of Italy call them "gnudi".


Never mind what these rustic style dumplings are called, if you're ready to taste a unique style of this cuisine of Italian Spinach Ricotta Dumpling, scroll all the way down to the end for this amazingly simple recipe.


spinach dumplings boiling in fresh marinara sauce





Dumplings with Ricotta



These spinach and ricotta dumplings are so much lighter than a doughy style and super flavorful besides being easy to make.


These dumplings are added to a baking dish, smothered on the top with sauce,  grated cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese, and broiled until browned is a casserole lover's dream.


We also love this dish served over rice, or for meat-lovers, crushed meatballs or leftover sliced sausage from the Traditional Sunday Sauce and sometimes even mashed potatoes but this is delicious all by itself.


This can be a whole hearty meal, or a light appetizer side dish, either way, this dumpling is simply elegant to serve and a tasty Italian memorable meal.


The best part is not only being simple to make, these pillowy dumplings will impress everyone you serve when you're hosting a party.


marinara sauce recipe


Tips


  • Always add salt  to the water while boiling the dumplings
  • for best-tasting results use fresh organic spinach
  • you can use chicken broth instead of water to boil these in
  • Use whole milk ricotta the others are too watery
  • Only use freshly grated cheese Pecorino Romano and Parmesan in the dumplings
  • You can use a traditional homemade sauce or store-bought meat sauce if you prefer instead of marinara
  • Meatballs or Italian Sausage are good sides if you have meat-lovers
  • These DO NOT freeze well due to the water content in the spinach and ricotta
  • Broil the top at the end if you want a casserole effect with mozzarella on top
  • Great served over mashed potatoes, white boiled rice, and of course pasta
  • TEST one before making the whole batch to make sure it stays together, (as I mentioned sometimes too much moisture will ruin the dish)add a tablespoon of flour at a time and test small amounts until they are the right consistency. The recipe has always been perfect for me the way it is.



these are Italian spinach gnocchi dumplings



Spinach Substitutions:


  1. chopped escarole
  2. chopped swiss chard
  3. chopped kale
  4. chopped arugula



spinach dumpling mixture



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Easy Italian Meal


These spinach dumplings are really a nice alternative to pasta so don't count them out.


Sure they have a few extra steps but so much easier than making a cut-and-roll pasta dumpling.


These can even be made into smaller dumplings and served at parties as an appetizer, they're so yummy.


A light summer meal that is perfect for warmer weather. Ricotta with spinach in a pool of homemade fresh marinara sauce.


Please share your thoughts and comments if you try them we would love to hear from you.



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casserole recipes, dumpling recipes, spinach recipes
Yield: 24
Author: Claudia Lamascolo
Italian Spinach Ricotta Dumplings

Italian Spinach Ricotta Dumplings

A delicious Italian Spinach Ricotta dumpling swimming in a delicious pool of marinara sauce. Easy to make, packed with delicious flavor, and a wonderful Italian alternative to regular pasta.
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 11 MinTotal time: 26 Min

Ingredients

  • 1 - 1/2 cups whole milk Ricotta (drained in cheesecloth or used a coffee filter)
  • 1 bag around 10 ounces of (fresh spinach I recommend) torn into small pieces or use frozen chopped with all water squeezed out and patted dry
  • 1 cup blend of Romano and Parmesan cheese grated plus more for serving over the top
  • 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
  • 2 teaspoons freshly minced garlic
  • 1/2 cup flour and more for rolling
  • 2 eggs
  • pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
  • 2 tablespoon flat-leaf Italian parsley
  • freshly ground pepper and sea salt to taste
  • pinch of cayenne pepper.                        
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons butter
  • 3 cups of Freshly Made Marinara Sauce (or use a good grade store-bought Marinara jarred sauce with fresh basil)
  • Garnish suggestions: freshly grated black pepper, long shreds of Pecorino Romano cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese, a dollop of fresh whole milk ricotta cheese, chopped parsley, and fresh basil. For meat lovers, make some fried Italian meatballs on the side!

Instructions

  1. Make the marinara sauce and keep it warm add the butter to the sauce just before serving.
  2. Chop the spinach into small pieces with a sharp knife.
  3. In a medium-sized bowl add the spinach, garlic, ricotta, eggs, flour, 3/4 cup of the cheese, granulated garlic, flat leaf parsley, salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste.
  4. Add a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg.
  5. Mix until dough forms.
  6. With ice cream scooper, form into balls.
  7. Set spinach mounds on a floured piece of wax paper.
  8. In the meantime bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
  9. Drop dumplings into boiling water until they float to the surface ( do not crowd them.
  10. It takes around 5 to 7 minutes.
  11. Remove them with a slotted spoon and place them into the pan of sauce, add butter, let it melt, Stir the sauce to blend it then sprinkle with remaining cheese on top or save for garnishing.
  12. Garnish suggestions:
  13. Serve these on a plate with a scoop of more ricotta cheese, grated cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese, more sauce on top, and freshly ground black pepper, chopped parsley, and fresh basil.

Notes

Tips


  • Always add salt to the water while boiling the dumplings
  • for best tasting results use fresh organic spinach
  • Use whole milk ricotta the others are too watery
  • Only use freshly grated cheese Pecorino Romano and Parmesan in the dumplings
  • You can use a traditional homemade sauce or store-bought meat sauce if you prefer instead of marinara
  • Meatballs or Italian Sausage are good sides if you have meat-lovers
  • These DO NOT freeze well due to the water content in the spinach and ricotta
  • Broil the top at the end if you want a casserole effect with mozzarella on top
  • Great served over mashed potatoes, white boiled rice, and of course pasta
  • TEST one before making the whole batch to make sure it stays together, (as I mentioned sometimes too much moisture will ruin the dish)add a tablespoon of flour at a time and test small amounts until they are the right consistency. The recipe has always been perfect for me the way it is.


Nutrition Facts

Calories

109.03

Fat (grams)

6.77

Sat. Fat (grams)

3.41

Carbs (grams)

5.57

Fiber (grams)

0.85

Net carbs

4.72

Sugar (grams)

1.95

Protein (grams)

6.41

Sodium (milligrams)

304.09

Cholesterol (grams)

38.03



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Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2016. It was edited and re-published in 2021.