Gnocchi is an Italian dumpling made from flour, potatoes and egg.

It is easy to prepare, and you can use gnocchi with different sauces.

Gnocchi is sometimes considered to be pasta, considering how this dumpling is used similarly as pasta  

If you don’t have gnocchi available, you can easily swap this dumpling with another Italian dumpling known as gnudi.

Gnudi is also an Italian dumpling with close similarities to gnocchi, however, unlike gnocchi, gnudi is made from different ingredients and has a different texture when compared to gnocchi. 

In this post, we are going to highlight the differences between these Italian dumplings  

Gnudi vs. gnocchi

Both are Italian dumplings  

However, unlike Gnocchi which is made with potato, gnudi is made from ricotta cheese.

Gnudi is also more tender and lighter than gnocchi. Gnocchi is denser with a chewy texture.

What is gnudi?

An Italian dumpling made from cheese 

It originates from the Toscana region of Italy, and has been a traditional recipe of the people of this region for a long time 

Variations in the recipes could be within each family and in other regions.

The word gnudi is a Tuscan word that means “naked” as the ingredients for gnudi can be compared to the traditional filling of ravioli pasta without the pasta dough covering it. 

This dumpling is soft and delicate. It is also very easy to prepare.

Ricotta cheese is used to make gnudi 

Some flour can also be mixed in with the ricotta cheese, although much less flour is used when compared to gnocchi.

The dumplings are also topped with grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Toscano cheese 

Spinach can also be added to ricotta cheese to make gnudi, it adds a green color to these dumplings.

Traditionally, these dumplings are paired with a butter sauce. Gnudi can be served with mushroom sauce. It could also be paired with a variety of other sauces.

What is gnocchi?

A dumpling made from flour, potatoes and eggs.

The word gnocchi come from the Italian word “gnocco” which means dumplings.

This dumplings is bite sized with ridges on its surface. It can also have a concave shape  

Gnocchi can be found all over Italy, and it is popular on the menus of Italian restaurant all over the world.

This dumpling is made by steaming or boiling potatoes like russet potatoes.

The potatoes are mashed and mixed together with flour and eggs, and then it is kneaded into a dough. 

The eggs make the gnocchi easier to handle.

The dough is formed into a roll which is then divided into bite sizes pieces 

Gnocchi can be boiled, baked or fried.

It is versatile and it can be paired with different sauces  

Pesto or butter sauce are some favorites used with this dumpling. Tomato sauce can also be used.

Gnocchi could be served as a main dish; it could also be used in salads.

There are different varieties of dumpling across Italy. Some are made from semolina flour alone, and some other varieties of gnocchi are made entirely from potatoes. 

The lesser the flour, the more pillowy the dumpling is 

This dumpling can also be green colored gnocchi when it is made with some spinach.

Gnocchi can easily be made at home. However, there are commercially available varieties of these dumplings which can be bought from grocery stores 

Can gnudi be used in place of gnocchi?

These Italian dumplings are prepared similarly in dishes. 

Therefore, even though these two dumplings have a slight variation in their textures. Gnudi can be used as a good alternative to gnocchi