Parisian Gnocchi
Parisian gnocchi are soft, pillowy dumplings piped from pate a choux (the same dough behind cream puffs), boiled until they float, then finished in a sauce. Unlike Italian potato gnocchi, this French version uses no potato at all: water, butter, flour, and eggs build the dough, here enriched with Dijon, Parmesan, and a kale-and-leek sauce.
I invite you to explore the delicious world of French cuisine with this Parisian gnocchi recipe.
This is one of those recipes that looks fancy but rewards anyone willing to stir a pot with conviction. The dough is a classic choux base, the same technique you would use for eclairs, and once you understand that you stop being intimidated by it. What I love is how the humble pantry start (water, butter, flour) turns into something light and elegant, and how the kale-and-leek sauce keeps it from feeling heavy. It is comfort food with a Parisian accent.
This Recipe Works If You Need
- A meatless main that still feels special enough for guests or a slow weekend dinner.
- A potato-free gnocchi, since the dough is built from choux pastry rather than mashed potato.
- A make-ahead dish: the boiled gnocchi can be cooled or frozen and finished later in minutes.
- A way to use up greens, because the sauce leans on kale and leeks rather than cream.
- A project recipe to learn pate a choux, the foundational French dough behind eclairs and cream puffs.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- No potato, no peeling. The choux base means you skip boiling and ricing potatoes, and the dough comes together in one saucepan.
- Light, airy texture. Eggs and the cooked-out flour paste give these gnocchi a tender, almost souffle-like bite that potato gnocchi cannot match.
- Built-in savory depth. Dijon mustard and Parmesan are folded right into the dough, so every dumpling is seasoned from the inside out.
- A green, not creamy, sauce. Kale and leeks sauteed in olive oil, butter, and Parmesan deliver richness without a heavy cream base.
- Freezer-friendly. Boil now, finish later: the cooled gnocchi hold beautifully, which makes this a smart batch-cook.
Ingredient Notes
Water and butter form the base of the choux dough. They are boiled together so the butter is fully melted and dispersed before the flour goes in; if the butter is still floating in chunks when you add the flour, the dough will be greasy and uneven. Bring it to a true rolling boil, not just a simmer.
White flour is sifted in all at once to avoid lumps. Sifting through a sieve as you stir is the trick here: it lets the flour hydrate evenly and gives you that smooth, creamy dough. Use plain all-purpose flour, and measure it loosely rather than packing the cup, which would make the dough too stiff.
Eggs are what make these gnocchi rise and stay tender. Add them one at a time and let each fully disappear into the dough before the next, or the mixture will look broken before it comes back together. Large eggs at room temperature incorporate fastest, so the hot dough does not seize.
Dijon mustard is the secret seasoning. It adds a quiet tang and savory lift that you cannot quite place once cooked. Use a smooth Dijon rather than a grainy one so it blends cleanly into the dough.
Parmesan shows up twice: in the dough and in the sauce. Grate it fresh from a block rather than buying the pre-shredded kind, which is coated to stop clumping and never melts as smoothly. Freshly grated Parmesan also has a sharper, nuttier flavor.
Kale and leeks are the heart of the sauce. Strip the tough central stem from the kale before chopping, since it stays fibrous even after cooking. Slice the leeks and rinse them well between the layers, where grit likes to hide.
Garlic, parsley, and green onion carry the fresh, aromatic notes. The parsley and green onion go into the dough, while the garlic goes into the sauce. Chop them finely so they distribute evenly and do not catch in the piping bag.
Tips
- Dry the dough properly. After the flour goes in, keep stirring over low heat until the dough pulls cleanly off the walls of the pan and turns dense. This step cooks out raw flour and drives off moisture so the eggs can do their job. You know it is ready when a thin film starts to coat the bottom of the pan.
- Let the dough cool before adding eggs. Transfer the hot dough to your mixer and start on low. If you add eggs to scorching dough, you will scramble them. The dough should be warm, not hot, when the first egg goes in.
- Rest the dough before piping. Let the filled pastry bag sit at room temperature for about fifteen minutes. This relaxes the dough and makes it easier to pipe clean, even pieces.
- Cook in small batches. Drop only a dozen gnocchi at a time so the pot is not crowded. Overcrowding drops the water temperature and the gnocchi stick together. They are done about three minutes after they float to the surface.
- Toss the boiled gnocchi in a little olive oil. Greasing the holding bowl with olive oil keeps the batches from fusing while you finish piping and boiling the rest.
Substitutions and Variations
- Swap the greens. Spinach, chard, or chopped broccoli rabe all work in place of kale. Tender greens like spinach cook faster, so reduce the sauteing time and add less water.
- Pan-sear instead of saucing. Once boiled and cooled, the gnocchi crisp up beautifully in a hot pan with a little butter, giving you golden, crisp edges and a soft center.
- Change the cheese. Pecorino Romano in place of some of the Parmesan adds a saltier, sharper edge. Gruyere folded into the dough gives a nuttier, more Alpine flavor.
- Add herbs to the dough. Beyond the parsley and green onion, a little fresh thyme or chives stirred in works well and keeps the gnocchi feeling fresh.
Storage and Make Ahead
This recipe is built for making ahead. After boiling, let the gnocchi cool completely, then refrigerate them tossed in a little olive oil for up to three days, or freeze them for up to two months. To freeze, spread them on a tray in a single layer until solid, then transfer to a bag so they do not clump. When you are ready to eat, finish them straight from the fridge or freezer in the warm sauce, or pan-sear them in butter. The sauce is best made fresh, but it also reheats gently in a pan with a splash of water.
If you fall for this French take on gnocchi, you might also enjoy my guide to what gnocchi actually is, my gluten-free gnocchi method, or the full collection of recipes with gnocchi for more ways to put a batch to use.
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Parisian Gnocchi
Ingredients
For the French gnocchi:
- 1 cup water
- 8 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 ¼ cup white flour
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ cup Parmesan freshly grated
- 3 eggs large
- 2 tablespoons parsley chopped
- 2 tablespoons green onion chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For the sauce:
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 cups kale without the stem
- ½ cup leeks chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan grated
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- In a saucepan or pot over medium-high heat, add the water, butter and salt and bring to a boil.
- Once it starts boiling, add the flour by slowly sifting it through a sieve and mix with a wooden spoon until a smooth, creamy dough forms.
- Turn the heat to low and continue cooking, stirring quickly and intensely, taking care not to let the dough stick to the pan. Continue until the dough pulls away from the sides of the pan and becomes dense.
- Transfer the hot dough to a mixer bowl or food processor fitted with the paddle attachment.
- Start the mixer on low speed and gradually add the mustard, Parmesan and eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated.
- Then mix in the parsley and green onion.
- Once the mixture has cooled a little, transfer it to a piping bag and let the dough rest at room temperature for about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add water to a large pot and bring it to a boil.
- When the water is boiling, squeeze out pieces of gnocchi about 3-4 cm each from the piping bag, cutting each one off with a knife.
- Pipe a dozen gnocchi, then boil them for about 3 minutes and lift them out with a slotted spoon or sieve. Transfer them to a bowl greased with a little olive oil and repeat with the rest of the dough. It’s best to cook them in batches and not overcrowd the pot, so they don’t stick together while cooking.
- Let them cool, or freeze them until you are ready to finish the dish.
- Prepare the sauce.
- In a frying pan over medium heat, add the olive oil and garlic and sauté for a minute. Add the kale leaves and leeks and continue cooking.
- Add ½ cup of water and cook, stirring, until the leaves soften and the water evaporates, about 7-8 minutes.
- Add the butter and stir until it melts. Turn off the heat, add the Parmesan, salt and pepper and mix until you get a creamy sauce.
- Add the gnocchi to the sauce, toss to coat and serve.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Parisian gnocchi (gnocchi a la Parisienne) are French dumplings made from pate a choux, the same dough used for eclairs and cream puffs. Unlike Italian potato gnocchi, they contain no potato: the dough is built from water, butter, flour, and eggs, then piped, boiled, and finished in a sauce. The result is a lighter, more tender dumpling.
Italian gnocchi are made from mashed potato and flour, which gives them a dense, chewy bite. Parisian gnocchi use a choux pastry base of water, butter, flour, and eggs, with no potato at all. The eggs make Parisian gnocchi rise and stay airy, so they are softer and more pillowy than the Italian potato version.
A runny dough usually means the flour paste was not cooked out enough or too many eggs went in too fast. Keep stirring the dough over low heat until it pulls cleanly off the pan walls and a thin film coats the bottom, then add the eggs one at a time so you can stop once the dough is pipeable but still holds its shape.
Yes. Boil the gnocchi, cool them completely, and toss them in a little olive oil so they do not stick. They keep in the fridge for up to three days or in the freezer for up to two months. Finish them straight from cold in the warm sauce or pan-sear them in butter when you are ready to serve.
Boiling is the traditional first step: it sets the choux dough and gives the gnocchi their tender, risen texture. They are done about three minutes after they float to the surface. After boiling you can serve them right away in the sauce, or cool them and later pan-sear them in butter for crisp, golden edges.
Yes, this version is vegetarian. It contains butter, eggs, and Parmesan cheese in both the dough and the kale-and-leek sauce, but no meat. It is not vegan because of the dairy and eggs, and note that traditional Parmesan is made with animal rennet, so use a vegetarian-friendly hard cheese if that matters to you.
