Gnocchi is one of the many types of pasta that are prepared by combining potatoes with flour or semolina and are accompanied by some sauce, which is super delicious. Today I will dig into how to store gnocchi correctly.
You can store homemade gnocchi in the fridge after cooking for 2 or 3 days. On the other hand, if you want to freeze it, it is advisable to store it without cooking for two months. The commercial version is the same but with longer shelf life.
If you want to learn to store gnocchi properly, keep reading.
Keep homemade gnocchi in the fridge
When preparing homemade gnocchi, they are sometimes over-prepared, so there is no choice but to save the rest. As with most cooked meals, these should be kept cold.
Therefore, to store the gnocchi in the fridge, you must do the following:
- Step 1: Wait for the gnocchi to cool.
You should never store uncooked gnocchi in the fridge because the dough would soften too much. So after cooking gnocchi, you should let it cool completely.
- Step 2: Place them in an airtight container.
Put the gnocchi in a container with an airtight lid to prevent them from absorbing the smell of other foods.
- Step 3: Storer in the coldest area of the fridge.
The container is placed at the bottom of the refrigerator, where the temperature is more stable. This way, the gnocchi can last between 2 and 3 days refrigerated, depending on whether it has sauce.
Mostly, when stored with some sauce, they last less time since the gnocchi absorbs moisture, and in some cases, they do not even reach the second day, so it is advisable to eat early or store them without sauce.
How to freeze homemade gnocchi
Can gnocchi be frozen? Yes, you can freeze gnocchi. However, it is not recommended if you cook them since most gnocchi becomes very watery during the thawing process.
However, if you need to store the gnocchi in the freezer because you are sure that you will not eat them soon, it is best to do the following:
- Step 1: Wait for the gnocchi to cool.
You should wait for the gnocchis to cool completely after cooking. It is advisable to leave it in the same colander so it can throw away all the excess water.
- Step 2: Arrange the gnocchi in a tray.
Place parchment or waxed paper on the tray and the gnocchis over it, leaving a little space between them.
- Step 3: First freezing.
Leave the tray in the freezer for 3 and 4 hours.
- Step 4: Transfer the frozen gnocchi to an airtight bag.
After frozen (to prevent them from sticking together), place them in an airtight bag suitable for freezing.
- Step 5: Tag.
Write the storage date on a label and stick it to the bag.
- Step 6: Save to the freezer.
Following all the steps, you can store the gnocchi in the freezer for 4 or 6 weeks.
To thaw, you can leave the gnocchis for a few seconds in the microwave or heat them with the steam of a pot of boiling water, although gnocchi can be very watery. You can also bake or sauté them in a pan.
How to store raw gnocchis?
The dough for gnocchi can only be left for a maximum of 6 hours inside the fridge. After this time has elapsed, it will begin to soften. Unfortunately, they can’t stay too much at run temperature due to the development of harmful bacteria. [1]
Therefore, It is best to store them in the freezer, and you need to follow these steps for that:
- Step 1: Perform the gnocchi.
It is not convenient to keep all the whole dough. Instead, shape the gnocchi and then store it.
- Step 2: Leave at room temperature for 2 to 4 hours.
It is important to harden the gnocchi and not fall apart when cooked. So put the gnocchi on a tray, sprinkle it with more flour, and cover with a clean tea towel.
- Step 3: Perform a pre-freeze.
Now place the gnocchi on a tray with parchment paper and freeze for 3 or 4 hours.
In case of having many gnocchis, cover the tray with parchment paper and fill it again.
- Step 4: Pass the gnocchi into a bag.
After frozen, transfer the gnocchis to an airtight bag suitable for the freezer.
- Step 5: Tag.
The storage date is placed.
- Step 6: Save to the freezer.
You can keep uncooked gnocchi can be frozen for about two months.
To cook, pour directly into the boiling water.
Keep packaged gnocchi
In food stores or supermarkets, you can find some pre-cooked gnocchi packages in the frozen section. These only require a few minutes of cooking to be ready, although some only need to be a few seconds in the microwave.
This packaged gnocchi needs to be frozen until you cook them; therefore, try to buy it at the last moment.
Gnocchi can remain frozen until the expiration date indicated on the package. So it is convenient to choose those that have distant expiration dates.
After cooking, treat it as a homemade to store it.
How do you know if gnocchi got bad?
Gnocchis are in poor condition if they smell or taste bad, like stale. Also, if they have green or dark spots on the same gnocchi or in the storage bag, it indicates that you developed mold and should be discarded immediately.
Gnocchis poorly stored usually end up falling apart when cooked or reheated by excess moisture, although they can also become too watery and are very unpleasant to the palate.
How long do gnocchis last?
Product
| Product | Duration |
| Refrigerated cooked gnocchi | 2 – 3 days |
| Frozen cooked gnocchi | 4 – 6 weeks |
| Uncooked gnocchi frozen | 2 months |
| Commercial gnocchi frozen | Until the expiration date |
What is the best way to store gnocchi?
You could say that the best way to store gnocchis is by freezing the dough in the shape of gnocchi; otherwise, you risk them becoming too soft or slimy when heated.
If you cook the gnocchis, it is best to store them in the fridge, but they won’t last long there, just 2 or 3 days.
The pre-cooked and frozen gnocchi of the super usually lasts much longer due to the preservatives and vacuum packaging.
By the way, this website has a lot of topics related to food preservation, so you can explore and read the ones that interest you the most.
[1] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168160504000674
