Dumpling vs. Gnocchi — What's the Difference?

Dumpling is a broad class of dishes that consist of pieces of dough (made from a variety of starch sources) wrapped around a filling, or of dough with no filling. The dough can be based on bread, flour or potatoes, and may be filled with meat, fish, cheese, vegetables, fruits or sweets.

Gnocchi ( N(Y)OK-ee, US also N(Y)OH-kee, N(Y)AW-, Italian: [ˈɲɔkki]; singular gnocco) are a varied family of dumpling in Italian cuisine. They are made of small lumps of dough composed of semolina, ordinary wheat flour, egg, cheese, potato, breadcrumbs, cornmeal or similar ingredients, and possibly including herbs, vegetables, and other ingredients.

A piece of dough, sometimes filled, that is cooked in liquid such as water or soup.

Italian pasta-like dumpling(s) made of potato or semolina.

Sweetened dough wrapped around fruit, such as an apple, baked and served as a dessert.

(Italian) a small dumpling made of potato or flour or semolina that is boiled or baked and is usually served with a sauce or with grated cheese

(Informal) A short, chubby creature.

(culinary) A ball of dough that is cooked and may have a filling and/or additional ingredients in the dough.

By restriction, a food composed of a dough wrapper around a filling.

(endearing) A term of endearment.

A piece of excrement.

A roundish mass of dough boiled in soup, or as a sort of pudding; often, a cover of paste inclosing an apple or other fruit, and boiled or baked; as, an apple dumpling.

Small balls or strips of boiled or steamed dough

Dessert made by baking fruit wrapped in pastry