Made with a blend of cauliflower and potato, these gnocchi are baked to be light, fluffy, slightly crispy and a great serving of vegetables.
These Grain Free Cauliflower Gnocchi with Parmesan, are crispy on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside. Enjoy an Italian classic without all the gluten and starch.
I started to think about how I could make a grain-free gnocchi with fewer carbs. I already knew that cauliflower is a great way to reduce the carb load in mashed potatoes, from my Paleo Shepherd’s Pie recipe.
So I thought, maybe I could replace some of the potatoes with cauliflower. However, I worried that cauliflower gnocchi would fall apart when I boiled it, because it would not have enough starch (glue) to hold it together.
Then I saw a recipe where the gnocchi is baked instead of boiled. Eureka! Once I realized that I didn’t have to boil the gnocchi, I was ready to roll up my sleeves and get to work.
This gnocchi is slightly crispy on the outside, and light and fluffy on the inside. My family calls it “Gnocchi Fries”. I have to stand guard when this comes out of the oven, because everyone snatches off of the baking sheet.
Like traditional gnocchi, this freezes well, so you can make it ahead of time and serve at a later date. To freeze, spread out the cooked gnocchi (so that they are not touching each other) onto a baking sheet, making sure the gnocchi is cooled to at least room temperature first. Cover with foil and place in the freezer. When the gnocchi is frozen solid, transfer to a plastic Ziploc bag with the air removed.
You could also wrap it tightly in foil and then place in a plastic bag. Defrost the gnocchi in the refrigerator, and then reheat with whatever sauce you want to use.
Made with a blend of cauliflower and potato, this gnocchi is baked to be light, fluffy, slightly crispy and a great serving of vegetables.
Ingredients
Scale
1 baked russet potato (about 5” x 3”)
1 head cauliflower ((about 4 cups of florets))
2 Tbs tapioca flour
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp kosher salt
about 1 Tbs olive oil for brushing/spraying
Instructions
Bake one medium size russet potato in a 350-degree oven, until skin is crisp but inside feels soft, about 1 hour.
Cut cauliflower into florets (about 4 cups), and steam until very soft, about 25 minutes. Strain well.
If not already grated, you can add your parmesan cheese to a food processor and and process with the blade attachment, until it is the texture of coffee grounds. Remove grated cheese and reserve.
Working in batches, use a potato ricer to squeeze/wring the water out of the cauliflower, but don’t push the cauliflower through.
Place the squeezed cauliflower into the food processor bowl. Add egg, egg yolk, salt and parmesan cheese. Process with the blade attachment to form a smooth purée. Add tapioca flour and process until just incorporated.
Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl.
When potato is done cooking, remove it from the oven, and turn the oven temperature down to 300 degrees.
Cut the potato in half and scoop half of the flesh into the potato ricer. If the potato is to hot to handle, you can let it cool or use clean kitchen gloves.
Press the potato flesh through the ricer over the cauliflower mixture. Repeat with the other half of the potato.
Stir mixture together with a fork. Do NOT process the potato with a food processor; it will make the potatoes gummy.
Line three baking sheets with parchment paper. Finely coat the parchment paper with olive oil using a Misto Sprayer or a pastry brush.
Scoop half of the cauliflower/potato mixture into a Ziploc bag (I found it easier to work in two batches). Cut one corner of the bag, about the width of a pinky finger, or approximately ½”.
Pipe rows of the gnocchi onto the parchment lined baking sheet.
To make little groves in your gnocchi, lightly drag a fork across the top if each gnocchi. Spray/brush the gnocchi with olive oil.
Bake in a 300 degree oven for 30 minutes. All ovens are different, so keep an eye on this.
The gnocchi should be golden with some dark spots, but not brown.
Dress the gnocchi to your liking. I like to melt some Grass Fed Herb Butter in a pan, toss the gnocchi with it, and season to taste with some salt and pepper.
Prep Time:1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time:30 minutes
Category:Appetizer, comfort food/ pasta, Gnocchi, Main Course, Primi
Cuisine:American-Italian, Italian-Inspired
carolinelamorte
Caroline LaMorte is the author of the food blog awholenewtwist.com. A home cook with strong Paleo leanings, her food is often grain-free, it is usually gluten-free, and it is always unprocessed. She loves to sing, ski, and entertain large gatherings. She lives Connecticut with her husband, her two sons, and their neurotic Black Lab.
Yes, cauliflower gnocchi can be a healthier choice because it uses a vegetable that's less starchy than potatoes, says Jaclyn London, MS, RD, CDN, Nutrition Director at the Good Housekeeping Institute. "Non-starchy veggies are lower in carbs but often higher in fiber, which can help you stay fuller, longer," she says.
Get ready for a quick, family-friendly, no thinking needed, one pan dinner! This Trader Joe's Cauliflower Gnocchi Sheet Pan Dinner is gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo & whole30 friendly!
We serve this recipe with store-bought tomato sauce, spinach and cheese. It makes it a complete meal that is made in one pan and ready in under 30 minutes. Alternatively you could use a homemade tomato sauce, homemade meat sauce, a pesto, a pumpkin sauce or really any sauce that tastes good with gnocchi!
Believe it or not, regular pasta is actually more carb-heavy than gnocchi, coming in at around 2 times the amount of carbs per serving. Gnocchi is also notorious for having a lot more sodium, with over 200 grams of it per serving. Regular pasta doesn't have nearly as high of a sodium content.
Due to the smaller and denser nature of gnocchi, it is more likely that you will end up eating bigger portions than if you chose regular pasta. Although all foods can be part of a healthy diet in moderation, if you are trying to lose weight opt for other options than gnocchi or pasta.
The directions on the back of the bag instructs you to either boil or saute your gnocchi which does not work with the cauliflower version – it leaves you with very mushy gnocchi. One day I decided to try and roast it instead to get a crisp on it (the way I love my gnocchi).
TJ's cauliflower gnocchi is an Instagram favorite. WW members embraced it in 2019 by tracking a one-cup serving more than 150,000 times. At just 4 PersonalPoints, it's a worthwhile way to spend your Budget.
While the primary ingredient in gnocchi is potatoes, flour is typically used as a binder in traditional gnocchi so this makes them definitely NOT gluten-free. However, if you need to eat gluten-free and you love gnocchi, not all hope is lost!
Tomato, pesto (or pesto alfredo), and butter-based sauces are the best components in a delicious Italian gnocchi recipe. All three are commonly found on restaurant menus. Some restaurants may offer gnocchi as part of a soup, salad, or paired with a plate of vegetables as well.
Gnocchi is one of my very favorite foods and traditionally it's a soft dough made from potatoes, flour and eggs that's cut into delicious little dumplings then boiled or pan-fried. Trader Joe's version trades potatoes for cauliflower, all-purpose flour (not GF) for cassava flour (GF), and egg for, well, no egg.
To store: Store leftover cauliflower gnocchi in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. You can reheat it in a skillet over medium heat or in the microwave until warmed through.
Trader Joe's website states “If you see “Gluten Free”on a Trader Joe's product, this means that the product has been validated to contain less than 20 ppm of gluten (or made in a certified gluten free facility).
Trader Joe's provides three methods for cooking the gnocchi: in a pan cooked with a little water and then browned with oil or butter, boiled, or microwaved.
Can I make gnocchi ahead of time? A fresh gnocchi dough can be made 6 hours ahead of time and stored in the fridge. Any longer than that and the gnocchi will begin to turn an unpleasant grey colour and become softer in texture. However, you can easily freeze gnocchi.
It's high in vitamins C and K, and is also a good source of folate, which supports cell growth and is essential during pregnancy. Cauliflower is fat-free and cholesterol-free. And it's low in sodium. A one-cup serving contains only 25 calories, 5 grams of carbohydrates and 2 grams of dietary fiber.
Regular pasta is typically made from refined wheat flour, which means it lacks the fiber and nutrients found in whole grains. On the other hand, cauliflower pasta is a low-carb alternative that is rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Nutritionally, cauliflower is lighter in calories and carbs than potatoes and is more nutrient-dense. That's why it's popular among the low carb and weight loss communities.
Introduction: My name is Greg O'Connell, I am a delightful, colorful, talented, kind, lively, modern, tender person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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