Learn how to make homemade Cauliflower Gnocchi with this easy 3-ingredient recipe! Healthy, vegan, gluten free & paleo friendly!
Friends! IT'S HERE. Cauliflower Gnocchi.
I've been having serious FOMO ever since I heard about Trader Joe's Cauliflower Gnocchi. It's been everywhere on my insta feed, youtube and facebook. This trendy food hasn't made it to Canada (yet), so I knew I HAD to recreate it.
I've actually never tried gnocchi until a month ago at a restaurant and I was like holy wow... this stuff is GOOD! Chewy and soft in a really delightful way. I had it served with simple tomato sauce and I think lightly panfried cause it was slightly crispy on the outside.
Before going into this recipe, I actually saw someone making gnocchi on Canada's Food Network! I took notes on my phone and when testing this recipe, I was really surprised at how easy it is to make gnocchi at home.
Okay, I really can't contain my excitement... lets make some Cauliflower Gnocchi!
Ingredients in Cauliflower Gnocchi
I checked out the ingredients on Trader Joe's Cauliflower Gnocchi and here's what it's made of: cauliflower, cassava flour, potato starch, olive oil & sea salt. DAMN those are pretty darn good (and pretty accessible) ingredients. I tried it with the olive oil and without and honestly, there was very little difference so I omitted it all together. All you need to make this Cauliflower Gnocchi is 3 ingredients (!!):
- Cauliflower: around a medium head, I highly recommend weighing it when measuring it out for best results cause every cauliflower is different in size.
- Cassava flour: used instead of flour (for paleo + gluten free) and also helps bind the cauliflower together. You can find cassava flour on amazon, or at whole foods, healthy food stores and larger super markets. I also tried this with oat flour, regular all purpose flour and a gluten-free flour blend and they all will work but do keep in mind the texture slightly varies.
- Potato Starch: used to bind the cauliflower puree together.
and a pinch of salt if you want, but I usually dip or pour some sauce over it so it doesn't really affect the taste.
How to Make Cauliflower Gnocchi
Making Cauliflower Gnocchi as home is surprisingly really easy! Let me give you the run down:
- Cook the cauliflower
- Strain the cauliflower
- Blend the cauliflower in a food processor
- Combine the flours and cauliflower
- Cut into long pieces
- Roll the dough
- Cut into square shaped pieces (and optionally, use a fork/gnocchi board to make ridges)
- Then cook 'em up!
How to Prepare Cauliflower Gnocchi
There are so many ways to prepare and enjoy cauliflower gnocchi! You can either boil it, pan fry it, bake it or my FAV way, air fry it! Air frying it makes them super soft on the inside and chewy (in a good way) and crispy on the outside.
How to Serve Cauliflower Gnocchi
Again, there are so many ways to serve cauliflower gnocchi! Top and mix it with your favourite pasta sauces, dip it in your favourite dip or season it with your favourite herbs/seasonings. I love dipping it in my favourite cheese sauce or ketchup *yum x 100*.
Can you Freeze Cauliflower Gnocchi?
YES. Gnocchi is super freezer friendly. All you need to do is place the cut up gnocchi on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and then freeze. Then transfer them into a freezer safe bag or container. No need to defrost them before cooking, just use them straight out of the freezer when ready!
What does Cauliflower Gnocchi Taste Like?
Cauliflower gnocchi has a mild cauliflower taste and I think thats a given since it's made from mainly cauliflower. However, it's not strong or weird in any way. Especially because you'll most likely be eating it with a dip or sauce to cover up the cauliflower taste.
The texture is slightly more chewy and sticky than store bought gnocchi made from potatoes, kind of like mochi which I actually really enjoy.
If you don't like cauliflower or you find it too chewy straight out of a boil, I highly recommend you baking, pan frying or air frying the gnocchi. It adds crispiness and flavour as it becomes golden brown.
Helpful Equipment to Make Homemade Gnocchi
- Steamer Basket: to steam the cauliflower.
- Food Processor: to blend the cauliflower and flour together.
- Pastry Cutter: to cut the gnocchi.
- Gnocchi Board: optional but to make those gnocchi ridges (I used a fork and it works fine).
- Air Fryer: cause it's my FAV way to prepare them, you gotta try it!
I really encourage you guys to try this recipe and make cauliflower gnocchi in your own kitchen! This *might* become your new go-to gnocchi to use in pastas, soups and more!
If you recreate this Cauliflower Gnocchi Recipe recipe let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment and rating below or by tagging me on Instagram @Okonomikitchen, I love seeing all of your tasty recreations!
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Cauliflower Gnocchi
Learn how to make homemade Cauliflower Gnocchi with this easy 3-ingredient recipe! Healthy, vegan, gluten free & paleo friendly!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: DIY / Homemade
- Method: Food Processor
- Cuisine: Italian American
Ingredients
- 1 head of cauliflower, roughly chopped (weighed at 1000g, 2.2 lbs or 1kg)
- 1 cup cassava flour, oat flour or gluten free/regular all purpose flour (120g)
- ¼ cup potato starch (30g)
- ½ of salt, optional
Instructions
Make the Cauliflower Gnocchi
- Steam the cauliflower over a large steamer basket for 12-15 minutes, until soft. Alternatively, microwave the cauliflower in a microwave safe container on high for 8-10 minutes. A fork should go through the cauliflower without resistance.
- Once cool enough to handle, squeeze out any excess cauliflower juice using a nut milk bag or lint-free dish towel. The cauliflower should weigh around 350-375g at this point.
- Add the cauliflower into a food processor and blend until smooth (it will look some what gritty, but also blended together). Add in the flour, potato starch and salt. Blend until it comes together. If you have a "low" setting on your food processor, set it to low. I like to pulse blend and scrape down the sides so the dough isn't over worked, especially if using non-gluten free flour.
- Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Add some flour to your hands and bring the dough together into a thick oval shape. Using a pastry cutter or sharep knife, cut the dough around 1 inch thick. Give them a quick roll to round out the edges and then cut into½ inch pieces. Now they're ready to be cooked!
Prepare Cauliflower Gnocchi
- TO BOIL: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add cauliflower gnocchi and cook until they start to float (around 4 minutes), then remove them with a slotted spoon.
- TO SAUTE: Use the boil method to cook the gnocchi. Spray pan with oil and then cook 5 minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy.
- TO AIR FRY: Line the bottom of your air fryer basket with parchment paper and then add cauliflower gnocchi. Air fry at 400F for 8 minutes and then shake the basket to flip the gnocchi and air fry for another 8-9 minutes, until golden brown and crispy. Optional: spray with a bit of oil for extra crunchiness.
- TO BAKE: Pre-heat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and add on the gnocchi. Bake for 15 minutes. Then flip the gnocchi and bake for another 10-15 minutes, until golden brown and crispy. Optional: spray with oil and season with dried herbs.
- TO SERVE: after using any of these methods to cook the gnocchi, serve with your favourite sauce, dip them in your favourite dip or coat them in some cinnamon sugar/seasonings and eat like a snack!
- TO FREEZE: Place the gnocchi on a parchment lined baking tray. Once frozen, transfer into freezer bags or freezer-safe containers. They will last for 3-4 months in the freezer. No need to defrost the cauliflower gnocchi before cooking! Prepare them right out of the freezer.
Notes
- Nutritional Information Disclaimer: Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated on an online tool (Cronometer).
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ¼ of recipe
- Calories: 190
- Sugar: 1.6g
- Sodium: 10mg
- Fat: 0.16g
- Saturated Fat: 0.06g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.07g
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 2.5g
- Protein: 0.85g
- Cholesterol: 0
Keywords: cauliflower gnocci, homemade gnocchi
SAVE IT FOR LATER! ↓
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Luz Adriana says
Hi Lisa ! Your recipe looks amazing!! I´m wondering if I could replace the potato starch with another starch. I live in Colombia and is very difficult to get it here.
Lisa Kitahara says
Hi Luz!
Thank you so much 🙂 I'm actually not too sure as I haven't tried that before so I can't guarantee results but maybe tapioca starch!
Phillip says
Awsome blog! I am loving it!! Will come back again. I am taking your feeds also
Lisa Kitahara says
Thank you!
Alberta says
Hi Lisa! Thank you so much for the recipe is amazing! Tried yesterday for dinner and the result was wonderfully crispy outside 😍 I baked them and ate them with pistachios pesto. Wanna try with some bean flour (to get more proteins) next time!
★★★★★
Lisa Kitahara says
So happy you liked it, Pistachio pesto sounds delish!!
Danielle says
Would I be able to substitute tapioca starch for the potato starch?
Lisa Kitahara says
Hi Danielle!
I think it will work but the texture might be slightly different 🙂