These cauliflower gnocchi are easy to make and they are a much healthier version of the Italian classic! This recipe is paleo, AIP, grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan.
It’s been a while since I posted my last recipe. And although I wasn’t active in blogging, I was very active in the kitchen. For this reason, I often catch myself thinking that if I were to start a business in France, it would be to bring to the public paleo-friendly meals. Don’t get me wrong: there are many gluten-free options available here, but they usually have added sugar and/or grains. None of these ingredients are considered paleo-friendly, so I am pretty much stuck in the kitchen because of my food sensitivities.
As a result, I am very used to making meals from scratch. One day in a grocery store, I came across gluten-free gnocchi. Unfortunately this product had many unappetising ingredients added, including stabilizers and emulsifiers. Sounds yummy, doesn’t it? So I passed it by and decided to make a healthy version of gnocchi at home.
Traditional Italian gnocchi contain potatoes and flour as their main ingredients. How do I replace those? Cauliflower has a neutral flavor and can substitute potatoes in many dishes. That is why this vegetable came to my mind first. So why not make a potato-free version of gnocchi? This is especially important for those who follow a nightshade-free diet. And instead of regular flour I used cassava flour, as its taste resembles the latter.
THE INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE THESE CAULIFLOWER GNOCCHI
CAULIFLOWER
I used half a medium-sized cauliflower, which is about 1 pound. The easiest way to cook cauliflower is to steam it in an Instant Pot or any other steamer. If you don’t have access to an Instant Pot, you can boil it in a medium saucepan until soft.
CASSAVA FLOUR
I noticed that certain brands of cassava flour tend to behave a little bit differently. Sometimes you may need to add more flour, sometimes less. If in doubt, start with 1 1/2 cups of the flour and add more as needed to bring the dough to the required consistency.
NUTRITIONAL YEAST
This is one of my favorite condiments, as it has a unique umami flavor that resembles cheese, and I love cheese! I find that nutritional yeast greatly complements neutral-tasting foods such as cauliflower.
GARLIC
I used garlic to further enhance the flavor. You can also use culinary herbs such as thyme or parsley in this recipe.
LEMON ZEST
Another favorite condiment of mine. You can use lime zest instead or omit it.
Here are a few of the condiments that I like to use with these cauliflower gnocchi.
So, here we go: gluten-free cauliflower gnocchi that don’t contain weird ingredients and taste good! This is a great dish if you are trying to sneak more vegetables into your meals. I think that your kids will also enjoy these gnocchi. So let’s get started with the recipe.
Cauliflower Gnocchi
These gnocchi have two main ingredients: cauliflower and cassava flour. They are gluten-free, grain-free, paleo, AIP, and vegan.
Author: Zesty Paleo
Servings: 4 to 6
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
EQUIPMENT
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound cauliflower,* steamed
- 1 3/4 cup cassava flour, more as needed
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- zest of one lemon
- 1 tsp sea salt
INSTRUCTIONS
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Place a steamer insert into an Instant Pot and pour in water to just below the bottom of the insert.
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Add the cauliflower, close the lid, and press the “STEAM” button. It will take 15 minutes. Use quick release by turning the valve to venting.
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Remove the cauliflower from the Instant Pot and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes. Transfer it to a food processor, add all the spices and salt and process until a puree-like consistency is reached.
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In a large bowl combine the cauliflower puree with the cassava flour and form the dough. You may have to add more cassava flour to get the dough to be kneadable. Place the dough in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
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Dust a work surface with flour. Take a handful of dough at a time and roll it into a rope. Cut each rope into equal-sized pieces. Continue until all the dough is used.
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Pick up one piece of gnocchi dough and gently roll it over the back of the fork to create grooves. Repeat with all the pieces.
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Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil.
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Cook the desired quantity of gnocchi and use a slotted spoon to remove it once the gnocchi begins to float. At this point, you can also bake your cauliflower gnocchi at 400 F for 15 minutes, turn them over, and bake for another 15 minutes, or until golden.
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Top with your favorite sauce. See my suggestions above.
NOTES
*1 small or 1/2 medium cauliflower.
Maria is the blogger behind the Zesty Paleo website. As a Hashimoto's patient for more than a decade, Maria has constantly been taking steps to improve her quality of life, including nutrition and lifestyle choices.
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