Traditional Italian Gnocchi made keto, gluten free, grain free and with cauliflower! You read it right! You can make a light and fluffy gnocchi with cauliflower! Perfect for your keto diet or low carb diet with just 4 net grams of carbs.
Keto Low Carb Gnocchi
If you're new around here, you may not know I am full blooded Sicilian Italian. My dad came to the USA when he was just 15, from Sicily. I come from a childhood of pasta, bread, and sauce.
Carbs, and more carbs, that's what I loved and craved growing up. When I decided to start living a sugar-free, white flour free lifestyle about 13 years ago, I mourned the loss of my beloved Italian pasta dishes, especially traditional gnocchi.
It's took me a long time to get over the fact I may never enjoy them again. But deciding to go low carb has caused me to think outside of the box. I worked on this recipe about 4 times.
Each time changing up the ingredients just slightly to try and get that familiar texture I wanted. I can't say they are perfectly identical and taste just like the real thing to a traditional white flour gnocchi, but they do have a light and fluffy texture that melts in your mouth and curbs pasta cravings.
How to Shape Cauliflower Gnocchi
My grandmother didn't have a gnocchi board, she just taught me to use the back of a form to roll ours, but of course, you could buy one if you like.
After you have used the food processor to make your keto gnocchi dough, place a piece of parchment paper on your work surface. Wet fingers and form a 15 inch long thin log. Cut the log in half lengthwise so the width of the dough is ½ inch.
Cut 1 inch pieces from the log, you should be able to make 24 gnocchi. Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet. Using the back of a fork, roll over the gnocchi to see the fork lines. Freeze for 1 hour before using.
More Low Carb Cauliflower Recipes
Thinking outside the box has made me fall in love with Cauliflower for my keto recipes. It has become one of my favorite ingredients to sneakily include in many recipes without my kids having any idea. Bacon Cheeseburger Cauliflower Casserole, Chicken Enchilada Cauliflower Casserole, Cauliflower Tots ,Cauliflower Tortillas and now these little gnocchi!
How to Cook Gnocchi made with Cauliflower
Regular gnocchi or traditional potato gnocchi is meant to be cooked in boiling water but for this keto cauliflower gnocchi recipe, you can skip this step as it's just not needed.
The first two times I made them I actually baked them. While I liked that they held up well once in sauce on the stove, I felt they didn't have that soft exterior I wanted.
When they are frozen after making them and not baked, you can then just pop them into a hot frying pan with your favorite oil and minced garlic and brown for just 2 minutes.
I repeat, just 2 minutes is all these need or you will end up with mush. They are pretty much cooked anyway since the cauliflower is cooked prior to rolling them.
Best Tips for Easy Keto Gnocchi Recipe
I will caution that if you don't own a food scale, you should, otherwise you may not get the right consistency for these gnocchi. Coconut flour is tricky to work with and measuring in cup amounts just really isn't accurate. You've been warned.
My daughter and youngest loved these! My oldest, who is a teen, said he could still taste the cauliflower, but he didn't care because they were so good! My life is complete.
I think they may be slightly larger than your typical sized gnocchi, but you can make them as little or large as you prefer.
Topped with some fresh parmesan cheese and fresh basil or parsley, and your favorite tomato sauce or my marinara sauce.
More Keto "Pasta" Recipes
Low Carb Cauliflower Gnocchi
Low Carb Cauliflower Gnocchi
Ingredients
- 20 ounces cauliflower rice frozen, thawed and squeezed dry
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 whole egg
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
- ½ cup coconut flour
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese
Optional toppings
- 1 tablespoon fresh herbs like fresh parsley or basil, drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Place your thawed, squeezed dried riced cauliflower into a food processor and add remaining ingredients.
- Pulse until combined well and it forms like a dough, and pulls away from the sides of the processor.
- Place a piece of parchment paper on your work surface. Wet fingers and form a 15 inch long log. Cut the log in half lengthwise so the width of the dough is ½ inch.
- Cut 1 inch pieces from the log, you should be able to make 24 gnocchi. Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet. Using the back side of a fork, roll over the gnocchi to see the fork lines. Freeze for 1 hour or until ready to use.
- When ready to cook, heat a medium sized skillet with olive oil and garlic.
- From freezer, place no more than 12 gnocchi into the hot skillet.
- Saute just 2 minutes or until browned on each side and heated through. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley. For a variation you can also heat low carb marinara in a sauce pan and cook the gnocchi in the sauce until heated through.
- Keep gnocchi frozen in an airtight container or ziploc bag until ready to use.
Notes
Nutrition
About Brenda
Brenda Bennett is a certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, certified Sugar Detox Coach, certified Keto Coach and certified Life Coach. She has been Sugar Free & Refined carb free for 17 years and has written 2 cookbooks, Sugar-Free Mom, and Naturally Keto and her 3rd book The 30-Day Sugar Elimination Diet, is a four part program to help you detox from sugar, eliminate cravings, balance blood sugar and lose weight all while eating a delicious, nutrient dense whole foods. Meal plan offers two tracks to follow, low carb or keto. She is the founder of the Sugar Free Fresh Start course and Sugar Free Tribe weight loss membership. Learn more.
Arlene
Made these tonight for the first time. They were delicious. Put them in my Zuppa Toscana soup that I have a recipe from the Olive Garden. Husband loved it. Thanks for the recipe.
Joyce Payne
I read few comments, so if I want to put this in soup I should bake it first so it will hold up better? Or just put some in at time of serving? I have a very tasty recipe I found several years ago for tortellini soup but now I have to do low carb. I thought about just putting in zucchini chunks but it already has spinach in it.
Thanks!
Brenda
Yes I'd bake first then add at the very end of the soup being down, maybe the last 5 minutes or so.
heather kaiserlian
Has anyone here microwaved mozerella??? As soon as it hits the the other room temp ingredients it goes right back to a solid state. What the?? How do you mix in melted mozerella???
Wendy
The recipe here does not list the grams for the coconut flour but you mention that should always weigh it which I agree with. Can you provide grams for all the ingredients. Most scales can switch between grams and ounces so if you have a scale it is possible to do the measurements accurately
Brenda
At the bottom of the recipe you can click either US or Metric measurements.
Kim
Hi Brenda, you mentioned everything needs to be weighed, but you give measurements in cups, tsp, etc. except the 12 oz of cheese. Can you send me the weight measurements - I prefer to cook by weight rather than other measurements. Thanks
Brenda
At the bottom of the recipe you can click US or Metric to see the weight amounts.
G
This is not nut free. Coconut is a tree nut. I was looking forward to trying this, but unfortunately I'm allergic to tree nuts. Is there anything to substitute the coconut flour?
Brenda
The FDA considers coconut a tree nut but it is not, it is actually a drupe which is a fruit with a hard stony covering enclosing the seed (like a peach or olive). While it is possible to be allergic to coconut, the cross reactivity for those with tree nut allergies is very rare. My son has a severe tree nut and peanut allergy and my allergist has told me most people with a nut allergy don't have any issues with coconut. He's 12 and he's been eating coconut for years without issue. Even though the FDA says something, it doesn't mean it's true and I'd go by what your allergist says. You could try subbing sesame meal for the coconut flour in this recipe.
Lisa C.
Is your nutritional info for 1 gnocchi? Or is it for the 10-12 gnocchi you put in a pot at a time? Did i miss that somehwere?
Brenda
My recipe plug in had a glitch and converted all servings to 1 gram, that's a mistake which I am trying to fix manually on all recipes.It's updated now, 8 gnocchi per serving.
Janice Waltz
Is it 3 cups and 12 ounce of cauliflower or 36 ounces of cauliflower?
Brenda
3 cups or in weight on a scale, 12 ounces.
Julia
I was thinking that adding a tsp of Gelatin could replace the Xanthum Gum??
Brenda
That could work.
Kylie
I wish I would’ve read the comments before spending the time prepping them for them to completely fall apart in the water. ? I’ll try baking them next time. Bummed!
Cassandra
So excited to try! Do you think these would these work well in a soup?
Kelley
These sound really good! Looking forward to trying them. Thanks for including the nutritional info.
Jamie H.
Quick question. You noted 12 oz mozzarella cheese but then it says 228g. 12oz should be 339g, same as the cauliflower, I'd suspect so just wanted to check and make sure I was using the right amount. Should I use 12oz or 228g of mozzarella? Thanks!
Brenda
Many people don't have a scale to accurately weigh in grams so I am trying to also give the ounces. But the grams is what I go by when I weigh.
rubi keto
mozzarella weighs differently to cauliflower rice i suspect, as does flours and other things
Melody Spence
I baked mine and added them to a pot of turkey gnocchi soup. They are better than I imagined. Thanks. Also I was out of almond flour and only had coconut flour so they were perfect,
Brenda
Thanks for sharing!
Shauna Jacques
Did you wring the cauliflower after it was boiled to remove some moisture?
Brenda
I don't recall doing that.
Johanna
What other flours can be used? I'm allergic to both coconut and all other nuts as well
Brenda
I'm thinking you could try whole wheat if you're not looking to keep it low carb.
Jay
Try cassava flour. It's great! And low carb.
Becca
Cassava flour is not low carb. It may be lower in carbs but it's over 70g of carbs for 1 cup.
Shaynon
Would Almond Flour work for these as well? Deathly allergic to coconut. I am low carb low sugar and so miss pasta!! Im a newbie at low carb and Mac and Cheese was my thing!!
Brenda
Unfortunately I can't try it with almond flour as my youngest has a tree nut allergy. I would like to say it will work but I can't be sure. Sorry!
Jay
I've been using cassava flour recently and loving the results. It has a kind of stodgy consistency when cooked. I'm going to try it with this recipe. I've used it with sweet potato for flat breads, patties, oven and pan fried fries... I ordered it online. Happy cooking!
Erika
Can I sub out the parmasen and mozzarella cheese for something else?
Mary Nolan
Not good at all !! Sorry but they were balls of goo
Brenda
Sorry about that. I did bake them and that worked great I just liked the outside texture better not baked, but baked they hold together well.
Kate
Can I sub the coconut flour out for psyllium husk powder. I don't eat coconut.
Brenda
That might work well, please let me know if you try it.
Jayne Lein
I would like to try baking them. What temp and for how long? Thanks!
Brenda
I baked them at 350 for about 20 minutes, but flip over half way through.
Dawn
Hi,
I really want to try this recipe but my body doesn't do well with xanthan gum. Can I use cornstartch or something else?
Brenda
You can.
Bella
Hey!! I just made this, following the recipe exactly and although it was absolutely delicious (cauliflower and cheese nom nom nom) it didn’t hold together at all? ? I ended up with little mash blobs hahahaha! I think I’m going to try the ricing method and rolling them in coconut flour next time!
Brenda
Thanks! I did mention above we tried baking them as well, instead of boiling, they will hold up better, not as soft as traditional when baked, but still good.
Miriam Kearney
BTW I love that you include the nutrition in your recipes. I copy the ones I really want to make to Plan To Eat (recipe and meal plan repository) and it picks up the nutrition if its on the recipe. Otherwise I have to go to Fitness Pal and link the recipe so that it will tell me the nutrition and then copy it back. Thanks a bunch.
BTW Plan to eat always includes the URL and source of each recipe so if anyone else on the site sees it they can link right back to you.
Miriam Kearney
I'm really excited to try this as gnocchi is one pasta I do really miss. The recipe seems like a good candidate for my dried cauliflower - I cook it and then dehydrate it and pulse it into almost a flour. I've used it successfully to make a cauliflower flat bread and I suspect this would work too. Cauliflower is one of those vegetables that goes up and down in price - $2.99 this week $4.99 last week so when it's on sale I cook it up and use my dehydrator. It's so versatile I can never keep enough on hand.
Brenda
What a great idea, I'm going to try dehydrating it as well!
Katie
That is an amazing idea! You cut off all the stems right and just use the florets?
Brenda
Yes
Katie
Can the gnocchi be frozen to save for later?
Brenda
Yes in fact mine are in the freezer and easy to pull out a few a time to make a serving.