Keto Gnocchi

This keto gnocchi is so soft, pillowy, and tender on the outside, you won’t believe it is low carb! Made with just 5 main ingredients, they are perfect with your favorite sauce! 3 grams net carbs per serving. 

Keto Gnocchi

When I’m craving comfort food on a keto diet, my favorite recipes to make are garlic bread, rolls, and this keto gnocchi.

Growing up, my mom made it a point to always have dinner on the table every weeknight. Even though she worked a busy job with a long commute, she always makes time to prepare dinner. While my mom had a few constant recipes up her sleeve, she was a huge fan of pasta dishes. Not only was it easy to prepare, but it was also healthy and filling. One of her favorite kinds of pasta to use was actually cauliflower gnocchi.

We were all skeptical before we first tried it, thinking it would taste healthy or too much like cauliflower, but it became a firm family favorite. When I first moved out of home, I learned how to make it from scratch and LOVED the simplicity of it. It was also one of the very first recipes I recreated to be low carb. 

I’ve been meaning to share a keto gnocchi recipe for quite some time. This has been my go-to for years now, and I can’t believe how much it tastes like actual gnocchi. It’s incredibly easy to make and doesn’t require any fancy kitchen mixers or gadgets to make. 

No white flour, no potatoes, and no grains are needed, but you’d never tell. The texture is soft in the middle, and tender on the outside. This tastes like any good gnocchi, with no cheesy or cauliflower aftertaste. It’s so versatile and pairs well with your favorite pasta or spaghetti sauce.

I had some friends over for a big Italian dinner and served up this gnocchi and NO ONE believed me when I said it was low carb- They thought it had to be made of white flour and potatoes!

How do you make keto gnocchi? 

The Ingredients

• Cauliflower rice– Raw cauliflower that has riced (grated). I buy the pre-packaged ones, but you can make it yourself. 
• Egg yolks– Save the yolks and use them in meringue cookies.
• Parmesan cheese– You must use freshly grated parmesan cheese, not the processed kind that is usually stored at room temperature. 
• Almond flour– Blanched almond flour, not almond meal. 
• Shredded cheese– I recommend using mozzarella cheese, as it melts the easiest and also is mildly flavored.  

The Instructions

Start by steaming your riced cauliflower in the microwave or stovetop. Squeeze out any excess moisture and transfer to a large bowl and let it cool slightly. After several minutes, add the egg yolks, parmesan cheese, and almond flour and mix until combined. Next, place your shredded cheese into a microwave safe bowl and microwave until it has mostly melted. Whisk it together, before adding it to the mixing bowl and mix very well, until fully incorporated.

Now, divide the dough into four balls and place them on a lined plate. Cover the plate and refrigerate it for 20 minutes, to firm up. Once it is firm, sprinkle some almond flour onto a kitchen surface. Roll out the balls of dough into a thin log and cut out bite sized pieces. Use a fork to press down on each one and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Finally, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, add the gnocchi and cook it for one minute. Drain it immediately, before transferring to bowls and topping with your favorite pasta sauce. 

Tips to make the best low carb gnocchi

• Do not over boil your gnocchi. Boiling them longer than a minute poses the risk of them sticking together and breaking apart. 
• If you don’t have a deep pan, cook the gnocchi in batches, to avoid overfilling. 
• If the dough is too crumbly, you can add a little milk or water to help it stick together. Remember, the dough firms up once you refrigerate it before cooking.
• You can prepare the gnocchi up to 2 days in advance. If you do this, be sure to keep them completely covered, so that no excess air or condensation can touch them. 

Storing and freezing keto cauliflower gnocchi

• To store: Leftover cooked gnocchi should be stored in the refrigerator, covered, on a large plate or flat surface. Try to keep the gnocchi in a single layer, and it will keep well for up to 3 days. 
• To freeze: Place gnocchi in a shallow container and store in the freezer for up to 6 months. 
• Reheating: It’s best to reheat the gnocchi in a non-stick pan, so you are able to separate them and cook them evenly. Do not microwave them. 

More keto pasta recipes to try

• 2 ingredient pasta
• Almond flour pasta
• Lasagna
• Mac and cheese

Keto Gnocchi

5 from 221 votes

This keto gnocchi is soft, pillowy, and tender on the outside, you won't believe it is low carb! 5 ingredients and ready in minutes!

Servings: 4 servings

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 1 minute min

Total: 11 minutes mins

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Ingredients  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 3 cups cauliflower rice
• ▢ 2 egg yolks
• ▢ 1 cup parmesan cheese grated, not packaged
• ▢ 6 tablespoon almond flour
• ▢ 2 cups shredded cheese mozzarella cheese * See notes

Instructions 

• In a large, microwave safe bowl, add your riced cauliflower and steam for 2-3 minutes, until tender. Drain completely and remove any excess moisture, before transferring to a large mixing bowl.
• Add your almond flour, egg yolks, and parmesan cheese, and mix until combined. In a separate microwave safe bowl, add your shredded cheese and melt. Pour into the cauliflower mixture. Mix very well until fully incorporated. Lightly wet your hands and form 4 balls of dough. Place them on a plate, cover it, and refrigerate for 10 minutes to firm up.
• Lightly dust a kitchen surface with almond flour. Remove the plate from the refrigerator and place the balls of dough on the kitchen surface. Roll each ball into a thin log, before slicing into bite sized pieces. Use a fork to press down on each one. Place the gnocchi in the refrigerator, covered, for 20 minutes.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, add the gnocchi into it and cook for one minute.
• Drain the gnocchi completely, before placing them in bowls and topping with your favorite pasta sauce. 2

Notes

* While any shredded cheese works, I prefer mozzarella as it is mild flavored. 

TO STORE: Leftover cooked gnocchi should be stored in the refrigerator, covered, on a large plate or flat surface. Try to keep the gnocchi in a single layer, and it will keep well for up to 3 days.

TO FREEZE: Place gnocchi in a shallow container and store in the freezer for up to 6 months. 

TO REHEAT: t's best to reheat the gnocchi in a non-stick pan, so you are able to separate them and cook them evenly. Do not microwave them. 

Recipe loosely adapted from here.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 384kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 27gFat: 27gSodium: 792mgPotassium: 434mgFiber: 6gVitamin A: 704IUVitamin C: 58mgCalcium: 639mgIron: 2mgNET CARBS: 3g

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Author: Arman Liew

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