Keto Gnocchi
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This keto gnocchi recipe yields pillowy-soft gnocchi with only 5 ingredients. Accidentally gluten-free and only 3 grams of net carbs!
Growing up, my mom had a few staple recipes she could make in a pinch. Surprisingly, one of them was keto cauliflower gnocchi. Since then, I’ve tweaked the recipe to make it my own–but don’t tell her that!
My mom’s version uses regular flour and potatoes- the classic combination. But besides that, the other ingredients are naturally low carb. I initially tested it with coconut flour, but it made the gnocchi fall apart and taste quite grainy. When I tested almond flour, though, it turned out buttery soft with the same delicate bite as traditional gnocchi.
The trick is removing as much moisture from the cauliflower as possible before mixing. This is the only real way to replicate what the potatoes do, and the best part? You won’t even taste it.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- 5 ingredients. All you need is cauliflower rice, egg yolks, two cheeses, and almond flour.
- Versatile. I used to eat these straight from the skillet, but of course, they’re even better paired with a low-carb sauce (like my keto spaghetti sauce).
- Doesn’t taste like cauliflower. Marine in the comments said it best- it’s so good and doesn’t taste like cauliflower at all. That is always the goal with cauliflower substitutes.
- So much cheesy flavor. Cheese adds both flavor and a creamy, chewy texture.
★★★★★ REVIEW
“Love this gnocchi- it’s so good and doesn’t taste like cauliflower!” – Marine
Key Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make low carb gnocchi, along with my kitchen notes. Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
- Cauliflower rice. Raw cauliflower that has been riced (or grated). I buy the pre-packaged ones (Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods have great ones), but you can make it yourself by pulsing raw cauliflower in a food processor.
- Egg yolks. Yolks add richness and bind the dough better than whole eggs. Save the whites and use them in an egg white omelet or egg white bites.
- Parmesan cheese. Please use freshly grated Parmesan cheese, not the processed, shelf-stable kind. Fresh Parmesan melts seamlessly into the dough, giving it a firmer bite.
- Almond flour. Use blanched almond flour, not almond meal, to avoid crumbly gnocchi.
- Shredded cheese. I use pre-shredded mozzarella because fresh mozzarella contains too much moisture, which makes the dough too wet to work with. If you can find low-moisture shredded mozzarella, even better.
How to make keto gnocchi
Step 1- Steam cauliflower rice. In a microwave-safe bowl, add the riced cauliflower and steam for 2-3 minutes, until tender. Drain and remove any excess moisture before transferring to a large bowl.
Step 2- Make the gnocchi dough. To the bowl, add the almond flour, egg yolks, and parmesan cheese. Mix to combine.
In a separate microwave-safe bowl, melt the mozzarella. Pour the cheese into the cauliflower mixture and mix to combine.
Using wet hands, form 4 dough balls. Place them on a plate, cover them, and refrigerate for 10 minutes to firm up.
Step 3- Shape. Transfer the dough balls to a lightly floured kitchen surface. Roll each ball into a thin log, then slice it into bite-sized pieces. Use a fork to press down into each one.
Place the gnocchi in the refrigerator, covered, for 20 minutes.
Step 4- Cook. Boil a large pot of salted water. Once boiling, add the gnocchi to the boiling water and cook for one minute.
Step 5- Drain and serve. Drain the gnocchi, then place them in bowls and serve with your preferred sauce. Enjoy!
Arman’s recipe tips
- Remove as much moisture as possible from the cauliflower. After steaming, squeeze it in a clean kitchen towel until no more liquid comes out. This is the single most important step. Shelby, in the comments, had her gnocchi melt in the water, which is almost always caused by excess moisture.
- Don’t skip the refrigeration time. I know it sounds tedious to do this twice, but trust me, it helps the dough firm up and gives it that classic gnocchi bite.
- Avoid overboiling the gnocchi. When I say one minute, I mean it. Any longer and they’ll stick together and start breaking apart.
- Cook the gnocchi in batches. If you add too many to the pot, the water temperature will drop, and the gnocchi won’t cook evenly.
- If the dough is too crumbly. This usually happens if the cauliflower wasn’t drained thoroughly enough. Add a little almond flour rather than liquid to help it bind without adding moisture.
- Make it ahead of time. You can make low carb gnocchi up to two days in advance. If you do this, make sure they’re covered in an airtight container.
How to serve keto gnocchi
- Sauté the gnocchi in a pan with butter, minced garlic, and salt. The butter gives it a golden brown color and seriously enhances the taste.
- Serve the gnocchi with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and fresh basil. I serve this version when I want something lighter.
- Don’t forget the sauce! My favorites are sundried tomato pesto, keto Alfredo sauce, and even keto cheese sauce if I’m feeling indulgent.
Storage instructions
To store: Leftover cooked gnocchi should be refrigerated, 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 freeze for up to 6 months.
Reheating: It’s best to reheat the gnocchi in a non-stick pan so you can separate them and cook them evenly. Do not microwave them.
Keto Gnocchi
Video
Ingredients
- 3 cups cauliflower rice
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 cup parmesan cheese freshly grated, not packaged
- 6 tablespoons almond flour
- 2 cups shredded cheese mozzarella
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. I like to use a dish towel, as you can really squeeze it all out.
- Add your almond flour, egg yolks, and parmesan cheese, and mix until combined. In a separate microwave-ssafe bowl, add your shredded cheese and melt. Pour into the cauliflower mixture. Mix very well until fully incorporated. If too crumbly, add a little more almond flour. Lightly wet your hands and form 4 balls of dough. Place them on a plate, cover, 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.
Notes
Nutrition
More keto pasta recipes to try
- Keto pasta– This recipe took me about 20 trials to get right. It’s so versatile.
- Keto pasta salad– Store-bought keto pasta is mixed with flavor boosters for a fresh salad.
- Keto pizza casserole– Low carb pasta mixed with cheese and baked like a pasta bake? Yes please.
- Almond flour pasta– I actually learned this in my pasta cooking course in culinary school.
- Keto lasagna– I make the lasagna noodles from scratch with no wheat or grains.
Originally published February 2021
Horrible
Sorry to hear you weren’t a fan of the gnocchi- Ritchie- did you have issues making it or swap any ingredients out? I’d love to troubleshoot for you.
Can I put fresh gnocchi straight in a cream sauce ? And will they cook ok like that? Ta
Hi Kathy- I recommend cooking the gnocchi first then tossing it in the already-warm sauce 🙂
Your cauliflower rice looks a bit like a mash in the video. Have you tried to mash it before adding the other ingredients, or is the rice just finer than what I’m probably used to?
Hi Emily! It’s been microwaved, so it might look softer 🙂
Cannot wait to try this! If I wanted to make a browned butter sage version, will it hold up to pan-frying if it’s already boiled?
Yes, it will Erin! I included a little variation in the ‘how I serve this’ version. Brown butter sage is amazing!!
Just made this. Was a lot of work and didn’t work out at all. Next to impossible to get the melted cheese to mix into the cauliflower mixture. Doesn’t roll out into tubes at all. So you roll a small ball by hand over and over. Let it sit in the fridge for the 20 minutes and when you boil it for one minute it turns to absolute sludge. SLUDGE. So disappointing for the amount of work and dishes it made. I wanted to like this recipe.
Hi Emily- I’m sorry to hear it wasn’t successful for you. Did you overheat the melted cheese at all? I actually find mixing the cheese into the cauliflower one of the easier steps. If that wasn’t done properly, it won’t be able to be rolled.
This was a little challenging but the video helped so much! Totally worth the effort 🙂
I love to hear that, Leighton. I’m so glad it was helpful 🙂
Hello,
Just to let you know that your video is not working
Hi Lily- Is your ad-blocker on by any chance? I’ve spoken to my tech guys, and they said having it on can prevent the video from loading 🙂
Gnocchi is my favourite source of carbohydrates but I never tried eating them of caulflower rice.
Arman,
Hi, LOVE,LOVE your website.
Love you for your hardwork and time you put into it for us who use and love it so!! 🥰🥰🥰
Thank you so very very much for the videos. It’s AWESOME!!
Just wanted you to know. How much it is appreciated always! Never stop.
♥️♥️Evie 🥰🥰
I appreciate your kind words, Evie. I’m very grateful to having your readership, and I’m so glad you enjoy the recipe videos and recipes.
Arman – you’re a Keto Wizard and I thank you! There doesn’t seem to be a video any longer. The links at the top of the page and in the recipe are no longer valid (null, no link). Wow, I just noticed there are 27 grams of protein per serving. Hello! I had a yen for gnocchi and I always come to you first for a recipe. I see that many peeps experience the dough falling apart. I love the idea of urning it into mozzarella sticks!
Hi Alice- Hope you are well. That’s odd- the video is showing up perfectly fine on my end. Do you by any chance have an ad blocker on? That can prevent the video from showing 🙂
I have updated the post to include proper step by step photos for convenience 🙂
Can you pan fry instead of boil these?
Hi Caro- they do need to be boiled first. But once boiled, they hold up really well when pan-fried 🙂
This is a game changer- the gnocchi turned out to be so fluffy and tender 🙂
I love to hear that, Heather. I’m grateful you made my recipe. Thanks for the lovely review and rating.
Thinking of baking these. Sounds like they would be good browned a bit, then ladle on the sauce. Thank you for all your wonderful recipes. You are quite creative in the keto world!
Thanks so much, Diana. I did a test batch baking them, and the boiling first works best (then oven baking).
Hi Michelle- check out the recipe video we’ve included in the recipe card if you try this again 🙂
Hi Heidi- We’ve just included a video in the recipe card to show the full process 🙂
How did you get them so smooth looking? Mine are lumpy and crumbly, and would not stick/stay together when rolling. I have not “cooked” them yet, but I don’t have high hopes that these will stay together.
Hi Kristen- We’ve just included a video in the recipe card to show the full process 🙂
Hey Arman,
Loved this recipie.
I have a few questions. Our first batch turned to moosh. I think we left it in for a little over a minute.
The next time I was very hesitant and just dipped them in the water and then they came out nicely, but cold. They also lost their shape and stuck together in the bowl. Even though they were cold they were super tasty. Any tips because I’d love to make them again.
Hi Samantha- Not sure why that is, but we’ve included a video now in the recipe card with the full process 🙂
Hi. Can i use fresh mozza
I haven’t tried!
Dissolved in boiling water….only thing I can think of is mine were twice the size? Can you offer a scientific explanation on why it is possible it should not dissolve?
Hi Tamara-
The most likely culprit is excess moisture in the cauliflower. Unlike traditional gnocchi which uses starch as a binder, this recipe relies entirely on the cheese and egg yolks, so any extra liquid in the dough will cause it to fall apart in the water. Larger pieces also spend more time in the water which gives them more opportunity to break down, so aim for 1-inch pieces. Next time, squeezer the steamed cauliflower in a kitchen towel until no more liquid comes out and make sure to refrigerate the dough both times as instructed.
Made this today to go with a Bolognese sauce. For whatever reason, these guys just didn’t hold up to being boiled. They melted into a deliciously weird concoction of cheese and cauliflower. It tasted delicious, and I’m not certain where we messed up, but they did not hold up as gnocchi.
We used some of the dough mixture and breaded it with egg white and almond flour and baked it for a type of mozzarella stick which was good.
I wonder if this dough could be rolled out and used in other ways. I love that there’s cauliflower in it!!
written well
Does the Gnocchi fall apart if there’s too much moisture around it? I want to try this recipe in my Chicken & Gnocchi soup but after reading, it sounds like excess moisture may cause the Gnocchi to fall apart. What are your thoughts on this? I’d hate to waste this yummy recipe in a soup!
I wouldn’t use it in a soup but as a stand alone dish 🙂
These look so nice! Can they be used as part of my Keto plan?:
Sure can!
Under your ingredient list you say to save the yolks and use them in meringue cookies – I think you mean egg whites. The yolks are used in the recipe.
Yes you are correct, Daphne! A brain fart on my end- It’s been fixed 🙂
Can these gnocchi be used in soup?
I haven’t tried!
your recipes are great dont ever stop
Thank you, Anita!