Keto Low Carb Cauliflower Gnocchi (Nut Free, Grain Free)
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
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1/2 cup coconut flour
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese
Optional toppings
- 1 tbsp 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 1/2 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.
Video
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.
Would you mind making a video to show how to make this? I’d love to give it a try, but I don’t quite understand how.
There is a video right in the recipe card under the instructions bottom of the page.
Hi! I make my couliflower rice at home and freeze it, but it’s not cooked when I freeze it. Can I still use it for this recipe, or should I boil the rice first?
Yes you could thaw your frozen cauli but yes cook first.
I have been trying Palmini lately. I ordered some mashed Palmini and then didn’t have any inspiration for use. Along came this wonderful recipe and I thought why not? In place of the cauliflower, I used the mashed Palmini and then followed your wonderful recipe. My grandkids and all adults (14 of us) gave this 5 stars! Thank you. This Sicilian girl can have gnocchi again!
Woot woot! Awesome so glad you all liked it!
I don’t have mozzarella in hand can I sub it for cream cheese?
I haven’t tried it but I do think it would work.
Hi. Is there anyway I would be able to see the slightly older version of this recipe? A few days ago I used it to make a pizza crust, and it turned out perfect. Our printer wasn’t working at the time, and I don’t remember what the previous ratios were. I didn’t think to write it down because I was just going to print it once we got our printer working.
Thank you.
It had 3/4 cup coconut and 12 ounces of mozzarella.
Thank you so much!
Hi,
I’ve seen some instagrammers frying their Trader Joe’s cauliflower gnocchi instead of boiling or baking. Do you think this could work for this recipe as well? If you try it out, please report back! Thanks!
What kind of mozzarella do you use?
Shredded part skim