How to Make Cauliflower Gnocchi {Video!}.
Making cauliflower gnocchi is going to turn this weekend into the best ever!
Yessss, it is happening. I’ve been making cauliflower gnocchi at home and oh my gosh – it’s so good.
I wasn’t initially sold on the whole cauliflower gnocchi thing. I mean, I thought it was okay?
Then I really got into it when I was testing the sheet pan gnocchi recipe. Like, loved it.
And! The thing is that my TJ’s is not super close and almost every single time I go, the gnocchi is sold out. I have to pull an Eddie and buy eight bags at a time.
Seriously, when he finds something he likes, he buys a ton and works through it. We currently have 30 pitaya packs in our freezer. I asked him to get waffles for Emilia last week and he came home with six boxes. I mean… what?!
That’s what I will have to do next time with the cauliflower gnocchi, I suppose.
Until then… I’ll just make my own.
YES.
I could NOT stop eating these straight from the pan. Because, spoiler alert: I prefer roasting them to boiling them.
Then eating them straight from the bowl. They are so, so, so good and taste exactly like the popular frozen ones. They look and feel the same too!
The crazy thing is that they are pretty easy. Easier than I assumed. The recipe works with most flour. All-purpose, whole wheat, gluten free baking mixes, cassava, chickpea – I didn’t test it with coconut or quinoa flour but I think it will work!
You just really have to watch the flour ratio. I suggest trying to stick to the 2/3 cup measurement and not adding much more – otherwise, these will taste like the flour that you use, even after you cook them. Eeeek.
I mean, just look at that golden crisp down below! How could you NOT roast these?
The true test of cauliflower gnocchi? I actually want to eat these with marinara sauce or bolognese. My first choice for pasta sauce tends to be anything BUT tomato sauce.
However, this bowl was screaming for some. Lots of shaved parm, some fresh herbs.
Give me!
If you’ve never tried the cauliflower gnocchi from Trader Joe’s, there are a few things to keep in mind:
First, it definitely tastes like cauliflower. This is important! It’s not really cauliflower in disguise.
The frozen version from the store tastes like cauliflower, as does this gnocchi that you can make at home. When I first tried the TJ’s version, I was actually a little shocked at how much it tastes like cauliflower (which sounds insane, since it IS cauliflower) but it wasn’t bad. It just… really tastes like cauliflower! In a good way. I promise.
Next, the texture is different from regular gnocchi, but it’s not bad. I find the frozen version (even when you toast or saute it) to be a little sticky and chewy. Not in a bad way though! I actually love the texture. And it’s crazy, but these homemade ones are the exact same way. They have a chewy, slightly sticky texture.
Also important: the smaller, the better! The frozen TJ’s gnocchi is much tinier than traditional gnocchi. I suggest cutting these into small pieces – small than you’d think.
And finally, as mentioned above, my favorite way to cook this is to roast it in the oven or toast it in a skillet. It adds the golden, slightly crunchy crisp to the outside and tastes SO good.
So now that your weekend plans are set…
Cauliflower Gnocchi Recipe Video
Cauliflower Gnocchi Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 medium to large head of cauliflower, cut into florets
- 2/3 cup of all-purpose or whole wheat flour OR all-purpose gluten free flour mix
- ½ teaspoon salt
- olive oil for spritzing or misting
Instructions
- Remove the stem from the cauliflower and cut it into florets. You want 4 to 5 cups of florets. If you have a lot more, just set it aside to use for another recipe. This is important! You need to have that exact measure so you know how much flour to use. If you keep adding flour to "fix" the dough, this will just taste like flour!
- Put the cauliflower florets in a food processor and pulse until crumbs remain – you want it to almost look like snow. Place all of the cauliflower in a microwave-safe bowl and cover it with a paper towel. Microwave for 5 minutes. Remove the cauliflower and spread it on a towel to cool.
- Once cool, wrap the cauliflower in a towel and squeeze every last bit of water and liquid out of it over your sink. When you think you’re finished, squeeze again! You want all of the moisture out.
- Place the cauliflower back in the food processor. Pulse and blend it again until it begins to get creamy. Sprinkle in the flour and salt and blend again until a dough comes together. It will be super sticky, but resist the urge to add in more flour!
- Transfer the dough to a floured workspace. Have a little extra flour on hand because this is where you can work in a little bit as you roll the dough. Shape it into a ball, then slice it into 4 equal sections.
- Roll each section out until you have a rope that is about 1-inch thick. Slice the dough into squares with a sharp knife – I like to make cuts every ½ inch or so. Repeat with each rope of dough. Cook as desired!
- To boil: bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the gnocchi and cook until they float to the top, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and serve as you wish!
- To roast: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with olive oil. Place the gnocchi on the foil in a single layer and spray with olive oil. Sprinkle on a bit of salt and pepper. (At this point, you can also add veggies if you want, like in my sheet pan gnocchi!) Roast for 15, then flip and roast for 10 to 15 minutes more, or until golden brown and crispy on the edges.
- To sauté: Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and add 1 to 2 teaspoons olive oil. Add the gnocchi in a single layer (you may need to do two batches!) and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 5 minutes per side. If you feel that it still tastes a bit “floury” this way, use the boil method first, then sauté like this.
- To freeze: Cut the gnocchi into pieces a place them on a baking sheet in a single layer. Freeze for 60 minutes, then place the gnocchi in a ziplock bag. They will stay great in the freezer for a few months! You can cook any of the above ways from the frozen state. No defrosting necessary.
- Once the gnocchi are cooked, serve them however you'd like. Here, I used marinara sauce, fresh herbs and shaved parmesan. Super simple and delicious!
Did you make this recipe?
Be sure to follow @howsweeteats on instagram and tag #howsweeteats. You can also post a photo of your recipe to our facebook page.
I appreciate you so much!
In.love.
90 Comments on “How to Make Cauliflower Gnocchi {Video!}.”
Made these tonight! I found them a bit more high maintenance than the standard potato gnocchi where you have to “towel drain” the cauliflower, but they turned out good. I think I may have overdone the mixing in the food processor a little as they weren’t as pillow-y as the potato gnocchi I normally make but they were still delicious. I baked the gnocchi and served them in leftover spaghetti sauce with mini meatballs. My husband, like Eddie, would not consider this a meal without some sort of meat so the meatballs were a great addition. Maybe we just have an overly large appetite, but even with the meatballs, I found this recipe only served two. Thanks for another great meal!
Pingback: Homemade Cauliflower Gnocchi Recipe – Pinch of Yum – Food Travel Buddy
Pingback: Recette de gnocchis au chou-fleur maison – pincée de miam – Recettes du Monde
I followed this recipe exactly and chose to bake the gnocchi in the oven, but they came out burnt and rock hard. Could have been taken out of the oven after 15 minutes instead of flipping then baking for an additional 10 minutes.
I had a lonely Cauliflower in my CSA box because we aren’t big on it, so I decided to give this a try. I am glad I did! They were pleasantly light and only had a mild Cauliflower taste. I only had about 3 cups of florets so I did a scant 1/2 C flour. I boiled and drained them, then sauteed in olive oil. I finished them with some homemade pesto I had in the freezer. It is more work than just roasting a head of Cauliflower, but I know these will get eaten. Even my teenager approved!
I tried to roast them in the oven, but already after 15 mins they were very though, hard and burnt on the bottom. I would say maybe 5+5 mins is more realistic or to lower the oven temperature, but I probably won’t be attempting it again
Made this and added some garlic salt, thyme, and Parmesan to the mixture and it made them taste amazing. If you’re making this and have a big appetite I suggest in doubling the recipe! I was surprised how little it made for the amount of work that goes into it. Next time I’ll double it and it’ll be a wonderful meal! Delicious
I just had TJ‘’s gf gnocci—almost like homemade and DIDN’T taste like cauliflower to us!
BEST RECEPE EVER! They tasted just like gnocchi and were totally worth the time and mess. I would say the recipe is for 2 maybe 3 if used as a side. I first boiled and then sauteed and they turned out amazingly. I am probably going to have left overs for another meal. Will try to make another batch to freeze and have in hand since i live in Panama and we do not have Trader Joes.
were they too chewy?
Made this tonite! Very good! First boiled them first and then sauteed them. Added some fresh tomatoes, garlic, basil and sliced mushrooms. Great as a summer dish.
Thank you for this recipe. I recently discovered the cauliflower gnocchi at Trader Joe’s. They are delicious, but I have to limit my sodium intake to manage my blood pressure and like everything else in that store, they are loaded with sodium as a preservative. I made this recipe last night. It was surprisingly simple. I used a nut milk bag to remove the water. It worked quite well. I’m definitely going to boil my next batch first as pan-frying did leave them with a little bit of a floury taste. I’m also going to try the suggestion of another commenter and add some garlic, thyme and parmesan. I’m sure the second batch will be much more efficient and I will definitely keep these stocked in the freezer. Thanks again.
I enjoyed making these tonight with just a little variation. I had part of an onion in the refrigerator looking for a recipe, so I added it to the cauliflower florets in the food processor and then added some Parmesan cheese along with the flour (white whole wheat.) I too boiled and then sautéed in olive oil. I topped the gnocchis with ratatouille. Very good! I placed most in the freezer to be brought out another time.
Made this yesterday and it is SO much better than the Trader Joe’s product. Used the boil then sauté method and they came out exactly as desired. My husband won’t touch cauliflower and he had no idea. Once sauced, the mild cauliflower flavor disappears. Cold leftovers are sitting in my lunch salad now. Next time I plan to double the recipe so that I have some to freeze because this batch is all gone.
Did anyone try this recipe with almond flour instead of all purpose flour? Wondering if it would still taste good.
Pingback: 32 Weeks of Menu Plans! That’s 224 Different Dinner Ideas For 2021! - xgirlfriend
Hi,
This recipe looks great. Could you please provide the ingredients in grams?
Thanks
Pingback: Lemon Parmesan Cauliflower Gnocchi - Cauliflower Gnocchi
Has anyone made these with cauliflower rice? I have an abundance of cauliflower rice and wonder about how many cups of rice would equal the 4-5 cups of florets..? thoughts?
I’m itching to try this but don’t own a microwave… If you don’t have a mircowave, how else would you recommend heating it up to get the water out?
Great. Thank you. I used a potato ricer to squeeze out water. Not sure if it was easier, but it was efficient
This is a great recipe, I just made it for my husband and I . I added 1/2 tsp of garlic powder as well. I then boil the gnocchi for 3 mins and then pan-fried after until golden brown. Need to double the recipe next time.