For a while now, everyone has been talking about Cauliflower Gnocchi from Trader’s Joe’s. Well as curious as we were, we were even more curious to see if we could make it at home – and we found out it is super easy to make. It just takes two ingredients plus making it is fun, you get to play with your food like playdough!!
Of course, the star of the show is Cauliflower but we’ve also made this gluten and grain-free so if you are vegan, vegetarian, paleo or gluten-free, this meal is a quick and easy solution to the age-old question, “what’s for dinner?”.
We all know that we should eat more vegetables and of course, cauliflower is something we should be eating, but do you know why?
Just a few health benefits of Cauliflower:
- Has a good source of fiber – 1 cup of raw cauliflower has about 10 % of your daily fiber needs, plus it keeps you fuller longer and aids in digestion
- High in Vitamin C – 1 cup provides a whopping 77% of the RDI (Recommended Daily Intake) and of course helps to boost our immune system and fight inflammation
- High in Vitamin K – 1 cup provides 20% of the RDI, V-K is a fat-soluble vitamin that is crucial to blood clotting and bone metabolism
- Has a good amount of Vitamin B6 – 1 cups provides 11% of the RDI, B6 helps maintain a healthy metabolism and supports nerve and liver functions
Two of the more notable health benefits of cauliflower:
(did we lose here with all of this science? Stay with us for just a bit more because this is important stuff!)
- Sulforaphane is has been shown to have anticancer properties (source), this sulfur compound has shown to kill cancer cells which can limit the tumor growth in some forms of cancer.
- Choline is an essential nutrient that boosts brain health by aiding in the production of neurotransmitters (source).
Ok, sorry to nerd out there for a bit but isn’t so cool our food can be medicine?! Now on to this recipe – cuz it’s a good one and ya don’t want to miss it!
The two most important things to remember when making this recipe is you can’t use frozen riced cauliflower, it does not work – trust us on this one! And you’ve gotta get to work while the cauliflower is still hot. But that’s it – and it really is fun and easy to make!
Remember to take a picture when you make it and tag us Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Pin it on Pinterest, we see everything you tag us in and love seeing your creations!
Interested in other Cauliflower recipes? Try these:
Low Sugar Raspberry-Cauliflower Smoothie
Cauliflower Gnocchi with a Quick and Easy Pasta Sauce
- Yield: 2-3 servings 1x
Description
This recipe is really fun and easy to make and if gluten and grain-free but full of flavor!
Ingredients
Gnocchi:
- 1 medium head of cauliflower
- 1 1/2 cups Cassava Flour, We used Otto’s
- 2–3 Tablespoons of olive oil (optional for sauteing once the gnocchi are cooked)
Quick and Easy Pasta Sauce:
- 1–2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 cup diced onion
- 4 minced garlic cloves
- 2 Tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried basil (If you have fresh, use 1 Tablespoon of chopped basil)
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 (14.5 ounces) cans of diced tomatoes, undrained
Instructions
- Make the sauce first. Start by heating the olive oil in a large sauté pan to medium heat and add onions. Sauté for about 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent. Add in minced garlic and sauté for another minute stirring frequently so you don’t burn the garlic.
- Add in the rest of the ingredients the balsamic vinegar through the tomatoes, stir and start to bring to a boil.
- Once the tomato sauce is boiling, reduce it to medium heat and cook for another 15-20 minutes, stirring every once in a while. You can make this ahead of time and reheat when ready to use or just cover it and set it aside until you are ready to use. Reheat if it has gotten too cold.
- To make the gnocchi, add the flour to a large bowl and set aside, we will use this in just a bit. Next, chop the head of cauliflower into florets and steam until it is fork-tender.
- While it is still hot, you want to pureè the cauliflower – this can be done in a food processor or high-speed blender.
- While it is still hot, measure our 1 cup of cauliflower pureè and mix with the cassava flour. This needs to be done while the pureè is still hot. It is best to roll your sleeves up and get in there with your hands to make this dough come together. Form it into a large ball**.
- Now divide the dough into evenly into smaller parts. Roll the smaller parts of dough into logs about three-quarters in diameter. Now cut those into bite-sized pieces.
- Bring a large stock pot full of water to a boil. Once it’s boiling you can add salt to the water to help flavor the gnocchi. Carefully drop the bite-sized pieces of gnocchi dough into the water. They are done when they float to the top of the water.
- Now you can serve these as is with the tomato sauce but we think they are delicious if add a little olive oil to a sauté pan and sear each side of the gnocchi to crisp it up before topping it with the tomato sauce. Optional, top with parmesan cheese, chopped fresh basil and enjoy*!
Notes
*We will be honest, these didn’t last too long because we ate them right away but our best guess is these are best served and eaten right away.
**At this point, you can wrap the dough and put it in the refrigerator until you are ready to complete the other steps.
