Homemade Sweet Potato Gnocchi Recipe - Grain Free + Paleo Option! (2024)

FAQs

Are sweet potatoes allowed on the paleo diet? ›

Yes — sweet potatoes are generally considered a paleo-approved food, however, some paleo dieters prefer to limit their consumption to avoid consuming too many carbohydrates that spike their blood sugar levels.

This vegan gnocchi recipe only requires three ingredients: Potatoes: I used Yukon Gold potatoes here, but you can also use russet potatoes if that's all that you can find in your stores! Flour: I recommend using Tipo 00 or oat flour (if you're gluten-free, use oat flour!).

At Faro, Adey says, “We run very few potato gnocchi.” Instead they stick to the less common side of the root vegetable family: “Parsnip, gilfeather turnip, and salsify work great.” Broccoli and cauliflower, which are sturdy and dry, also hold up well to the test.

Puree sweet potatoes using either a masher or potato ricer. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the egg. Dough: Stir salt into 1 ½ cups of flour. Sprinkle flour mixture over the sweet potato and fold to combine (do not over stir – this will lead to gluey gnocchi).

Pasta can be replaced with veggie noodles, traditional rice can be swapped out for cauliflower rice and any starchy vegetable like the sweet potato is an excellent source of complex carbohydrates. The next time you're craving a grain free meal, brainstorm how to turn your favorite vegetables into a satisfying dish.

Diets labeled as “grain-free” commonly use potatoes, sweet potatoes, peas, chickpeas or lentils as sources of proteins + carbohydrates.

Nutritional Value

Believe it or not, regular pasta is actually more carb-heavy than gnocchi, coming in at around 2 times the amount of carbs per serving. Gnocchi is also notorious for having a lot more sodium, with over 200 grams of it per serving. Regular pasta doesn't have nearly as high of a sodium content.

You need to do plenty of that for homemade pizza dough, but you don't want to do much kneading at all when making gnocchi. Italian type 00 flours like Caputo and Anna brands produce a great result. Make sure you're buying 00 labeled for pasta and not labeled for pizza making.

Tipo 00 Flour is a soft, fine milled flour from Italy. It's a must-have for light and tender gnocchi and homemade pasta. Small(er) Batch Recipe ensures a higher success rate with just enough practice.

If the gnocchi fall apart or appear to be fraying at the edges, it can mean one of two things: You let them cook for too long or, even worse, you didn't combine the potato and flour into true dough. In the latter case, it's back to square one.

Why does my gnocchi fall apart when I cook it? ›

My Gnocchi Are Falling Apart When I Cook Them

This means there isn't enough flour and your dough is too wet. Try adding another 1/4 cup of flour and try again. A good idea is to have a pot of water on the go before you roll out and shape your gnocchi.

Best Sweet Potato Gnocchi: Cappello's Sweet Potato Gnocchi

Both Trader Joe's and Capello's sweet potato gnocchi were delicious in flavor and texture, but we like that Cappello's product offers the ability to pair with any sauce or topping. (Trader Joe's version comes with an already mixed-in butter and sage sauce.)

If you prefer a lighter meal, serve the gnocchi alongside a fall-inspired salad like Beet Salad Recipe or Apple Walnut Salad. Chicken. Add some protein to your dinner with Baked Chicken Breast or Air Fryer Chicken Thighs.

Similar to pasta, gnocchi is high in carbohydrates and low in protein. Although both are carbohydrate-heavy foods, it has been shown that regular pasta may have less of an effect on blood sugar levels. One publication points to the fact that pasta doesn't raise blood sugar after a meal to the level that potatoes do.

Unprocessed potatoes are paleo

Generally, unprocessed potatoes of all types can be part of a paleo diet. Similarly to grains, which are off-limits on paleo, potatoes are starchy and rich in carbohydrates. However, potatoes are actually a type of starchy vegetable that grows underground, known as a tuber ( 2 , 3 ).

However, others say these potato varieties are paleo. That's because, like white potatoes, red and purple potatoes are unprocessed whole foods—which, by definition, makes them paleo. These potatoes are also nutritious.

1. Secondly, potatoes are very low in protein and fiber, two of the most important factors in a healthy and successful paleo diet. To top it all off, white potatoes have very little in the way of vitamins and minerals. In that category, sweet potatoes are a winner, though they actually contain the same amount of carbs.