Cauliflower Gnocchi (Trader Joe’s Copycat!)

If you’ve been surfing the web for popular food trends lately, you’ve probably come across people raving about Trader Joe’s frozen cauliflower gnocchi. The product has the texture of those pillowy potato dumplings, but it’s been improved—this version has more veggies and no gluten.

Cooks (myself included) love it because you can satisfy your carb cravings without the wheat while sneaking in an extra helping of veggies.

What are cauliflower gnocchi?

Gnocchi are a delicious Italian dumpling traditionally made with flaky baked red potatoes, flour and eggs. The tender, melt-in-the-mouth texture is often tossed in a savory tomato sauce or creamy béchamel sauce.

A gluten free homemade option that matches the original dining experience has been missing!

This copycat recipe uses simple ingredients like cauliflower florets, potato starch, cassava flour, and olive oil to recreate the flavor and texture of the popular TJ product.

The ingredients also make it suitable for those on a gluten-free, Paleo, or Whole30 diet.

As you might have guessed, the gnocchi have a slight cauliflower flavor that gets stronger when simply cooked and eaten. However, searing the gnocchi after cooking changes the taste. The light browning of the surface creates a new nutty aroma that softens the cauliflower taste. This is great if you don’t plan on topping the cauliflower gnocchi with sauce.

I highly recommend browning the gnocchi in olive oil as it creates a texture contrast. Their teeth break through a crusty outer layer, then the soft and tough cores dissolve with each bite.

I found the store-bought product to have a slightly sticky and soft texture that doesn’t really hold its shape after cooking. Instead of flattened blobs, this copycat gnocchi recipe better keeps its cylindrical appearance for a prettier pasta.

The ingredients for cauliflower gnocchi

This copycat recipe has just five ingredients:

• cauliflower florets
• potato starch
• cassava flour
• olive oil
• Salt

About the potato starch and cassava flour

Potato starch and arrowroot powder help hold the cauliflower puree together. This allows the gnocchi to be mixed, shaped, cut and cooked. I use potato starch from Bob’s Red Mill and cassava flour from Otto’s Naturals, the latter being Paleo certified.

If you’ve never used cassava flour, it’s made from the whole yuca root (cassava) that’s ground into a grain-free and gluten-free flour. It is used in this recipe (and many other wheat recipes) as a 1:1 substitute for wheat flour. It’s more expensive compared to other strengths and harder to find in regular grocery stores, but I was able to easily get it online from Amazon or Whole Foods.

Adding a little olive oil to the batter keeps the gnocchi tender instead of rubbery. The oil coats some of the starches and prevents them from becoming too tightly bound together after cooking. Sea salt seasons the gnocchi.

If you can’t find cassava flour

I also tested a budget-friendly version using potato starch and arrowroot starch/flour from Bob’s Red Mill. Use this substitute if you’re having trouble finding (or affording) cassava flour.

Simply replace the cassava flour with 1/4 cup of arrowroot powder and increase the amount of potato starch to 1/2 cup.

The texture is a bit tougher due to the higher amount of starch and may stick together more when pan fried. However, it is a tasty alternative.

How to make cauliflower gnocchi

The first step is to steam the cauliflower florets.

Then you need to remove as much moisture as possible by pressing the florets in cheesecloth. Squeezing out the moisture now will help the dumplings hold their shape better as they cook. It also avoids having to add more starch to absorb the excess liquid, which would make the gnocchi overly rubbery and chewy.

Then puree the cauliflower with olive oil and salt in a food processor.

Mix the puree with the potato and cassava flour and knead lightly until just incorporated. The sticky starch makes the gnocchi easy to roll, cut and shape into small tubes.

I like to add some design and texture to my gnocchi, so I used a gnocchi board I bought in Italy over a decade ago. I’m happy to finally be able to put it to good use! You can just as easily use the back of a fork or just leave your gnocchi alone.

Finally, boil the dumplings so that they are cooked – after about three minutes they will float to the surface of the water. If you want to take the flavor to the next level, toss them in a hot pan with some olive oil and let them get golden and crispy.

Save and freeze cauliflower gnocchi

Once cooked, the gnocchi can be stored in an airtight container for 5 days. Heat in a microwave-safe bowl or oiled skillet until heated through.

You can also freeze the uncooked dumplings for later use. Simply spread them out in a single layer on a parchment-lined sheet pan, freeze until set, then place in a resealable plastic bag for storage.

Frozen gnocchi will keep for about a month. You don’t have to defrost it: just boil it and you’re done!

Ways to use cauliflower gnocchi

Here are some ideas for turning your cauliflower gnocchi into a meal!

• Make this recipe for gnocchi with creamy sun-dried tomato sauce!
• Replace the pasta in minestrone or pasta e fagioli with cooked gnocchi.
• Instead of elbows, make gnocchi, macaroni and cheese, or make a hot and bubbly cheese casserole with breadcrumbs on top.
• Toss the gnocchi in a simple marinara sauce, a creamy sauce made with sun-dried tomatoes, topped with pesto or a little olive oil, lemon juice, and fresh herbs.
• Go gourmet and prepare gnocchi with browned butter and sage.

Are you getting hungry yet? I know my mouth is watering!

More gnocchi recipes to try

• gnocchi
• pumpkin gnocchi
• Spinach and ricotta gnocchi