There are some dishes that you just can’t pass up and gnocchi are it for me! They’re pillowy and delicious – true comfort food. Anyone else love them?
I’m totally a pasta girl. I grew up in a big, Italian family so I think it’s just part of my make up now 😛 As a nutritionist, I’m definitely not anti-pasta and you shouldn’t be either! We eat pasta at least once a week in our household. I love the simplicity and convenience of pasta dishes.
The trick, however, to incorporating pasta on a healthy diet is including a TON of veggies in the dish for extra FIBRE. This is KEY and can’t be overlooked. Veggies help slow the release of the sugars from the carbs in the pasta, helping to stabilize blood sugar levels. You also want to look for gluten-free varieties or even bean or legume based pastas which are loaded with fibre and some protein – these are going to be MUCH healthier than your average white pasta. Also, be sure to include quality, healthy fats like extra virgin olive oil, ghee or grass-fed butter. Skip the heavy cream sauces and all the cheese (or at the very least, opt for an organic or raw cheese if you can find it) and instead use a pesto or sugar-free marinara sauce.
I’m always on the hunt for new pastas that are gluten-free or have a serving of veggies in them. I’ve also tried a number of packaged, gluten-free gnocchi but they definitely pale in comparison to a homemade version. It really boils down to texture and taste.
My mission was to replicate a traditional homemade gnocchi recipe but ensure that it was gluten-free and whole foods based. I wanted to cut some of the white potato with some sweet potato just to boost some of the nutrients in the dish. I also purchased them organic so that I could use the skins in the recipe. Not only does this save time with preparation but the skin is where most of the nutrition lives – HUGE BONUS here!
This version is awesome because once the gnocchi are made, there’s no boiling involved. Just pan fry them until golden brown and that’s literally it! This recipe also only uses 3 main ingredients for the gnocchi. It’s simple and healthy without compromising on texture or flavour.
Best part – you can whip these up anytime! No need need to reserve them specially for the weekend because the method we’re using cuts down on prep time.
Of course, you can adapt this recipe to suit your dietary preferences:
Dairy-free? Use a red pasta sauce or pesto instead of the brown butter sauce. More protein? Add some crispy organic bacon or prosciutto or if you’re plant-based sprinkle with 3 Tbsp hemp hearts for about 10g of protein. Use what you have: If you don’t like brussels sprouts or don’t have any at home, this recipe would also suit broccoli, rapini or cauliflower. Use what you have!
- 5 small russet potatoes, chopped
- 1 large sweet potato, chopped
- 2 pounds Brussel Sprouts, quartered
- 4 Tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 3/4-1 cup all purpose gluten-free flour
- 5 Tbsp grass-fed butter
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 6-8 sage leaves
- sea salt and fresh black pepper
- Broccoli micro greens (optional)
- Preheat oven to 425F.
- Wash and chop potatoes into 3 cm chunks, leaving the skin on.
- Boil in salted water for 12 minutes or until fork tender.
- In the meantime prep the brussels sprouts by removing the outer leaves and trimming the stem. Then halve or quarter them and give them a rinse. Toss them in 2 Tbsp olive oil, garlic powder, sea salt and pepper. Lay them on a parchment lined cookie tray and roast for 15-20 minutes.
- When the potatoes are done, strain them into a colander and let them sit for 2 minutes to
- steam. Return them to the pot and mash with sea salt and pepper. Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly.
- Place the mashed potatoes out onto a clean surface. Using your hands scrunch the mixture
- into a ball with 3/4 cup all purpose gluten-free flour. You may need to use a whole cup but use your judgment. If the dough is too wet, add more flour.
- Cut dough into 4’s and roll out into long tubes using your hands. Using a scraper (or knife), rustically cut the tube/dough into gnocchi shapes.
- Make the brown butter sauce by adding grass-fed butter to a pan on medium low heat.
- When it begins to bubble, add chopped garlic and allow it to sauté for a minute. Then add chopped sage leaves. When butter starts to brown, remove it from the heat.
- In a large frying pan over medium low heat add in 2 Tbsp olive oil and pan fry the gnocchi until they get golden brown on each side.
- Remove and serve with brown butter and sage sauce, a generous serving of brussels sprouts and broccoli micro greens if you’d like.
Did this change how you feel about pasta? Do you feel better avoiding it altogether? Super curious about you have to say on this topic. Share below!
