This fluffy homemade gluten-free gnocchi made with almond flour and roasted potatoes for the softest texture! Each bite is light, fluffy, flavorful, and stays together without being gummy. In this guide, you'll learn everything from what types of flour to use, the best types of potato for gnocchi, how to cook potatoes for gnocchi, how to shape the gnocchi, and how to cook and serve your gnocchi!
After many rounds of testing, I've created this ultimate guide to homemade gluten-free gnocchi will help you achieve fluffy pillowy gluten-free gnocchi that's neither chewy nor dense. In this guide, you'll learn everything from what types of flour I use, the best types of potato for gnocchi, how to cook potatoes for gnocchi and how to shape it. With these steps, you'll be able to achieve flavorful clouds of gluten-free gnocchi!
My main goal in developing a delicious gluten-free gnocchi recipe was ensuring that it was light, fluffy, flavorful, and stayed together without being gummy. And I was able to achieve that using a combination of blanched almond flour, tapioca flour, and sweet rice flour!
I recommend serving these pillowy bites simply pan-fried and tossed in fresh sage-infused brown butter sauce and a sprinkling of fresh parmesan. Simply fry the gnocchi alongside sage in plenty of butter and olive oil. Sometimes we even toss in crisped pancetta!
You can also toss boiled gnocchi in almond pesto, sunflower seed gouda pesto, or green goddess pesto), marinara, or a meaty sauce such as homemade ragu or bolognese.
If you want a fall variation, this recipe also works well with sweet potatoes and butternut squash, with just a few modifications. Check out my gluten-free sweet potato gnocchi recipe.
I found that almond flour kept the gnocchi from becoming too chewy or dense. However, alone it is too brittle and turned out gritty, falling apart in boiling water. That's why I add tapioca flour/starch and sweet rice flour to bind the gnocchi together. Sweet rice flour gives it the pliability reminiscent of traditional gnocchi, and tapioca flour adds loft and fluffiness.
Gnocchi doesn't require a lot of ingredients, but the key is to use yukon gold potatoes and the gluten-free flours I mention.
Yukon gold potatoes are the ideal potato for gluten-free gnocchi.
They are smooth creamy potatoes that are a combination of starchy and waxy. They're not mealy like russet potatoes, creating an ideal texture to hold the gnocchi together.
Why I roast whole potatoes for the best texture
The best, most authentic way to make homemade gnocchi is to roast the potatoes whole. Many recipes online call for boiling whole potatoes, but this is more likely to add too much moisture to your dough. Roasting them, on the other hand, will create a lighter, fluffier gnocchi dough because you won't have to knead in as much flour due to excess water.
When they're finished baking and cool enough to handle, half the potatoes, and run them cut-side down through a potato ricer. Remove the skin from the ricer and repeat with the remaining potatoes.
Recipe
Soft & Pillowy Gluten-Free Gnocchi
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs (roughly) medium yukon gold potatoes*
- 125 g (1 cup + 2 tablespoons) Bob's Red Mill super-fine blanched almond flour
- 63 g (½ cup + 1 tablespoon) Bob's Red Mill tapioca flour, plus more for rolling
- 40 g (¼ cup) sweet rice flour, also called mochiko; do not substitute white or brown rice flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large egg, whisked, room temperature
- 1 ounce (¼ cup) freshly grated parmesan cheese, optional
INSTRUCTIONS
Making the Gnocchi
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Pierce the potatoes a few times with a fork and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast for 45-60 minutes, depending on the size, until tender in the center when pierced with a knife. With the potatoes still hot, but cool enough to handle, half the potatoes, and run them cut-side down through a potato ricer. Remove the skin from the ricer and repeat with the remaining potatoes. Alternatively, scoop out the flesh and mash with a potato masher or fork until smooth. Measure 16oz of riced potatoes (2 cups). It's important that the potatoes are still warm as this will help the dough come together by beginning to cook the starches in the flour.
- While the potatoes roast, prepare the remaining ingredients. Sift together almond flour, tapioca flour, sweet rice flour, and salt. If using, mix in the parmesan (optional).
- To the measured riced potatoes, top with the whisked egg and the sifted dry ingredients. Mix with a silicone spatula until the dough is evenly combined and forms a ball. The dough should feel like a soft ball of mashed potatoes, but not be too soft and sticky to handle. Add up to 1 tablespoon more almond flour and/or tapioca flour as needed if the dough is too soft and sticky. Form the dough into a ball and dust it well with tapioca flour.
- Dust your work surface lightly with tapioca flour and turn the ball out onto your surface. Cut it into four pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope, about ½ to ¾-inch in diameter. Using a knife or a bench scraper, cut the rope into ¾ to 1-inch pieces. Roll each piece along a gnocchi board or the tines of a fork using your thumb and place gnocchi on a baking sheet dusted with tapioca flour (see pictures above).
- See below for how to store or cook gluten-free gnocchi.
Storing or Cooking Gnocchi
- Store potato gnocchi in a single layer in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Alternatively, place a small baking sheet with gnocchi in a single layer in the freezer for 15 minutes. Once firm, transfer the frozen gnocchi to a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 6 months. When ready to cook, drop frozen gnocchi straight into the boiling water without defrosting.
- To cook, you can simply boil and drain the gnocchi or boil and then pan-fry the gnocchi to crisp it up on the outside (this, do this). In batches, drop the gnocchi, in batches, into a pot of salted boiling water and cook until the gnocchi floats to the top, about 2 minutes. Note: overcrowding the gnocchi in the pot will cause the water temperature to rapidly drop and the gnocchi may not hold their shape before they cook all the way through. Either strain the gnocchi and top with your favorite sauce, or, if frying, melt a tablespoon each of butter and olive oil in a medium cast-iron or non-stick skillet over medium heat while the gnocchi boils. Use a slotted spoon to transfer boiled gnocchi to the hot skillet and fry, tossing, until browned on each side. Transfer to bowl and serve with favorite toppings or sauce. Tip: fry fresh sage in the butter alongside the gnocchi to infuse it with even more flavor!
Notes
How to Shape Gluten-Free Gnocchi
While optional, adding texture to the gnocchi helps trap sauce and flavor when cooked. And it looks pretty too!
- With a gnocchi board: If you can get your hands on a gnocchi board, this is the easiest quickest method. In one motion, use your thumb to gently press and roll the gnocchi down the board. As it rolls, it will create a little divet or crease that rolls up and lightly seals into a closed c-shape.
- With a fork: You can also use the tines of a large fork. Hold the fork upside down, and starting at the top of the tines, use your thumb or fingers to gently press and roll the gnocchi down the back of the fork.
Katherine -
Best potato gnocchi recipe I've tried!