Paleo Sweet Potato Gnocchi Recipe (2024)

By Laura

Posted Sep 19, 2016, Updated Oct 09, 2022

5 from 11 votes

57 Comments

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Paleo Sweet Potato Gnocchi Recipe! Made with only 6 ingredients this delicious homemade pasta is gluten-free, grain-free & dairy-free. It’s boiled then browned in olive oil for an extra special, rich flavor and perfect texture.

Paleo Sweet Potato Gnocchi Recipe (2)

Clearly, fall has arrived here at JoyFoodSunshine!This Paleo Sweet Potato Gnocchi recipe is a meal that everyone in my family absolutely adores. From my sweet Naomi all the way to my meat-and-potatoes husband, no one even notices the fact that there is no meat involved when I bring this gnocchi to the table.

I have made many varieties of gnocchi over the years. However, this paleo version has me so giddy I can’t wait to share it with you.

It only takes 6 ingredients to make this delicious and nutritious Paleo Sweet Potato Gnocchi, however there are a number of (easy) steps involved in the gnocchi-making process, so I thought we’d walk through it together.

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Paleo Sweet Potato Gnocchi: Ingredients & Substitutions

Here are a few notes about this recipe!

  • Sweet potatoes.regular potatoes, purple sweet potatoes, and even butternut squash can be substituted for the sweet potatoes in this recipe.
  • Almond flour.I don’t recommend messing with the flours, however I imagine all-purpose gluten-free flour would work in place of both the almond & tapioca flours, however I’m guessing you would need less than four cups.
  • Tapioca flour.Cornstarch or arrowroot starch can be used in place of tapioca flour/starch.

How to make Paleo Sweet Potato Gnocchi

Step 1: Make the Dough

Start by baking and mashing the sweet potatoes. Add the egg and dry ingredients and mix until a dough is formed. This dough will be different than the traditional gnocchi dough, as it is a bit tacky and sticky. Do not be worried if the dough is sticky, that is totally normal!

However, the stickiness makes it a tad messy to work with. So, you will need extra tapioca flour to roll out your gnocchi. Coat your work surface and your hands with flour as you form the gnocchi.

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Step 2. Make the Gnocchi (No Rolling)!

Due to the sticky nature of this dough, wewill not be rolling it out into logs. Instead simply take about 2 tsp of dough at a time and it roll it into balls with your hands. (I personally do this anyway even with regular gnocchi dough, because I like round gnocchi and it saves me a step).

Once thegnocchi is rolled, use a fork (dipping it in more tapioca flour), to make the cute little ridges on the gnocchi.

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Step 3. Let it rest.

Let the gnocchi sit for at least 20 minutes and for up to6hours (if you want to make it ahead of time). This gives thePaleo Sweet Potato Gnocchi to become firmer.

How to Freeze Paleo Sweet Potato Gnocchi

At this point the gnocchi can be frozen. Simply flour a large baking sheet and evenly space the gnocchi on it, then toss it in the freezer. Once the gnocchi is frozen, remove it from the baking sheet and place it in an airtight, freezer-friendly container.

Cooking Paleo Sweet Potato Gnocchi Frozen

To cook frozen gnocchi simply follow the same steps below for boiling and browning. Just be aware that putting frozen gnocchi into a pot of boiling water will cause the temperature to drop (and therefore cause the water to stop boiling). It will take longer to cook the gnocchi from frozen, but not much (maybe 5-6 minutes instead of 2-4).

Step 4. Boil

Next, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook until the gnocchi floats to the top. I use a slotted/skimmer spoon like this one to remove the floating gnocchi from the boiling water and transfer them to a strainer. ThePaleo Sweet Potato Gnocchi will cook very fast because it is so fresh, expect it to take only 2-4 minutes to float to the top.

Be sure to stir the gnocchi in the boiling water so it doesn’t stick together or to the bottom of the pan.

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Step 5: Brown!

Next comes the most important of all the steps….crisping the gnocchi! Sure, you can eat it without sautéing it in some delicious olive oil or butter (or a mixture), but why on earth would you do that when the crispy outside and chewy inside takes this Paleo Sweet Potato Gnocchirecipe up 1,000,000 notches (not that I’m exaggerating).

Heat your oil, butter or ghee (I use half butter half olive oil) over medium heat and add one layerof gnocchi to your pan. Stir to coat with oil and cook on one side until it’s golden brown (about 10 minutes). Flip and cook on the other side.

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Step 6: Serve the Paleo Sweet Potato Gnocchi

Serve this Paleo Sweet Potato Gnocchi with some roasted veggies (below are parmesan roasted red and green peppers, YUM) and your favorite pasta sauce. This dish truly is the perfect meatless Monday meal option that even non-veggie folkswill enjoy!

Serving Sizefor Paleo Sweet Potato Gnocchi

This recipe feeds my family of 5 (and my baby can EAT) perfectly. I remember the days when I could freeze half the batch and save it for later….not so anymore. But if you aren’t cooking for a small army of little people and one giant person, this gnocchi freezes beautifully (as mentioned above).

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Recipe FAQs

Is sweet potato gnocchi healthy?

Yes! The sweet potato is filled with many good vitamins for your body.

Is gnocchi supposed to be chewy?

Gnocchi should be soft, not chewy or hard.

Why is my gnocchi dough so sticky?

If you have added the egg, it might have been over-incorporated. Try using a sifter to deliver the flour gradually.

How long should you boil gnocchi?

2-4 minutes until it floats to the top.

More Delicious Recipes

  • Try Cheesy Sausage Gnocchi & Homemade Potato Gnocchi recipes.
  • Yum! We love this Pasta Primavera Recipe.
  • This is a group soup to try Chicken Noodle Soup especially in the winter.
  • We adore this Spaghetti Squash Mac and Cheese.
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Paleo Sweet Potato Gnocchi Recipe (10)

Paleo Sweet Potato Gnocchi Recipe (11)

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Paleo Sweet Potato Gnocchi

Laura

Paleo Sweet Potato Gnocchi Recipe! Made with only 6 ingredients this delicious homemade pasta is gluten-free, grain-free & dairy-free! It’s boiled then browned in olive oil for an extra special, rich flavor and perfect texture!

5 from 11 votes

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings 32 oz (8 servings)

Calories 344

Prep Time30 minutes minutes

Cook Time5 minutes minutes

Total Time2 hours hours 35 minutes minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

To cook sweet potato:

  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

  • Pierce two medium/large sweet potatoes all over with a fork.

  • Wrap potatoes separately in aluminum foil.

  • Place on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 60-90 minutes, depending on the size of your potatoes. Potatoes are done when they are soft to the touch.

  • Remove from oven, open aluminum foil and let potatoes cool completely.

Making the Gnocchi:

  • Put 2 cups of mashed sweet potato into a large mixing bowl.

  • Add egg and beat well.

  • In a separate, smaller bowl mix together tapioca flour, almond flour and salt.

  • Add dry ingredients to sweet potato/egg mixture and mix until combined. Your dough will still be slightly tacky.

  • Spread large work surface with extra tapioca flour. Roll dough into a ball and let sit in the flour for about 20-30 minutes.

  • Coat your hands in tapioca flour and roll dough into balls (I use about 2 tsp dough for each gnocchi, but it is up to you to determine how large or small you want them to be)!

  • Set rolled balls on floured surface and continue until you use all your dough.

  • Dip a small fork in tapioca flour and lightly press on each gnocchi on one side to give it the “ridged” look!

  • Set gnocchi aside for at least 20 minutes, but for up to 5 hours (if you’re making the dough ahead)

  • ***At this step you can freeze the gnocchi! Simply put the uncooked gnocchi on a floured baking tray and pop them in the freezer for at least 3 hours. Remove from tray and put in a plastic bag.

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add half of the gnocchi to the boiling water to form a single layer in the pot. Stir the gnocchi to be sure that they do not stick to the bottom of the pot.

  • Once the gnocchi floats to the top of the water (after about 2-3 minutes), use a slotted spoon to remove gnocchi from the pot into a strainer.

  • After all gnocchi have been removed, add the rest of the batch and repeat.

Crisping the Gnocchi:

  • Add 2 TBS of your cooking oil/butter to a large sauté pan. Melt/warm over medium heat. Add ½ of your batch of gnocchi and stir to coat with oil.

  • Cook gnocchi on one side for about 5-10 minutes until golden-brown.

  • Flip and cook another 3-5 minutes on the second side until golden brown.

  • Repeat with the rest of your gnocchi.

  • Serve with your favorite sauce and some roasted veggies!

  • ***To Cook frozen gnocchi:

  • Do NOT thaw. Simply add gnocchi to boiling water and boil until it floats to the surface.

Notes

Ingredient Substitution

  • Sweet potatoes.regular potatoes, purple sweet potatoes, and even butternut squash can be substituted for the sweet potatoes in this recipe.
  • Almond flour.I don’t recommend messing with the flours, however I imagine all-purpose gluten-free flour would work in place of both the almond & tapioca flours, however I’m guessing you would need less than four cups.
  • Tapioca flour.Cornstarch or arrowroot starch can be used in place of tapioca flour/starch.

Storage

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 4oz | Calories: 344kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 7.8g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 1.7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2.7g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 291mg | Potassium: 247mg | Fiber: 4.7g | Sugar: 4.3g | Vitamin A: 3050IU | Vitamin C: 9.9mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 1.7mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you enjoy this recipe? Have a question? Leave a comment below!

That’s all she wrote folks! This week is a busy one for us! We have family pictures tomorrow night (so grateful for our amazing photographer), and a few other things on the schedule that just add up!

Question: Have you ever madehomemade gnocchi? What’s your favoritekind? What does your week look like this week?

The links in this post are affiliate links, thank you for supporting JoyFoodSunshine.

Paleo Sweet Potato Gnocchi Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is Sweet Potato allowed in 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.

Why is my sweet potato gnocchi dough sticky? ›

If dough is too sticky, add more flour and knead it in. I like to knead my gnocchi dough until it is fairly stiff — this part is up to you. I prefer a somewhat toothsome gnocchi, but if you want yours to be lighter in texture, knead just until your dough resembles pizza dough.

How do you cook gnocchi so it is not mushy? ›

Always bake potatoes in their skins to make gnocchi from. It removes maximum moisture from the potato. Don't bake them in advance as you need to use them as soon as they come out of the oven. Juggling hot potatoes is not easy but if you leave them to cool the starch changes and your gnocchi will be inedible.

What should you not do when making gnocchi? ›

Don't overwork the dough: When making gnocchi dough, it's important not to overwork it. Overworking the dough can make the gnocchi tough and chewy. Mix the ingredients together just until the dough comes together, and then stop mixing! You're not kneading bread here.

Why is rice not paleo? ›

Strict paleo dieters exclude all grains from their diets — including rice — primarily due to their high phytate content. Although it's technically prohibited, many people still consume small amounts of white rice while following a paleo diet because it's lower in phytates, compared with other types.

Can you drink coffee on paleo? ›

While we have said in the past that coffee is not Paleo, we have changed our position based on new research and now we believe that coffee is fine for most people.

What is the best flour for gnocchi? ›

Italian flour

Plus, it has too much protein: High-protein wheat results in chewy gnocchi. If you want to be true to Italian gnocchi, look for imported Italian flour marked "00 tenero," which is milled from soft wheat with a low protein content.

Why is my sweet potato gnocchi tough? ›

Tip: don't over-knead the dough. Over-kneading will develop the gluten in the flour, making the sweet potato gnocchi overly chewy and tough.

How do you make sweet potato gnocchi less sticky? ›

Here comes the thing… As long as it's really soft and sticky, like a potato mash, you need to add flour. Keep adding flour. There's lots of water in the boiled sweet potatoes, so you don't need to add liquid.

Why is gnocchi so expensive? ›

does take a bit of time to make, not because the. ingredients are expensive. They're potatoes.

Why is my gnocchi gummy after cooking? ›

It is very easy to add too much flour to gnocchi dough, which can make these dumplings glutinous, gummy, and sticky. If you dump all of the flour into your gnocchi dough at once, you won't have the same texture as a gnocchi that has just enough flour to bring it together.

Why did my gnocchi fall apart when boiling? ›

Gnocchi can disintegrate for a few reasons. You might not have added enough flour or egg, or you may have overboiled them.

Why put egg in gnocchi? ›

Egg yolk added to your gnocchi dough helps improve texture, and keep it together while cooking. Gnocchi is traditionally made with eggs in Veneto and no eggs in Piedmont, the two Northern Italian regions famous for gnocchi. We vote for egg yolks at the rate of 1 per (500g) 1 lb of uncooked potatoes used.

Is it better to boil or bake potatoes for gnocchi? ›

The secret to the lightest, most tender potato gnocchi is to bake the potatoes instead of boiling them. A baked potato is dryer than one that has been boiled, which means you avoid having to add more flour to the dough to account for excess moisture, a practice that leads to over-kneaded, tough gnocchi.

What are the best potatoes for gnocchi? ›

I find baking potatoes to be dry and floury. My favorite potatoes for gnocchi are Yukon gold or other yellow potatoes. They have a rich, buttery flavor and a creamy, fluffy texture. Flour: A judicious amount of unbleached all-purpose flour helps to turn the potatoes into dough.

What potatoes are allowed on paleo diet? ›

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.

What potatoes are best for paleo? ›

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.

What vegetables are not allowed on the paleo diet? ›

These are beans, lentils, and peas. Legumes are not paleo because they were only introduced into the human diet about 5,000 to 7,000 years ago. Legumes are difficult to digest and can contain unhealthy fats.

Are sweet potatoes low inflammatory? ›

Purple-fleshed sweet potatoes are thought to contain super-high levels of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents. As these substances pass through your system, they balance out free radicals -- chemicals that harm your cells.

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