If you love traditional gnocchi but are on a keto diet or low carb diet then it’s a no no because it’s made with a mixture of flour and cooked potatoes so is much too high in carbs. The good news it that this tasty keto gnocchi recipe is a really good substitute.
This low carb and gluten free version of the dish is easy enough to make at home and tastes almost like the real thing! So if you have cravings for gnocchi now that you’re on the keto diet, here’s a keto gnocchi recipe that you might want to give a try.
Asparagus for good health
This recipe calls for asparagus which is a low carb vegetable and full of vital nutrients. It is known as a detox veg as it contains glutathione, an amino acid, which is used by the liver for the detoxification of toxic chemicals from our bodies. Glutathione is also an important antioxidant.
If you love asparagus you can get some low carb asparagus recipes and find out more about the health benefits of asparagus in this post >>Healthy Asparagus Recipes For Keto
Eat the healthiest foods
I have, as usual, tweaked the recipe to make it even healthier. I think that when you are on a low carb or keto diet to improve your health then it’s best to eat the healthiest foods possible.
I’ve suggested organic or at least free range eggs and it’s preferable to use the zest from an organic lemon because regular ones may be tainted with pesticide residue even though they are not on EWG’s Dirty Dozen List. Hard to clean off!
Now for the recipe from Bobby of FlavCity whose motto is “Making healthy food that actually tastes good!” Don’t be put off by the length of the directions It may take a bit of time but it will be well worth it in the end. The dish is truly yummy!
Keto Gnocchi Recipe
Ingredients
Serves 2
Gnocchi:
• 2 cups of finely shredded full-fat mozzarella
• 2 organic eggs
• 2 tsp. gluten-free baking powder
• 3 slices of prosciutto
• 1.5 cups almond flour, blanched
• ½ tsp. Himalayan salt
• 12 oz. good quality asparagus
• Avocado oil
Pesto sauce:
• 1 cup fresh basil
• 1 cup Italian flat leaf parsley
• 1/3 cup roasted pecans
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• ¼ teaspoon Himalayan Salt
• 2 garlic cloves
• Couple cracks of fresh pepper
• Zest of an organic lemon
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
Directions
1. For the gnocchi, begin by beating the eggs in a bowl. Add the Himalayan salt and baking powder. Mix well and add the grated cheese. Use a spatula to combine the ingredients together and then add the almond flour. Mix well.
2. Using your hands, continue mixing the dough for up to two minutes. It’s very important that you mix the cheese and almond flour well so they will be incorporated fully. Leave the dough to rest for 20 min.
3. After 20 min, divide the dough into four pieces. Then add a bit of almond flour on a cutting board. Roll each piece of dough on the board and form them into a shape similar to a long sausage. The dough should be around 1/4-inch thick.
4. Use a sharp knife to cut through the dough to produce the gnocchi. Each piece of dough should be around 3/4-inch thick. Roll each piece tightly into a shape similar to a football in order to produce the gnocchi. Repeat the same steps for the remaining dough and place them on a platter. Freeze for about 15-20 minutes. They can be kept frozen for up to two months. They must be frozen before cooking them in boiling water.
5. To prepare the pesto sauce, place the pecans in a food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients except for the olive oil and cheese. Blend everything together for up to 15 seconds until they produce a smooth texture.
6. Add the cheese and process again for 10 seconds. Turn off the machine and taste the sauce. It might need more lemon juice or cheese. If you find the consistency to be very dry, add 2 – 4 tbsp. of oil while the food processor is running.
7. To make crispy prosciutto, pre-heat a large non-stick pan. You’ll use this same pan to cook the gnocchi later. After heating the pan, add the sliced prosciutto and cook until both sides are crispy. Set aside.
8. Bring a big pot of water to a boil to cook the asparagus. Make sure you snap off the bottom woody end of the asparagus before cooking. Season water with 2 tsp. salt and cook for about a minute. Remove the asparagus but don’t drain the water. Plunge the asparagus into ice-cold water, drain and set aside.
9. Now it’s time to cook the gnocchi using the same pot of water that you used for the asparagus. Work in four batches to ensure that the gnocchi is cooked evenly and will not get broken up. Make sure the water isn’t boiling or the gnocchi will fall apart. It should just have a bare simmer.
10. Preheat the pan you used for the prosciutto over medium-high heat and add 2 tsp. of avocado oil. Place a strainer in the water and add 1/4 of the gnocchi. Cook for 30 seconds, then drain and then place in the hot pan with the oil. Carefully cook for 2 min until it produces a nice golden texture on both sides. Transfer the gnocchi to a plate and keep warm. Repeat the same process for the rest of the gnocchi.
11. Once all the gnocchi is cooked, return them to the pan over low heat. Add the pesto sauce and toss to coat for about 30 seconds.
12. Serve the gnocchi along with the crispy prosciutto and sliced asparagus. Enjoy!
Here’s the video demo of the recipe:
Image by FlavCity.
