Gnocchi, the pillowy potato dumplings, are a beloved comfort food enjoyed worldwide. While traditionally made with potatoes, the versatility of gnocchi dough allows for a variety of vegetable substitutions, creating unique and flavorful variations. This guide explores the world of vegetable gnocchi, providing insights on suitable vegetables, preparation techniques, and tips for achieving the perfect texture and flavor.
Suitable Vegetables for Gnocchi
Not all vegetables are created equal when it comes to making gnocchi. The ideal candidates possess a sturdy texture and a rich flavor that can hold their own against the dough. Here are some excellent choices:
- Starchy Root Vegetables: These include sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, and denser squashes like butternut or pumpkin. Their high starch content contributes to a gnocchi texture similar to the classic potato version.
- Lesser-Known Root Vegetables: Parsnip, gilfeather turnip, and salsify offer a unique twist on gnocchi, adding a touch of earthiness and complexity to the dish.
- Sturdy Vegetables: Broccoli and cauliflower, with their dense and dry nature, also work well in gnocchi, providing a satisfying bite.
Preparation Techniques
Roasting: Roasting vegetables is the preferred method for gnocchi preparation. It eliminates excess moisture, concentrates flavor, and creates a smooth mash for the dough. Simply lay the vegetables on a baking sheet and roast until tender, without any seasoning or oil.
Mashing: Once roasted, the vegetables are mashed using a potato masher, vegetable ricer, or food processor. Aim for a rough mash with some texture, avoiding overly smooth consistency.
Cooking Down the Mash: To further reduce moisture and intensify flavor, the vegetable mash is cooked down in a skillet or saucepan. Stir occasionally and season with salt to taste.
Assembling the Dough: The ideal gnocchi dough ratio is two parts vegetable mash, one part ricotta cheese, and one part all-purpose flour. Start with 100 grams of vegetable mash for each serving of gnocchi you desire.
Adding Ricotta Cheese: Use a kitchen scale to measure the ricotta cheese, starting with 100 grams for every 200 grams of vegetable mash. Drain excess moisture from the ricotta by placing it on paper towels.
Incorporating Flour: Gradually add the flour to the ricotta-vegetable mash mixture, starting with a spoon and then using your hands to knead the dough. Aim for a bouncy and tender consistency.
Forming the Gnocchi: Roll a piece of dough into a long rope, approximately ⅓-inch in diameter. Cut the rope into ¾-inch pieces and use your fingertips to smooth out the edges.
Boiling the Gnocchi: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and gently drop the gnocchi in. Once they float to the surface, cook for 1½ to 2 minutes before transferring them to a plate or baking sheet.
Finishing Touches: Gnocchi can be sauced in various ways, such as pesto, marinara, or creamy cheese sauces. For a crispy texture, sauté the cooked gnocchi in a pan with butter and herbs like rosemary, sage, or thyme.
Tips for Perfect Vegetable Gnocchi
- Choose the right vegetables: Opt for sturdy, starchy vegetables with rich flavor.
- Roast for optimal texture and flavor: Roasting eliminates excess moisture and concentrates flavor.
- Use a kitchen scale for accuracy: Precise measurements ensure the perfect dough consistency.
- Don’t overwork the dough: Keep the kneading time minimal to avoid tough gnocchi.
- Cook the gnocchi gently: Avoid overcrowding the pot and cook until they float to the surface.
- Experiment with different sauces and toppings: Explore various flavor combinations to find your favorites.
Vegetable gnocchi offers a delightful and versatile alternative to the classic potato version. By substituting potatoes with various vegetables, you can create unique flavor profiles and textures, adding a fresh twist to your culinary repertoire. With the right techniques and a little creativity, you can enjoy delicious and satisfying gnocchi made from the bounty of your garden or local market.
How to Make this Easy 3 Ingredient Sweet Potato Gnocchi
Here’s how this works. The sweet potatoes are baked until they’re fully cooked through and then left to sit until they’re cool enough to hold. They’re then mashed (the proper way to do this is to use a potato ricer) into a flour/ salt mixture. If you don’t have a potato ricer, you can instead just mash the sweet potato in a large bowl with a fork. You just want to make sure that it very mashed with little to no lumps left in it.
There’s really no other way to do this, so use your hands to mash the mixture together (pardon the technical terms) and add flour as needed to form a nice ball of dough.
In order to make everything easier to work with, I first cut mine into quarters and then, eventually, eighths. After that, it is rolled into long, half-inch-thick pieces, which are then cut into tiny, one-inch-long pieces.
It may seem time-consuming, but it only takes a few more minutes to thoroughly coat each individual piece of gnocchi in flour, as I have found to be the best method.
I used one of these seemingly fancy gnocchi board because I wanted to be official but really it’s not necessary. You could either create grooves with a fork OR not worry with them at all. The grooves are designed to trap in the flavor of whatever yummy sauce you toss your potato balls in.
The gnocchi can be cooked immediately by dropping it into some boiling water for a few minutes and removing it with a slotted spoon once it starts to float to the top. That’s pretty much it! OR you can freeze it or store it in the refrigerator to save for a later time. While you’re at it, I advise preparing a large batch and storing some for a leisurely dinner later. Future you will be so happy that you did!.
Again, I’m not sure why gnocchi isn’t a more popular dish—look at how simple that is! It’s SO YUMMY!.
While Stephen enjoys his gnocchi with pasta sauce, my favorite way to eat them is toss them in some melted butter or oil, along with some fresh herbs and additional salt and pepper. Mmmmmmmmmmm.
Do yourself a favor and make some gnocchi ASAP 🙂
There are two reasons why roasting is the ideal method for cooking veggies for gnocchi. Initially, you should try to remove as much moisture as you can because the less flour you need to add to make the dough, the drier your vegetable mash will be. (More flour means denser, less flavorful dumplings. Secondly, you want to use as much of the vegetable’s flavor as possible so that it comes through in the finished gnocchi. Brioza claims that if you don’t take precautions to maintain the flavor of your carrots, for instance, “you’ll end up with a bunch of plain orange balls.” ”.
At Faro, Adey says, “We run very few potato gnocchi. Rather, they stick to the less popular member of the root vegetable family: salsify, parsnip, and gilfeather turnip are all excellent options. The sturdy and dry qualities of cauliflower and broccoli also withstand the test well.
Chef and owner of Faro in Brooklyn, Kevin Adey, says that you can make a variety of gnocchi preparations by substituting other vegetables for potatoes. “Gnocchi alla romana, which are made with semolina, or gnocchi à la Parisienne, which are made like choux pastry, could be used with almost anything,” he says. But the easiest and most reliable recipe, which I’ve used repeatedly, is a cross between traditional potato gnocchi and ricotta gnocchi; all you need is vegetables, ricotta cheese, and all-purpose flour. Continue reading to learn how to make homemade gnocchi (or any other sturdy, starchy vegetable you like) using this method.
To absorb some of the excess moisture, scoop more ricotta than you believe you’ll need (you can always return any extra to the container) and place it between several layers of paper towels. Since you have the dry vegetable mash on your side, you don’t need to worry too much about this. True ricotta gnocchi, which are simply made of cheese, eggs, and flour, call for a little more work here since they need to wring out the majority of the liquid.
Not that gnocchi is a bad thing—quite the opposite. Soft, doughy dumplings that comfort like little else, they’re perfect for when I need a distinctly pleasurable dinner experience, often to counteract a non-pleasant day. A few bites are enough to right the ship: chewy, tender, filling, and bad vibe erasing. (Gnocchi is also the name of my parents dog, so the word on a menu alone fills me with love for a dumb, fluffy creature.)
Watch THIS before you make potato gnocchi
FAQ
What is a substitute for potato gnocchi?
What is the difference between potato gnocchi and regular gnocchi?
Can you replace gnocchi with pasta?
What is a good substitute for potato gnocchi?
Carrot gnocchi can be served with a variety of sauces such as pesto or tomato sauce. It makes an excellent substitute for potato gnocchi because it’s lighter in texture and has fewer calories than traditional potato gnocchi. Additionally, it provides more vitamins A and C than potatoes do.
What are the best substitute for shallot?
The best substitute for a shallot would be something with a similar taste and cooking properties. The first thing that comes to mind is a red onion, although this might have a stronger flavour than a shallot, it might be the closest you can get. Other options would be any other type of onion, either white, sweet, or yellow.
Can gnocchi be made from potatoes?
Though many recipes for gnocchi use potato as the base, a number of vegetables can be used to create the same enjoyable texture. In fact, when making gnocchi at home, turning to whatever sturdy produce is languishing in your fridge is a great place to start.
Can you have long pasta as a gnocchi substitute?
Yes, it is possible to have long pasta as a gnocchi substitute. However, this does not mean that it comes with fillings of any sort. You would have to pair your replacement with any ingredient you desire to make a filling for your pasta.