Posted Sep 19, 2016, Updated Jul 14, 2024 This paleo sweet potato gnocchi is a delicious homemade pasta, perfect for fall! It only takes 6 ingredients to make this recipe, then the sweet potato gnocchi is boiled and browned in olive oil for a rich flavor and perfect texture. Serve it with homemade marinara sauce or pesto sauce for a delicious meal.
Paleo Sweet Potato Gnocchi: Ingredients & Substitutions
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
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.
Form the Paleo Sweet Potato Gnocchi (No Rolling)
Due to the sticky nature of this dough, we will 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 the gnocchi is rolled, use a fork (dipping it in more tapioca flour), to make the cute little ridges on the gnocchi.
Let the Gnocchi Rest
Let the almond flour sweet potato gnocchi sit for at least 20 minutes and for up to 6 hours (if you want to make it ahead of time). This gives the Paleo Sweet Potato Gnocchi to become firmer.
Boil the Paleo Sweet Potato Gnocchi
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. The Paleo 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.
Brown the Gnocchi
Next, brown the boiled gnocchi. You can eat it without sautéing it, however, browning it after boiling makes it taste amazing – with a crispy outside and soft center. Heat oil, butter or ghee over medium heat and add one layer of 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.
Serve
Serve this paleo sweet potato gnocchi with some roasted veggies and your favorite sauce like marinara or pesto.
Store
Store leftover cooked gnocchi in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.
Freeze
I suggest freezing this almond flour sweet potato gnocchi before cooking. To do this, lightly flour a large baking sheet and evenly space the gnocchi on it, then put 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 Frozen Gnocchi
To cook frozen paleo sweet potato gnocchi, follow the same steps listed int he recipe card 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 (5-6 minutes instead of 2-4). If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can see your creations!
