Keto Gnocchi with Homemade Pesto - Recipe - Diet Doctor (2024)

47 comments

1. 1

   Monica

   April 30 2019

   Thanks Dietdoctor for sharing with yr heart. I’ve very high bad cholesterol. Is Keto Diet ok? Is Keto Pills harmful? Also, is oatmeal considered Carbo?

2. 2

   Carol

   May 2 2019

   As far as I know oatmeal is a high carb option.

3. 3

   Amanda

   May 3 2019

   Ketogenic diets are preferred in nearly all cases, from the years of research I have done. I am not a doctor, so the decision is yours to make.
   Keto 'pills' and other keto suplement products are not necessary, and may be detrimental.

   Oatmeal is very Carby.

4. 4

   Belinda

   May 3 2019

   I would recommend frying the gnocchi. I boiled them but they didn't keep their shape. Delicious recipe though!

   Reply: #8

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   Kathy

   May 9 2019

   I really want someone to make this for me. I think it would be delicious. Seems a bit complicated with the step where you have to squeeze the puréed cauliflower in a tea towel. I wonder if a nut bag would work to get the moisture out? I might opt for puréed cauliflower tonight with some saucy chicken to avoid all the extra steps. :) thanks for the recipe though, I might try it one day!

6. 6

   andrew

   May 9 2019

   Trying these tonight! To freeze would you boil them first or wait until you defrost them?

   Reply: #7

7. 7

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   Reply to comment #6 by andrew

   Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor

   May 10 2019

   Trying these tonight! To freeze would you boil them first or wait until you defrost them?

   You may wish to freeze them before boiling, but we have not experimented with that either way.

8. 8

   Reply to comment #4 by Belinda

   Jany

   May 15 2019

   I tried this recipe tonight, so easy to do! But, so disappointing to see the result once cooked in the boiling water, I cooked them just a minute, but they were all melted. The taste was extraordinary. Next time I just fry them for a few minutes in olive oil. I hope I will have better results.

9. 9

   Kasia

   May 18 2019

   I fried them and managed to keep sort of a shape. Very cheesy, I wish there was more cauliflower in it and less cheese.

10. 10

    Allisa Finch

    May 26 2019

    What sort of "shredded cheese" are y'all using for this? Something mild and white, like a white cheddar? Or just more parmesan?

11. 11

    Tatjana

    June 3 2019

    Tried it tonight. Prepared evening before, stored in fridge. I gave gently boiling a try but they very quickly began to dissolve and frying made it worse and melted them. So you end up with a nice tasting blob of what is supposed to be gnocchi. There is room for improvement.

12. 12

    Dawn

    June 9 2019

    I found these incredibly fiddly and difficult to make... they lost their shape in the boiling and simply became mush. I love the diet doctor recipes but I won’t ever be making this one again... sorry- it just was too difficult for me.

13. 13

    Sarah

    June 11 2019

    I found the same thing they completely disintegrated in the water so I will flatten and fry next time. They tasted lovely though, rich and cheesy!

14. 14

    Ally

    June 18 2019

    I had the same experience-after all that work they disintegrated when they went into the water. Second batch I fried in a skillet in hot olive oil. They are fragile, but it worked and were tasty with a cheesy crust!
    I used cheddar. The flavor is great, but wondering if mozzarella would have held together better?
    I have loved every recipe made in this site. This was disappointing. Too much work for the result as is. Perhaps with better directions (more thorough) or ingredient changes?

15. 15

    Amanda

    June 20 2019

    I had the same result. Dissolved as soon as they were in the boiling water. I think I'll get next time.

16. 16

    Val

    August 15 2019

    Not sure what I am missing, but I don't see in the recipe that the gnocchi must go in boiling water? They are fried in oil.

    Reply: #17

17. 17

    Reply to comment #16 by Val

    Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor

    August 16 2019

    Not sure what I am missing, but I don't see in the recipe that the gnocchi must go in boiling water? They are fried in oil.

    Several of our recipes have been updated recently to help make them more awesome, it looks like this was one of those lucky recipients of updates and upgrades to make the final dish better.

18. 18

    Rosebud

    September 16 2019

    I love Gnocchi, and I use to serve with bolognese sauce. Instead of pesto, can I serve it with meat sauce. Will it change the nutrients in any way.
    I also use similar gnocchi recipe for a Ghanaian dish we call fufu without the cheese and eggs. Served with peanut butter soup.

19. 19

    Julie

    October 31 2019

    Read the recipe folks, you do not boil these, only fry them.

20. 20

    Scott

    January 5 2020

    Can’t get these to work at all. The Gnocchi seems to melt and not hold its shape. Then sticks to the frying pan.

21. 21

    Ro

    January 30 2020

    I made these tonight and I wish I could post a picture. They are a beautiful golden colour after frying. Serving with homemade marinara sauce not the pesto. Love the recipe!

22. 22

    biedronrz92

    April 14 2020

    The gnocchi itself fried taste really amazing, but with pesto they are little bit too rich and difficult to finish. Tomato sauce is way better!

23. 23

    inaripaddler

    April 26 2020

    Mine lost their shape when fried. Next time I will get the grill hot first, fry them in a pan, then put the pan under the grill to brown the top, I think if I then lift them out with a spatula they may hold their shape. Or I might bake them on a non-stick tray. The pesto was awesome - have been buying it in jars for years - didn't know how easy it was to make - I used mature cheddar as didn't have any parmesan - it was yummy.

24. 24

    Jac

    April 27 2020

    Just baked a batch on a non-stick oven tray and turned out much better - they held their shape perfectly, then just lifted them with a spatula onto the serving plate. They were a little golden brown in places but that is just even better as it tastes lovely where the cheese has gone crispy. I guess if you microwaved then then they would hold their shape and still be warm through?

25. 25

    lucianapadua04

    May 13 2020

    I tried to do this and it was a disaster :(
    What type of shredded cheese needs to be used? I almost burnt the mixer because it was too chewy to mix with the other ingredients.
    I believe that I will eat them bake next time. I did more than necessary and as they are really expensive ingredients and I hate throwing away food, I will eat them. But definitely not the best. How do I rate a recipe?

    Reply: #26

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    Reply to comment #25 by lucianapadua04

    Kristie Sullivan, PhD Team Diet Doctor

    May 13 2020

    For this type of "dough" mozzarella would likely be best. Did you melt it in the microwave before mixing? I'm not sure why it would be so chewy, but I have not made this recipe. The recipe does suggest a food processor, so that might have been part of the problem.

    I tried to do this and it was a disaster :(
    What type of shredded cheese needs to be used? I almost burnt the mixer because it was too chewy to mix with the other ingredients.
    I believe that I will eat them bake next time. I did more than necessary and as they are really expensive ingredients and I hate throwing away food, I will eat them. But definitely not the best. How do I rate a recipe?

27. 27

    Suzanne

    May 21 2020

    Delicious fried little pillows of yummy goodness! Not the simplest recipe but well worth the effort. Xanthan gum and a mix of mozzarella and cheddar. Wow!

    Reply: #28

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    Reply to comment #27 by Suzanne

    Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor

    May 22 2020

    Delicious fried little pillows of yummy goodness! Not the simplest recipe but well worth the effort. Xanthan gum and a mix of mozzarella and cheddar. Wow!

    That's a great description! I am glad you enjoyed the recipe.

29. 29

    Bethany

    May 28 2020

    OMG I agree with Suzanne 'Delicious fried little pillows of yummy goodness'.
    I think I had the heat to high when I fried them so the when really crispy.
    Reminded me of potato gems, crispy on the outside and fluffy soft mash goodness inside.
    Soooooooooooo good will definitely be making these again.

30. 30

    Victoria

    August 22 2020

    I tried these and followed the recipe exactly and just ended up with melted cheese blobs. I fried them in oil but they all just melted and lost their shape. Won't be making it again

    Reply: #31

31. 31

    Reply to comment #30 by Victoria

    Kerry Merritt Team Diet Doctor

    August 22 2020

    I tried these and followed the recipe exactly and just ended up with melted cheese blobs. I fried them in oil but they all just melted and lost their shape. Won't be making it again

    So sorry to hear these didn't work out for you!

32. 32

    Linda

    November 1 2020

    My best tip: don't do the towel thing to get the water out of the cauliflower. Use a ricer. It's much easier to use and does a better job of removing the water. Plus, it's way easier to clean. Mine is stainless steel and goes in the dishwasher, but I usually just rinse it because the veggie bits rinse off so easily. I haven't tried this recipe yet, but I plan to. It looks so good.

    Reply: #33

33. 33

    Reply to comment #32 by Linda

    Kerry Merritt Team Diet Doctor

    November 1 2020

    My best tip: don't do the towel thing to get the water out of the cauliflower. Use a ricer. It's much easier to use and does a better job of removing the water. Plus, it's way easier to clean. Mine is stainless steel and goes in the dishwasher, but I usually just rinse it because the veggie bits rinse off so easily. I haven't tried this recipe yet, but I plan to. It looks so good.

    Thanks for your feedback!

34. 34

    Natalia

    December 16 2020

    I've made them a couple of times. Broccoli works nicely too. I do 50/50 cauliflower & broccoli. However, as many pointed out before, the gnocchi melt as they fry... How does psysllium compare to xanthan gum? Could the gum be a better option to avoid the 'disintegration' ? Thank you!

    Reply: #35

35. 35

    Reply to comment #34 by Natalia

    Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor

    December 16 2020

    I've made them a couple of times. Broccoli works nicely too. I do 50/50 cauliflower & broccoli. However, as many pointed out before, the gnocchi melt as they fry... How does psysllium compare to xanthan gum? Could the gum be a better option to avoid the 'disintegration' ? Thank you!

    We have not tested these with psyllium but psyllium and xanthan gum bring very different textures to any kind of recipe, especially baked goods.

36. 36

    traci.quebbeman

    January 9 2021

    make these in the air fryer and they are heaven

    Reply: #37

37. 37

    Reply to comment #36 by traci.quebbeman

    Kerry Merritt Team Diet Doctor

    January 9 2021

    make these in the air fryer and they are heaven

    Great to know they work in the air fryer! Thanks for sharing!

38. 38

    Nina

    January 29 2021

    Wow! We loved this so much, had it last night and are having it again tomorrow because it was so nice! I substituted pine nuts for pecan and used mozzarella so the dough was similar to ‘fathead’. I made sure it had plenty of time to cool in fridge and rolled the gnocchi using olive oil on my hands. Fried them in butter over a medium heat and waited until they were firm enough to turn as they were delicate. Think this is one of my favourite DD recipes to date. Thank you 🙏🏻 ☺️

    Reply: #39

39. 39

    Reply to comment #38 by Nina

    Crystal Pullen Team Diet Doctor

    January 29 2021

    Wow! We loved this so much, had it last night and are having it again tomorrow because it was so nice! I substituted pine nuts for pecan and used mozzarella so the dough was similar to ‘fathead’. I made sure it had plenty of time to cool in fridge and rolled the gnocchi using olive oil on my hands. Fried them in butter over a medium heat and waited until they were firm enough to turn as they were delicate. Think this is one of my favourite DD recipes to date. Thank you 🙏🏻 ☺️

    I am glad you enjoyed this! Thank you for sharing how you customized the recipe.

40. 40

    Angela Day

    April 6 2021

    These are so delicious! I rolled them out then stuck them in the freezer. Once firm I cut them to bite-sized pieces then cooked 'em into the air fryer to a light golden color.

    Served with sugar-free marinara & fresh parsley.

    I made extra, will roll the dough into "sticks". When we want them again will thaw slightly and repeat the above cooking process.

41. 41

    Kristy

    April 20 2021

    These are SO good! I fried mine. Tricky flipping them, but oh so worth the time! I think next time I will form patties for easier flipping, like potato pancakes. Thank you for such a great recipe 😊

42. 42

    JaneC

    April 29 2021

    I don’t really know where I went wrong with this recipe! I used a heavy duty blender but it couldn’t cope with the mixture at all - it was far too dry. I can only think I must have misread the quantity of almond flour because I only used half of what I had weighed out but the mixture was still incredibly dry (even though I didn’t do the squeezing out of the cauli bit). I had to add a whole egg and some cream to soften it enough to get it partially pureed, and ended up tipping it out into a bowl and mashing and mixing it with a fork. I don’t understand why there are two lots of cheese, separated in the recipe as if they are added at different times? And melting cheese in the microwave was a disaster - once added to the mix it just went into stringy lumps!
    However, having said all that, by some miracle the end result was fantastic! The dough was very easy to handle and form into shapes; I fried them in butter and oil until they were lovely and crispy on the outside and soft and melting in the middle. I had some salsa verdi already made so used that instead of the pesto, and it was delicious - very like traditional gnocchi. I will make this recipe again but will use my stick blender for pureeing, and add the grated cheese to the hot cauliflower instead of pre-melting it. I would also add more salt, and will adjust the amount of almond flour to give the right consistency.

    Reply: #43

43. 43

    Reply to comment #42 by JaneC

    Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor

    April 29 2021

    I don’t really know where I went wrong with this recipe! I used a heavy duty blender but it couldn’t cope with the mixture at all - it was far too dry. I can only think I must have misread the quantity of almond flour because I only used half of what I had weighed out but the mixture was still incredibly dry (even though I didn’t do the squeezing out of the cauli bit). I had to add a whole egg and some cream to soften it enough to get it partially pureed, and ended up tipping it out into a bowl and mashing and mixing it with a fork. I don’t understand why there are two lots of cheese, separated in the recipe as if they are added at different times? And melting cheese in the microwave was a disaster - once added to the mix it just went into stringy lumps!
    However, having said all that, by some miracle the end result was fantastic! The dough was very easy to handle and form into shapes; I fried them in butter and oil until they were lovely and crispy on the outside and soft and melting in the middle. I had some salsa verdi already made so used that instead of the pesto, and it was delicious - very like traditional gnocchi. I will make this recipe again but will use my stick blender for pureeing, and add the grated cheese to the hot cauliflower instead of pre-melting it. I would also add more salt, and will adjust the amount of almond flour to give the right consistency.

    I am sorry that this recipe felt like more of a struggle to come together, I am glad that the end result was a good dinner.

44. 44

    Linda

    July 21 2021

    Hi there all the way from New Zealand! What a fabulous recipe thank you! My added tips are once the dough is made tip onto greaseproof or baking paper as it is very sticky. Roll into a log using the paper then freeze for an hour. Easy to cut after that. Rinse hands under cold water before rolling and shaping. Once made into shapes, return to freezer for another 5-10 min before frying for a few minutes on medium heat, shaking the pan the cheffy way. They slightly brown on some sides which adds to the yummiest result. I used xanthan gum and mozzarella for the melted cheese component. Happy cooking!!!!

    Reply: #45

45. 45

    Reply to comment #44 by Linda

    Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor

    July 21 2021

    Hi there all the way from New Zealand! What a fabulous recipe thank you! My added tips are once the dough is made tip onto greaseproof or baking paper as it is very sticky. Roll into a log using the paper then freeze for an hour. Easy to cut after that. Rinse hands under cold water before rolling and shaping. Once made into shapes, return to freezer for another 5-10 min before frying for a few minutes on medium heat, shaking the pan the cheffy way. They slightly brown on some sides which adds to the yummiest result. I used xanthan gum and mozzarella for the melted cheese component. Happy cooking!!!!

    Great tips! Thank you for sharing.

46. 46

    Shel

    January 16 2022

    At what point does it tell you to boil in water ? after all the moans and complaints. It doesn’t …….!!! It tells you to fry …

    Reply: #47

47. 47

    Reply to comment #46 by Shel

    Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor

    January 16 2022

    At what point does it tell you to boil in water ? after all the moans and complaints. It doesn’t …….!!! It tells you to fry …

    This recipe has been updated a few times to ensure good quality. Previous comments may be regarding a previous version of the recipe.