Cauliflower Gnocchi may just become your new favorite gluten free pasta recipe! There are so many ways to enjoy gluten free cauliflower gnocchi!
In this recipe I combined the cauliflower gnocchi with brown rice penne pasta and a quick, homemade pesto. Super simple and delicious!
Cauliflower Gnocchi and Penne Pasta Pesto
My parents are visiting right now. And last night I asked my family if they wanted ‘pesto and penne pasta’ or ‘pesto and cauliflower gnocchi’. Because we couldn’t come to a consensus, the most diplomatic solution was to use both! That’s how the Cauliflower Gnocchi and Penne!
It’s what we now refer to as Cauliflower Gnocchi and Penne Pasta Pesto (Ok, the name is lame, but the dish is delish!).
After dinner, my dad asked for the recipe. Since you loved it so much, Dad, the Cauliflower Gnocchi and Penne Pasta Pesto is for you.
Additional Information about Cauliflower Gnocchi and where to shop
I’m going to share the recipe as I made it. I’m pretty sure that if you don’t have the cauliflower gnocchi on hand, it’ll still be delicious with just (gluten-free) pasta.
As of October 2018, the only store I know that sells frozen cauliflower gnocchi is Trader Joe’s. If you don’t live near Trader Joe’s, I’ve found an easy cauliflower gnocchi recipe at Delish.
Looking back, I can say that adding the Antipasto Cherry Tomatoes (new product at Trader Joe’s, spotted in September 2018) was a nice touch.
But the cauliflower gnocchi pesto would still be delicious if you’re using regular sun-dried tomatoes.
Whenever I create new recipes or tweak old ones, I try to make sure that they are
- simple to prep
- easy to cook
- the recipe will still be delicious even if you want to or have to skip some ingredients
More Gluten Free Recipes You’ll Love
If you like simple gluten-free pasta dishes like this one, you’ll also enjoy the
- Gluten-Free Red Lentil Pasta Salad
- Broiled salmon Works really, really well with a lot of recipes
- Gluten Free Chicken Sausage and Lentil Stew. Perfect for cold winter nights.
- Pesto Zucchini with baked (gluten free) Cod
- Tuna Pasta Salad Sandwich
Make it Vegan!
Likewise, if you have vegan members in your family, you can easily offer a vegan version of this dish. Just don’t sprinkle any cheese at the very end
Also, please keep in mind that the closest grocery store to my house is Trader Joe’s which is why I use a lot of their products.
And if it is a product that is only carried by Trader Joe’s I’ll do my best to find a substitution or link to a similar store-bought or homemade product.
Tools used to cook this dish
- Cutting Board
- Good Set of Knives (mine were from Costco and are no longer available)
- Pasta Pot (I got a similar one at Home Goods)
- Large Deep Dish Skillet with Lid
- Over-the-Sink Colander
INGREDIENTS
- 4 ounces Penne Pasta (Trader Joe's Organic Brown Rice Penne)
- 1 bag Cauliflower Gnocchi (Trader Joe's )
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil (Extra Virgin)
- 1 Yellow onion
- 1-3 cloves Garlic
- 1 bag Sun-Dried Tomatoes
- 1 tub Trader Joe’s Basil Pesto (other store-bought or homemade pesto will work just as well)
- 1-2 oz Parmesan Cheese (finely grated, optional | skip and it's a vegan meal option)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 350º Fahrenheit. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and bake the frozen Cauliflower gnocchi for 12-14 minutes (no oil or spray needed).
- Cook your pasta (I used gluten-free penne) according to the instructions.
- In the meantime dice the yellow onion and garlic cloves
- In a deep dish skillet (preferably one with a lid) gently heat your olive oil and begin to sauté your onions and garlic over medium heat.
- After a couple of minutes add the sun-dried tomatoes. Simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Add the Trader Joe’s Marinated Antipasto tomatoes and the Trader Joe’s Vegan Kale, Cashew & Basil Pesto to the onion, garlic, and sun-dried tomato mixture. Continue to simmer for a few minutes until everything is thoroughly heated.
- When your pasta is done; drain, rinse, and set aside.
- Take your cauliflower gnocchi out of the oven and set aside.
- Once the pesto-tomato sauce is thoroughly heated start adding your cooked pasta and gnocchi. Keep your stove on low heat and let it simmer for a couple of minutes.
- Time to serve. At this point, you can add some grated Parmesan. And if you’d like to keep the dish vegan, simply skip that step.
NUTRITION
Have you made your own cauliflower gnocchi? Will you try this recipe? Leave your comments below and tag me on Instagram, Twitter, or on Facebook. Be sure to use the hashtag #caprecipes. I can’t wait to see your creations!
Happy cooking,
Maike
Another super interesting dish. I’ve seen the cauliflower gnocchi at Trader Joe’s but I didn’t know what to use them for. I’m loving all your creative recipe ideas. Keep it up!
Thank you for your kind words! 🙂