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Who says you can’t have your favourites and eat them on a keto diet? Regular pasta is high in carbs and certainly not keto-friendly. This is a low carb gnocchi alternative using pumpkin instead of potato and a combination of almond, coconut and psyllium husk instead of flour.
Pair that with cream cheese and a rocket and watercress homemade pesto and they’re melt in the mouth delicious! The low carb gnocchi freezes really well too, uncooked for a month.
I like to pair this with chorizo too, but I left it off today for a vegetarian keto option. If you want to reduce the carb count per serving, add some chicken and make six servings instead of four. I hope you enjoy!
Hands-on Overall
Nutritional values (per serving)
Net carbs10.2 grams
Protein17 grams
Fat52.2 grams
Calories564 kcal
Calories from carbs 7%, protein 12%, fat 81%
Total carbs18.9 gramsFiber8.7 gramsSugars5.3 gramsSaturated fat12.9 gramsSodium447 mg(19% RDA)Magnesium128 mg(32% RDA)Potassium641 mg(32% EMR)
Ingredients (makes 4 servings)
Pumpkin gnocchi:
- 1 cup + 3 tbsp almond flour (120 g/ 4.2 oz)
- 1/4 cup coconut flour (30 g/ 1.1 oz)
- 2 tbsp psyllium husk powder (16 g/ 0.6 oz)
- 140 g cream cheese (5 oz)
- 180 g pumpkin such as Hokkaido, diced (6.4 oz)
- 4 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese or other Italian hard cheese (20 g/ 0.7 oz)
- 1 medium egg
- pinch sea salt
- small bunch asparagus (75 g/ 2.7 oz)
- 1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
Rocket & watercress pesto:
- large handful rocket (40 g/ 1.4 oz)
- large handful watercress (40 g/ 1.4 oz)
- 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (75 ml)
- 1 clove garlic, sliced
- 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese or other Italian hard cheese (10 g/ 0.4 oz)
- 1/2 tsp dried chile flakes
- 3 pieces sun-dried tomato (9 g/ 0.3 oz)
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 3 1/2 tbsp pine nuts (30 g/ 1.1 oz)
Note: Instead of Parmesan, you can use any hard cheese such as Manchego.
Instructions
- Peel and cut pumpkin into 2 1/2 cm (1 inch) cubes (no need to peel if using Hokkaido). Steam for 5 minutes on a medium heat until soft. Dry off in pan for 1 minute so the pumpkin is not wet.
- Mash with a fork or blitz to form a puree. If using a food processor, pulse so careful not to over blend. You don’t want it runny like a soup.
- Add almond flour, coconut flour, psyllium and salt to a bowl. Stir. Add the mashed pumpkin, cream cheese, 3/4 of the parmesan, egg and salt.
- Stir until combined. Roll into ball. It will be a slightly sticky but should not be wet. If too wet add a little more ground almonds.
- Place into a food bag. Chill in the freezer for 30 minutes.
- Remove from the freezer and cut into 4 pieces. Roll into long sticks on a silicone mat or grease proof paper and cut each stick into 2 1/2 cm (1 inch) pieces. Press the top gently with a fork to give that traditional gnocchi look. Place back in the freezer for 20 minutes to firm up.
- Meanwhile make the pesto by blitzing all the ingredients together in a food processor.
- Heat a cast iron skillet or a non-stick frying pan with 1 tbsp of oil or butter. Gently Sauté the gnocchi for 1 – 2 minutes. (Don’t overcrowd the pan, do this in batches so they don’t break up.)
- Remove from the pan and allow to firm up slightly.
- Add the asparagus to the frying pan. (Option to steam for 2 minutes.) Sauté for 1- 2 minutes until el dente stir through the pesto to warm up and carefully mix through the gnocchi.
- Serve with the remaining parmesan and cracked black pepper. Tastes best fresh, but can be stored in the fridge for 1 day or gnocchi frozen for 1 month.
Pumpkin Gnocchi with Cheese & Pesto
Step by Step
Ingredients
- 1 cup + 3 tbsp almond flour (120 g/ 4.2 oz)
- 1/4 cup coconut flour (30 g/ 1.1 oz)
- 2 tbsp psyllium husk powder (16 g/ 0.6 oz)
- 140 g cream cheese (5 oz)
- 180 g pumpkin such as Hokkaido, diced (6.4 oz)
- 4 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese or other Italian hard cheese (20 g/ 0.7 oz)
- 1 medium egg
- pinch sea salt
- small bunch asparagus (75 g/ 2.7 oz)
- 1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
- large handful rocket (40 g/ 1.4 oz)
- large handful watercress (40 g/ 1.4 oz)
- 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (75 ml)
- 1 clove garlic, sliced
- 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese or other Italian hard cheese (10 g/ 0.4 oz)
- 1/2 tsp dried chile flakes
- 3 pieces sun-dried tomato (9 g/ 0.3 oz)
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 3 1/2 tbsp pine nuts (30 g/ 1.1 oz)
Instructions
- Peel and cut pumpkin into 2 1/2 cm (1 inch) cubes (no need to peel if using Hokkaido). Steam for 5 minutes on a medium heat until soft. Dry off in pan for 1 minute so the pumpkin is not wet.
- Mash with a fork or blitz to form a puree. If using a food processor, pulse so careful not to over blend. You don’t want it runny like a soup.
- Add almond flour, coconut flour, psyllium and salt to a bowl. Stir. Add the mashed pumpkin, cream cheese, 3/4 of the parmesan, egg and salt.
- Stir until combined. Roll into ball. It will be a slightly sticky but should not be wet. If too wet add a little more ground almonds.
- Place into a food bag. Chill in the freezer for 30 minutes.
- Remove from the freezer and cut into 4 pieces. Roll into long sticks on a silicone mat or grease proof paper and cut each stick into 2 1/2 cm (1 inch) pieces. Press the top gently with a fork to give that traditional gnocchi look. Place back in the freezer for 20 minutes to firm up.
- Meanwhile make the pesto by blitzing all the ingredients together in a food processor.
- Heat a cast iron skillet or a non-stick frying pan with 1 tbsp of oil or butter. Gently Sauté the gnocchi for 1 – 2 minutes. (Don’t overcrowd the pan, do this in batches so they don’t break up.)
- Remove from the pan and allow to firm up slightly.
- Add the asparagus to the frying pan. (Option to steam for 2 minutes.) Sauté for 1- 2 minutes until el dente stir through the pesto to warm up and carefully mix through the gnocchi.
- Serve with the remaining parmesan and cracked black pepper. Tastes best fresh, but can be stored in the fridge for 1 day or gnocchi frozen for 1 month.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories564kcal
Net Carbs10.2g
Carbohydrates18.9g
Protein17g
Fat52.2g
Saturated Fat12.9g
Fiber8.7g
Sugar5.3g
Sodium447mg
Magnesium128mg
Potassium641mg
Detailed nutritional breakdown (per serving)
| Total per serving |
| 10.2 g | 17 g | 52.2 g | 564 kcal |
| Almond flour (blanched ground almonds, almond meal) |
| 2.6 g | 6.4 g | 15.8 g | 177 kcal |
| Coconut flour, organic |
| 0.8 g | 1.3 g | 1.1 g | 28 kcal |
| Psyllium husk powder |
| 0.4 g | 0.1 g | 0 g | 2 kcal |
| Cream cheese, soft (full-fat) |
| 1.1 g | 2.5 g | 9.8 g | 86 kcal |
| Pumpkin, fresh |
| 2.7 g | 0.5 g | 0 g | 12 kcal |
| Parmesan cheese |
| 0.2 g | 1.8 g | 1.3 g | 20 kcal |
| Egg, whole, fresh, raw (free-range or organic eggs) |
| 0.1 g | 1.4 g | 1 g | 16 kcal |
| Salt, sea salt |
| 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | 0 kcal |
| Asparagus, fresh |
| 0.3 g | 0.4 g | 0 g | 4 kcal |
| Pepper, black, spices |
| 0.1 g | 0 g | 0 g | 0 kcal |
| Rocket (arugula), fresh |
| 0.2 g | 0.3 g | 0.1 g | 3 kcal |
| Watercress, fresh |
| 0.1 g | 0.2 g | 0 g | 1 kcal |
| Olive oil, extra virgin |
| 0 g | 0 g | 16.9 g | 149 kcal |
| Garlic, fresh |
| 0.2 g | 0 g | 0 g | 1 kcal |
| Parmesan cheese |
| 0.1 g | 0.9 g | 0.6 g | 10 kcal |
| Peppers, chile (chili), flaked and dried, spices |
| 0.2 g | 0.1 g | 0.1 g | 2 kcal |
| Sun-dried tomatoes (in oil, drained) |
| 0.4 g | 0.1 g | 0.3 g | 5 kcal |
| Lemon juice, fresh |
| 0.1 g | 0 g | 0 g | 0 kcal |
| Salt, sea salt |
| 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | 0 kcal |
| Pine nuts |
| 0.7 g | 1 g | 5 g | 50 kcal |
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