I think it was a few years ago when the world was on a cauliflower kick, new recipes kept popping up everywhere and each one was more creative than the last. Anything like pizza, stir-fries and even buffalo wings could be recreated with cauliflower and voila you have a healthy and delicious alternative. I loved this new trend because that’s how food should be, always evolving and a bit surprising.

My first try at this new trend was a cauliflower mashed potato recipe. It was garlicy and so creamy and actually tasted better than regular mashed potatoes. Then I went on to pizza and buffalo wings and I never looked back.

If you’ve never tried one of these cauliflower recipes my advice is don’t expect it to taste nothing like cauliflower. Cauliflower has a strong taste on it’s own and honestly I enjoy the assertiveness it brings to a dish. It’s so versatile and it’s the perfect canvas for a lot of different dishes.

That brings me to my gnocchi recipe. It’s gluten-free and vegan and it’s simply delicious. If you’ve had the Trader Joe’s version, it’s very similar but so much better because like any pasta or dumpling dish, homemade is on a whole other taste level. They are light and have that melt-in-your-mouth consistency that every great gnocchi recipe should have. If you’re not a cauliflower fan you’re in luck because it doesn’t have an overwhelming cauliflower taste, just a slight tang that goes well with both tomato and pesto sauce. I’ve included a few tips that will make this quick recipe even quicker but my best tip is to double the recipe because it’s just that delicious.

Cauliflower Gnocchi

Ingredients:

4 cups cauliflower florets (or frozen riced cauliflower)

pinch of sea salt

1/2 cup cassava flour

1 tbsp tapioca flour

Directions:

Steam the cauliflower florets for 10-15 minutes until they’re fork tender. If using frozen riced cauliflower, you can either cook it in the microwave or in a frying pan until it’s soft. Cool the cauliflower on a tea towel and once it’s easy to handle, squeeze out as much of the liquid as you can.

Place the cauliflower and the salt in a food processor or blender and pulse until it has a smooth consistency. Add the flours and pulse until just combined (make sure you don’t overwork it or it’ll get too wet). Lay the dough out on a lightly floured surface and shape into a disk then cut into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece into 8-10 inch log (1/2-1 inch thick) and cut into bite size pieces. The dough should make about 40 gnocchi pieces. You can also roll each piece on the back of a fork to get those gnocchi ridges.

Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the salt and a splash of oil and gently drop the gnocchi into the water. Let cook for a few minutes until they float to the top.

Serve immediately or toast on a frying pan until edges are golden and crispy. Add to your favorite pasta sauce and enjoy!