Protein Sweet Potato Gnocchi

There are now a few versions out there. The original is a basic gluten free sweet potato gnocchi, as published in Beyond Flour 2.

The second is my Paleo Sweet Potato Gnocchi - based on my original recipe, this version was tweaked to be AIP compliant.

This - the third version - is a variation of both. You can make it gluten free, as I do... you can make it grain free (by using cassava flour), or you can use all purpose flour, if wheat and gluten aren’t issues for you.

While the nutritional information will vary a bit based on what flour you use, there are some definite nutritional upgrades in this recipe.

If using cassava flour (as that’s the same flour in the AIP version), this recipe cut the carbs by more than 25%, and took the protein from 5 grams per serving, to 33 grams of protein per serving!

Cassava flour and protein does create a more dense gnocchi than traditional “potato and wheat flour” gnocchi. This can be the case for other flours as well - so technique is important.

For the lightest dumplings possible, be sure to use as little flour as possible - just enough to allow you to form the pasta.

Honestly, I don’t mind the more dense texture. The flavour is AMAZING, and I’ll take the texture difference if it means I can enjoy gnocchi more often!

... and enjoy it, we do! The mushrooms and sage perfectly compliment the flavour of the sweet potatoes - it’s a wonderful fall meal.

Anyway, let’s look at what you’ll need to make a batch of this high-protein sweet potato gnocchi...

Ingredients

All of the ingredients in this recipe are pretty basic, you won’t have any trouble finding everything you need, in pretty much any grocery store.

As always, I have a few ingredient notes for you:

Sweet Potatoes

The star of the show, I call for 2-3 large sweet potatoes. The actual number doesn’t really matter, as you’ll be measuring puree after the fact.

Size doesn’t matter here either, as long as you have the overall volume you need. Small potatoes will cook faster, that’s all!

Flour

There’s a lot of leeway for what flour you use, just know that the flour amount called for in the recipe is an estimate only.

First of all, plan for some degree of variance because some sweet potatoes just roast and puree up “wetter” than other ones. You have to go more on feel, than actual measurement.

Secondly, many different types of flour will work, but they’ll all need different amounts, as they absorb and thicken differently.

I tend to use cassava flour for grain-free gnocchi, or light buckwheat flour for a gluten free sweet potato gnocchi if I don’t need it to be grain-free/AIP/Paleo/etc.

If you’re using all purpose wheat flour, you may not need as much - but again, this depends on how wet your sweet potatoes are.

The amount I’ve called for is a good, general starting point. No matter what flour you plan to use, plan to have a fair amount extra on hand.

Unflavored Whey Protein Isolate

The only thing to note here is to make sure you’re using unsweetened, Unflavoured Whey Protein Isolate

This wouldn’t taste right with a sweet, vanilla flavoured protein!

Produce

Not a ton to note here, just that we tend to use Baby Bella mushrooms / Crimini mushrooms, but button mushrooms would also work.

I’m not sure I’d recommend using Asian varieties of mushrooms - they tend to have a more pronounced flavour, I’m not sure it would balance as well with the other flavours.

As for the shallot, you could use a small onion if you prefer.

Fat

The fat forms the basis of the “sauce” that coats the gnocchi, so go with something that’s either really neutral (it’ll pick up the sage flavour!), or has a flavour that will work well with everything else.

When I first developed the recipe this one is based on, I used lard - because it was an AIP / paleo gnocchi recipe.

I’ll still gravitate towards lard out of habit, but butter or coconut oil also works. If it works for your needs, bacon fat is also great, and gives a nice, smoky flavour to the sage sauce.

Everything Else

Rounding out this recipe, you will need:

Fresh Sage Leaves
Garlic Cloves
Ground Black Pepper
Olive oil
Salt

... I just don’t have anything to add, as far as these last few ingredients go. Pretty basic ones!

How to Make High Protein Sweet Potato Gnocchi

The full recipe is in the printable recipe card at the end of this post, here is a pictorial walk through:

For the Sweet Potato Gnocchi

Scrub and pat the sweet potatoes dry, use a fork to pierce each of them all over. Cook them in one of two ways:

1. Roast at 375 F for 45-60 minutes, or until soft all the way through.

2. Place in a microwave safe baking dish, nuke for 25 minutes or so, until soft.

Either way, place cooked sweet potatoes aside and allow to cool a bit before proceeding.

Measure out 2 cups of sweet potato into a large bowl, reserving the rest for a future use (can be frozen.). Allow to cool completely before proceeding.

Add protein powder, flour, and salt to cooled sweet potato, gently fold to combine.

Using clean hands - or gloves - gently knead the mixture together to form a dough – it shouldn’t be too sticky. If too sticky to roll, add a small amount of your choice of flour, until it’s workable.

One at a time, roll each out into long “snakes”, each about the thickness of a thumb. Cut each roll into bite-sized pieces, about ¾″- 1″ long.

If you’re feeling lazy, you can cook these up as-is. Otherwise, you can roll them over a fork to produce the traditional ridged gnocchi shape. There are many possible ways to do this, and you may want to play with it a bit until you find your own groove.

For me – when I’m feeling industrious – I gently (but firmly!) roll each gnocchi over the back of the fork, aiming towards the pointed ends of the tines. As I roll, the gnocchi will curl over itself into a slight “c” shape. Practice, experiment, and if necessary – Youtube has great tutorials for a variety of methods.

As they float to the top, allow them to cook another minute or so before using a slotted spoon to remove them, transferring to a clean bowl or plate.

To Finish the Dish

Heat olive oil in a nonstick pan. Sauté mushrooms, shallots, and garlic until they start to soften, seasoning with a little salt and pepper.

Cook for a few minutes, until fat starts to brown and sage leaves crisp up. Add gnocchi to pan, toss to coat. Taste, season with a little more salt, if needed.

Serve hot.

Leftovers

Once cooled to room temperature, leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.

Gently reheat - covered - before serving.

More High Protein Snacks and Meals!

Looking for more high protein, low carb drink mixes that can be made ahead? I've developed a whole series of instant drink mix recipes:

Cream of Chicken Soup Mix (High Protein)
Cream of Mushroom Soup Mix (High Protein)
Homemade Protein Gummies
Protein Pudding