Name: Low Carb Keto Ricotta Gnocchi
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 3 min
Total time: 23 min
Ingredients: 1 large egg; 1/2 cup ricotta (120g); 1 tsp xanthan gum; 1/2 tsp psyllium husk powder; 2 tbsp coconut flour (20g); 1/3 cup grated parmesan (42g); Salt to taste; 4 tbsp butter; 2 garlic cloves (minced); 10 sage leaves; Salt and pepper

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These keto gnocchi are fluffy, soft and pillowy - just like the real deal! But unlike the original, my low carb gnocchi are made with ricotta and coconut flour and not with potato and wheat. This means they are gluten free and just 4.8g net carbs per portion!

a bowl of buttery fried gnocchi and a spoon

I love Italian food, I miss pasta and gnocchi have been on my to-try list for ages.

First I considered making fathead gnocchi using the popular mozzarella cheese & almond flour dough. Fathead dough is incredibly versatile and I've used it for keto recipes ranging from pizza to tortilla chips and even cinnamon rolls.

But I was feeling like something a little lighter this time. Then I thought about using cauliflower, the chameleon of low carb vegetables.

I bet keto cauliflower gnocchi would taste fantastic, and I WILL create a recipe one day.

But I did have one ingredient ready that is PERFECT in gnocchi: ricotta cheese!

My friends, these keto ricotta gnocchi are a total treat. They turned out so fluffy and pillowy that you'll think you're eating the real deal with potatoes and wheat.

I also made this low carb gnocchi recipe nut-free for those of you who don’t tolerate nuts well.

And here's my one BIG request: Please read the entire recipe post and follow all the steps to ensure the gnocchi turn out well. No substitutions or experiments, at least the first time round!

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Ingredients
Instructions
Recipe tips
Variations
Storage
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Recipe

Ingredients

Here are all the ingredients you'll need for low carb gnocchi.

Egg
Ricotta cheese - This is an Italian soft cheese that's great for cooking and baking.
Coconut Flour - And no, you cannot taste the coconut in this recipe!
Xanthan gum - Non-negotiable. It acts as a binder in place of gluten. Guar gum could used as an alternative but I have not tried it myself.
Psyllium husk powder - Helps the gnocchi to puff up and also binds. Use the powder and not whole psyllium husks (which, confusingly, also looks like powder at first glance, but is coarser).
Parmesan cheese - Best grated freshly.
Salt

For the Sauce:

Butter
Garlic
Sage leaves
salt & pepper

Instructions

(This section contains step by step instructions and photos that show how to make this recipe. Find the recipe card with ingredient amounts and nutritional information at the bottom of the post.)

Step 1: Place the egg in a food processor or mixing bowl and whisk with an electric whisk util frothy.

Step 2: Add ricotta, grated parmesan cheese and salt and whisk once more until smooth.

Step 3: Add coconut flour and sprinkle evenly across the surface the xanthan and psyllium husk powder.

ricotta gnocchi dough in a bowl with a spatula

Step 4: Whisk to combine then stir with spatula to bring together. Place in the fridge for 1 hour. You can speed this up by placing in the freezer for about 15 minutes.

Alternatively, this can be made the night before and kept covered in the fridge overnight.

Step 5: Roll the dough into a ball and cut into quarters. The dough will be a little sticky.

Step 6: Oil your hands and roll into a thin log. Cut into 1 - 1.5 inch pieces.

pressing dough onto a gnocchi board with the thumb

Step 7: If using a gnocchi board, slightly round the edges then press down and roll slightly using your thumb. As the dough is more fragile than a regular dough you don’t push away hard, more, press and gently roll.

Repeat for all the pieces.

round dough shapes with fork marks and a fork

Don't have a gnocchi board? Just use a fork! Roll each piece into a ball and press with a fork.

Step 8: Now that all your keto gnocchi are prepared, place them on a tray lined with parchment paper and freeze for 20 minutes, or until firm, but not totally frozen. This makes them firmer and easier to fry.

Almost there now!

Step 9: Heat the butter in a pan. Fry the pasta shapes and garlic on one side for about 1.5 minutes, then carefully turn each piece over with a spoon, add the sage and cook for another 1.5 minutes or until golden on both sides.

Serve with cracked black pepper.

low carb gnocchi with crispy sage leaves on a plate

Recipe tips

Gently does it. If using a gnocchi paddle, press each piece gently with your thumb and roll just a little. The dough is more fragile than normal gnocchi dough. Alternatively, roll each piece into a little ball and press with a fork.

Cool the dough. Don't skip this step! If you accidentally leave low carb gnocchi in the freezer for too long (spot the person who did this!) and they set rock hard, simply defrost them slightly before frying. They fry up a treat.

Psyllium husk - Some brands turn dough purple when it is baked or fried. This does not affect the taste. I have used BonPom, Green Origins and Just Natural without issues. The NOW brand in the US is also supposed to be fine.

Variations

I'd like you to make this low carb keto gnocchi recipe EXACTLY as I've written it down to ensure it works perfectly. Once you've nailed it, you could experiment with different flours such as blanched almond flour.

However, you can definitely try out different sauces, such as carbonara, marinara sauce or homemade pesto. (Although, in my opinion, nothing beats gnocchi with sage and garlic butter. If you prefer, you can also use olive oil instead of the butter.)