Spinach Gnocchi

I have really missed Italian foods since I started the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP). Sweet Potato glass noodles are compliant, but they just don’t satisfy those Italian cravings for me. So, I started experimenting with gnocchi. These little pillows of goodness are so fun to make and taste so good!

I have to warn you, I killed my cheap food processor making these. It was after making gnocchi and other hard to mix things many times though. I had that food processor for years and definitely got my money’s worth out of it before it died. But, I tell you this because you need to have a good food processor or high speed blender to handle the yuca. It is very thick and will burn up a cheap blender easily. Update: I got this new food processor that is amazing for all kinds of AIP recipes!

Yuca is a great staple in the AIP diet. There are so many things you can do with it. Making gnocchi is one example. I buy it frozen in the Hispanic section of the grocery store. It’s very inexpensive. I like to keep a couple of bags in the freezer just in case I need them for anything. You can also find yuca fresh at some stores.

First, you have to cook and mash the yuca. If you buy frozen like I do the cooking directions are on the bag. Once it’s fork tender, the easiest way to mash it is in a food processor or high speed blender. Be careful though because as I said it’s thick and can burn up the motor if you don’t have one that can handle it. Also, it’s hot, so be careful of the steam.

To saute the spinach, heat a skillet to medium heat. Then, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the spinach. You want it completely wilted. It will shrink down a lot in size. I don’t season the spinach when I saute it for this recipe because I add seasonings to the recipe later. Once it is wilted, set it aside and allow it to cool while you get everything else ready.

There are a couple of ways you can do the next part. You can do it all in the food processor or high speed blender if it is powerful enough to handle it. Or you can mix the wilted spinach with 1/4 cup of olive oil in the blender to puree, then mix that with the rest of the ingredients using a stand mixer. A stand mixer handles the thick dough much better than a food processor does unless you have a really good food processor.

If you’re using a stand mixer, combine the mashed yuca, spinach mixture, garlic powder, onion powder and 2 teaspoons of salt until well mixed. Then, add the flour a little at a time so it doesn’t fly all over your kitchen. If using a food processor or blender, you can just throw everything in at once and mix it until if forms a dough and pulls away from the sides. Once it is all mixed into a nice dough, separate it into several balls. They do not need to be equal sizes. You just want them to be easier to work with. Roll each ball into a long 1/2 inch thick log on parchment paper. Then, cut them into 1 inch pieces.

Boil a large pot of water with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. You will need to work in batches to boil the dough. Boil just until it floats. This takes approximately 30 seconds. Remove the gnocchi with a slotted spoon. I place it in a colander to drain any excess water off while I’m boiling the rest of the gnocchi.

Once all of the gnocchi is boiled, you will now need to toast it. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Again, you will need to work in batches to toast all of the gnocchi. Try to keep the pieces separated so they don’t stick together. Stir them around to toast on all sides. You may have to add a little more oil after a while. Once all of the gnocchi is toasted, allow it to cool before biting into it. It will be very hot inside! I have burned my mouth so many times because I have no patience.

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This Spinach Gnocchi is delicious plain. I eat the leftovers plain straight from the fridge often. I usually serve it with my Creamy Basil Pesto sauce though. This fun to make dish is perfect for satisfying that Italian craving!

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This recipe was shared on the Phoenix Helix Paleo AIP Recipe Roundtable #253.