Gnocchi All'Arrabbiata | easy vegan and gluten-free recipe - Elavegan (2024)

FAQs

Why is gnocchi not vegan? ›

Traditional gnocchi is made with eggs making it not vegan. My vegan gnocchi recipe has two substitution options. Option 1 (my favorite): I've included a recipe to make a simple homemade egg yolk. This yolk recipe will provide all the flavor and color of eggs which really makes this gnocchi so tasty!

This homemade vegan gnocchi recipe is eggless and so simple. Just potatoes, flour, and some oil come together to make these perfectly fluffy yet dense pillows of pasta that taste just like traditional gnocchi!

A simple mix of white rice flour and sweet rice flour does the trick. And the sweet rice flour is important. Made with only white rice flour, the gnocchi were too soft. A half cup of sweet rice flour, which is ground from glutinous, short-grain rice, added a nice bite without making the gnocchi gritty.

A lot of homemade gnocchi recipes will have egg in them, but most store bought gnocchi will be egg free and therefore vegan.

Nutritional Value

Believe it or not, regular pasta is actually more carb-heavy than gnocchi, coming in at around 2 times the amount of carbs per serving. Gnocchi is also notorious for having a lot more sodium, with over 200 grams of it per serving. Regular pasta doesn't have nearly as high of a sodium content.

Similar to pasta, gnocchi is high in carbohydrates and low in protein. Although both are carbohydrate-heavy foods, it has been shown that regular pasta may have less of an effect on blood sugar levels. One publication points to the fact that pasta doesn't raise blood sugar after a meal to the level that potatoes do.

Soak 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed in 3 tablespoons water to replace one egg. Add a drizzle of olive oil to enrich the gnocchi if you like.

If you're looking to swap the pasta for something healthy, gnocchi may not be the best option. Go for a protein-enriched pasta choice or a low-carb, gluten-free substitute, like zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash instead.

At Faro, Adey says, “We run very few potato gnocchi.” Instead they stick to the less common side of the root vegetable family: “Parsnip, gilfeather turnip, and salsify work great.” Broccoli and cauliflower, which are sturdy and dry, also hold up well to the test.

Some gnocchi recipes recommend floury potatoes instead, such as Idaho potatoes or Russet potatoes, but I don't always agree. They're too mealy. Tipo 00 Flour is a soft, fine milled flour from Italy. It's a must-have for light and tender gnocchi and homemade pasta.

Is Olive Garden's pasta vegan? ›

Your best bet for a vegan entree at Olive Garden is to utilize their “Cucina Mia,” or build your own pasta option. Choose from either the angel hair, fettuccine, rigatoni, small shells, or spaghetti as a base, and top with marinara sauce or plain tomato sauce.

Gluten formation is the main culprit to gummy gnocchi. The two most important things to remember when making these delicious dumplings are to (1) remove as much moisture as possible from the potatoes as they cook and (2) do not over knead the gnocchi dough. Gluten formation requires both water and agitation.

Gnocchi shouldn't be sour if it's properly cooked. If you've bought Gnocchi or reheated Gnocchi that is sour tasting to it, the chances are it was not stored properly, or perhaps you got an uncooked batch.

Whether a vegan likes cucumber is up to them, but they're a plant product, and therefore perfectly allowed. Eating cucumbers perfectly allowed by veganism. However, some vegans (like anyone) do not eat cucumbers, because they don't like them.

In summary, gnocchi is often naturally vegan and it is perfectly possible, indeed some chefs would say desirable, to eschew animal products when making it.

However, some pastas may contain eggs or other non-vegan additives. There are also many varieties of pasta available that are specifically made to be vegan, using ingredients like rice, corn, quinoa, and other plant-based materials. Yes, pasta can be eaten if you're vegan.

Egg yolk added to your gnocchi dough helps improve texture, and keep it together while cooking. Gnocchi is traditionally made with eggs in Veneto and no eggs in Piedmont, the two Northern Italian regions famous for gnocchi. We vote for egg yolks at the rate of 1 per (500g) 1 lb of uncooked potatoes used.