Creamy Pesto Cauliflower Gnocchi Bake

Creamy pesto cauliflower gnocchi bake is a quick and easy casserole that’s cheesy and low carb.  It’s made using my deliciously healthy arugula pesto sauce.

Gnocchi may be my favorite food of all time.

It’s always hard for me to pin point that “What’s your favorite food” question, but the more I think about it, if gnocchi didn’t exist, I don’t know the kind of person I’d be today.

Okay, kind of dramatic, but seriously gnocchi are my FAAVVORRITTEEEE. 

Especially now that cauliflower gnocchi were brilliantly created (shout out to that genius!), I can eat all the gnocchi I want without carb guilt (muahahaha).

Those perfect pillows of deliciousness that make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside can now be enjoyed in peace without my inner healthy self telling me to step away from the bowl.

There are only about 25 net carbs and 135 calories in a serving of cauliflower gnocchi!

Amen to that!

Creamy pesto cauliflower gnocchi bake is quick, easy and low carb. 

Topped with fresh mozzarella and baked in the oven, it’s cheesy awesomeness ready in 30 minutes for a deliciously healthy family dinner. 

If you haven’t checked out my cauliflower gnocchi post, you reallllyy should stop and do so, then come back to this post :).

It’s a copycat version of the famous Trader Joe’s cauliflower gnocchi, and they’re just as good!!

Plus, you don’t have to worry about it being sold out or fighting a crowd at Trader Joe’s for the last bag ;).

Either way, if you make my homemade cauliflower gnocchi or use Trader Joe’s brand, this is an easy recipe for Cauliflower Gnocchi with creamy pesto sauce.

What is cauliflower gnocchi made from?

Trader Joe’s brand uses cauliflower, cassava flour, potato starch, olive oil and salt.

My homemade cauliflower gnocchi are made from potato starch, tapioca flour, olive oil and salt.

How to cook cauliflower gnocchi:

The only downside to cauliflower gnocchi is that they don’t do well when boiled like you would with regular gnocchi.

The potato and tapioca starches used in the recipe turn the gnocchi gummy and chewy when boiled.

The best fool-proof way to cook the perfect cauliflower gnocchi every time is by pan-frying them in a little olive oil.

This makes them crispy and golden on the outside, yet soft on the inside…problem solved!

After you’ve pan-fried your cauliflower gnocchi to crispy, golden perfection, you can toss them in my homemade pesto cream sauce, top with fresh mozzarella, and bake in the oven until cheese is melted for about 15-20 minutes.

My homemade arugula walnut pesto is super easy to make in under 5 minutes!

If you prefer to buy store-bought pesto, that’s fine too!

To make the pesto creamy, simply add milk, half & half or cream.

Both the pesto sauce and cauliflower gnocchi can be made ahead. The pesto sauce will keep for up to 6 months!

You can cook the gnocchi straight from the freezer.

The gnocchi recipe makes enough for 3 servings, so you’ll need to double or triple the recipe depending how many people you need to serve.

And of course if you prefer to use regular potato gnocchi or other type of pasta such as mini shells or rigatoni, you can still use this recipe substituting the cauliflower gnocchi for the cooked pasta of your choice.

Feel free to add grilled chicken or shrimp to the dish too!