High Protein Tofu Gnocchi is an easy, delicious, and the ultimate comfort food. You only need 4 ingredients to make tender gnocchi that's ready for your favorite sauce—or simply pan fry them in a little olive oil for crispy gnocchi.
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Hey Internet, I am SO excited to bring you these tender and delicious vegan gnocchi!
You know we at ZardyPlants LOVE to make dumplings of any sort. Check out our other dumpling recipes such as our Vegan Stew with Dumplings, Vegan Pierogi with Potato and Leek, Vegan Matzo Ball Soup, and Vegan Chicken and Dumplings.
We definitely love traditional potato gnocchi in this house. We've even made a gnocchi dishes utilizing classic gnocchi such as our creamy Vegan Gnocchi Soup and Air Fryer Gnocchi. We've even made traditional gnocchi before.
But as we were watching a cooking show one night, we saw someone making ricotta gnocchi (yes, it was dairy, but we sometimes get ideas from cooking shows!). Since we make our own Vegan Ricotta out of tofu and use it in dishes like our Vegan Stuffed Shells, Vegan Manicotti, and Vegan Ricotta Pasta, it occurred to us that we could maybe use tofu instead of potato or ricotta in a vegan gnocchi recipe.
The next day we experimented in the kitchen by mixing a crumbled block of extra firm tofu with flour, and salt. It worked very well! Subsequent tests with a little bit of olive oil gave even more tender and pillowy gnocchi. So that's why we say the oil is optional, but recommended. It's only a small amount!
It might seem like a lot of work, but it's really not. First of all, the main part of the work is just sectioning off the dough and making all the little gnocchi. We think it's quite fun, especially if you put on some good music, and/or find someone to help you like a parter, child, or friend.
Then when it comes to cooking the gnocchi, they cook up quite fast! You just boil some salted water and allow the gnocchi to cook for 3-4 minutes or so (they float to the top when done), and then remove with a slotted spoon! You can then toss them in a frying pan with some olive oil and seasonings for 2-3 minutes or throw them in some tomato sauce, a creamy sauce, a pesto, or whatever else you like!
This tofu gnocchi definitely makes for an impressive dinner, especially when garnished with a little fresh basil. Your family and/or guests will be begging for more!
Why You'll Love This Tofu Gnocchi Recipe
- Simple Ingredients: You only need 4 ingredients to make this easy vegan gnocchi recipe! And unlike potato gnocchi, if you've got the ingredients, you're ready to start making it (no cooking and cooling a potato!).
- Versatile: Whether you want to serve up tofu gnocchi in a velvety vegan cream sauce, a flavorful vegan pesto like our Cashew Pesto, your favorite pasta sauce, or even just simply pan fried with garlic, red pepper flakes, and garnished with some fresh herbs and some fresh cherry tomatoes, these flavorful dumplings are delicious any way you make them.
- Inexpensive Yet Impressive: This is really one of those meals that tastes way more expensive than it is. We buy extra firm tofu for super cheap at Costco (other inexpensive places include Trader Joe's, local Asian grocery stores, and even local supermarkets often have sales). And this recipe may take a little effort, but it's certainly well worth it in our opinion, and still less effort than something like one of our seitan recipes (though we also think those are worth the effort, not that we're biased or anything like that).
Ingredients
Pick up these wholesome ingredients for these tofu gnocchi the next time you're at a grocery store. See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full ingredients, instructions, and accurate nutrition information (to the best of my ability; please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or healthcare professional if you have specific dietary needs or need to meet certain daily values of any nutrient). I give substitutions for the ingredients in the section below this one, so most people can still make this recipe!
- About 300 Grams All Purpose Flour (approx. 2 + ⅓ cups): Amount will vary slightly but you just add a little more flour as needed till you get a soft dough-like consistency. I highly recommend using an inexpensive food scale, since any time we dig our measuring cup into a bag of flour, we could be getting inconsistent amounts which could lead to trouble when making the recipe.
- 15-Ounce Block Extra Firm Tofu (drained): Extra firm tofu is the best tofu for this recipe. While you can use firm tofu for this recipe, it does have more water so you might need to press some of that water out or you will end up needing a fair amount more flour. I do not recommend using silken tofu or soft tofu.
- 1.5 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil: While this isn't technically necessary, I'm not listing it as optional because I think it really helps to create tender tofu gnocchi. I would not skip this, but if you are strictly no oil, you could use 1-2 tablespoons of aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas) instead.
- ½ Teaspoon Salt: While you could flavor the gnocchi dough with anything from Italian seasoning, onion powder, and garlic powder to even a little nutritional yeast or chili flakes, I like to keep the recipe fairly neutral so they're ready for whatever sauce I want to put them in. Salt is the perfect seasoning in this case. And since we're boiling them in a pot of salted water, you don't need much salt in the actual dough.
Substitutions
- All Purpose Flour: I have not tested this recipe with any other flours, however if you wanted to try to make these gluten-free, I recommend trying a quality gluten-free all purpose flour blend such as Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour or King Arthur Baking Company Measure for Measure Gluten-Free Flour. Other flours such as straight oat flour might be a little dense.
- Tofu: This is a tofu gnocchi recipe, however I bet it would work with other similar consistency foods if you're open to a little experimentation. You could try blended beans or cooked potatoes will obviously work as they do in traditional gnocchi. Cooked cauliflower also works for cauliflower gnocchi. One other thing that comes to mind is the fava bean tofu that's labeled Soy-Free Tofu. That one has even more protein and should work well here.
- Olive Oil: As explained above, I feel it really contributes to the flavor and texture of the recipe. In a pinch you could use other oils, but I recommend olive oil for this recipe.
Directions
- Prep Tofu: Drain the excess water from your package of extra firm tofu (if you have firm tofu, you may want to stick it in a tofu press to remove some of the water, or else you may end up have to add a lot more flour to get the consistency needed for gnocchi). I like to wrap it in a clean and dry tea towel (or a paper towel will work) and lightly squeeze to remove some more of the water. The more you remove, the less extra flour you'll need to add later. Don't worry if the tofu breaks as we're going to pulverize it in the next step.
- Crumble Tofu: Crumble the tofu block into a large bowl. You can do this and the next step or two in the food processor if you wish, but I found it simpler just to do it by hand. Plus that allows me to gauge the consistency of the dough better anyway.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: Add the olive oil and then the flour and salt. Mix well until a dough forms. I prefer to just do this with my hands as it allows me to really work the tofu and dry ingredients together. You're looking for a firm yet smooth dough that should be lightly tacky, not sticky and wet. If it's too wet, add a little flour (don't add too much at once) and work it all the way in, adding until the dough becomes firm but not hard. If there's too much dry ingredients and the dough won't come together, you can add water just a tablespoon or so at a time. Don't be tempted to add too much more oil as the dough may become greasy.
- Prep the Pot of Water: Fill a large pot about ½ to ⅔ full of water and put on to boil. You can continue with the next step while the water is heating. The next step with the pot is this: when it comes to a boil, dissolve a generous amount of salt into the water (how much will depend on the size of your pot, amount of water, and individual taste preferences; for reference I had a 4.5 qt pot about ⅔ full of water with a tablespoon of salt). Stir to allow the salt to fully dissolve. If the water comes to a boil before you're done with the next step, you can add a lid or even turn the heat down if needed.
- Make the Gnocchi: On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough ball into several sections (it doesn't matter how many, smaller sections are just easier to work with). Take one section and set the rest aside. Roll the section into a long rope about 1.5 - 2 inches thick. Use a bench scraper or a knife to cut little 1 inch pieces from the rope. I don't worry too much about making them perfect. If you'd like, you can roll them against your fork to make the grooves, but I didn't bother with this step. Set these gnocchi on a plate or tray and continue with each section until all the gnocchi are ready to go.
- Boil the Gnocchi: When the salted water is to a rolling boil (big bubbles), carefully add some of the gnocchi to the pot. I cooked mine in two batches so the gnocchi didn't stick together in the pot (when you drop them in, they will sink. This is temporary). Depending on the size of your pot, you may need to do 2 or 3 batches. Since you only need to cook them a few minutes, it's easy to do it in batches. Boil for 3-4 minutes or so. They will begin to rise to the top when they are done. Immediately remove them with a slotted spoon. I like to put mine on a plate until they're all done, but if you've got your heated sauce or oil in another pan ready to go, you can place them straight into the other pan. Repeat until all gnocchi are cooked.
- Serve as Desired: You can heat the gnocchi for a few minutes in a red sauce, add them to a cream sauce or pesto, or lightly pan fry them in a large skillet in olive oil or vegan butter (add a little tomato paste if desired, but fry it off for 30-60 seconds for better flavor) for 2-3 minutes over medium high heat, maybe with 1-2 cloves garlic (minced up), some chili flakes, herbs, or even a little vegan cheese (we love a little vegan parmesan with this dish) etc. Add another pinch of salt or some sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper if needed, and serve with some fresh basil or other herbs!
- Storage: Store cooked tofu gnocchi in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Serving Suggestions
These tender tofu gnocchi are great no matter how you care to serve them, but here's a few suggestions:
- Lightly pan fried in vegan butter or oil, with some Vegan Sausages (or if you love double tofu, try our Tofu Sausage Crumbles. Add in some minced garlic, dried or fresh thyme leaves, pepper or chili flakes, and even a little vegan parmesan to serve and you've got yourself a lovely dish.
- In pesto: We have a delicious Cashew Pesto that uses basil and fresh spinach that would be a lovely fresh way to serve this gnocchi
- In a cream sauce: Try adding some seasonings of choice to our Sunflower Seed Cream for a delicious sauce, or you can make a quick vegan cream sauce using coconut milk or soaked raw cashews, lemon juice, garlic, nutritional yeast, salt and black pepper.
- Alongside some Tofu Steak or Seitan Steak
- And/or alongside our Vegan Italian Salad with Creamy Vegan Italian Dressing
- In our Vegan Gnocchi Soup (these can be used in place of the store bought gnocchi!)
More Vegan Italian Recipes
These are all more Italian-inspired than authentic, but we love to make vegan versions of classic Italian dishes! And we think imitation is the highest form of flattery anyway.
- Vegan Pastina
- Vegan Cacio e Pepe
- Garlic Risotto
- Vegan Aglio e Olio
- Vegan Carbonara
- Tofu Meatballs
- Vegan Mushroom Risotto
- Vegan Puttanesca Pasta
- One Pot Vegan Chickpea Florentine Pasta
- Vegan Asparagus Risotto
- Vegan Sun Dried Tomato Pasta
- Vegan Pasta Primavera
High Protein Tofu Gnocchi (Easy Vegan Recipe)
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Diet: Vegan
Description
High Protein Tofu Gnocchi is an easy, delicious, and the ultimate comfort food. You only need 4 ingredients to make tender gnocchi.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- About 300 grams All Purpose Flour (approx. 2 + ⅓ cups, see Note 1)
- 15-ounce Block Extra Firm Tofu (drained) (see Note 2)
- 1.5 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (see Note 3)
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- Prep Tofu: Drain the excess water from your package of extra firm tofu (if you have firm tofu, you may want to stick it in a tofu press to remove some of the water, or else you may end up have to add a lot more flour to get the consistency needed for gnocchi). I like to wrap it in a clean and dry tea towel (or a paper towel will work) and lightly squeeze to remove some more of the water. The more you remove, the less extra flour you'll need to add later. Don't worry if the tofu breaks as we're going to pulverize it in the next step.
- Crumble Tofu: Crumble the tofu block into a large bowl. You can do this and the next step or two in the food processor if you wish, but I found it simpler just to do it by hand. Plus that allows me to gauge the consistency of the dough better anyway.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: Add the olive oil and then the flour and salt. Mix well until a dough forms. I prefer to just do this with my hands as it allows me to really work the tofu and dry ingredients together. You're looking for a firm yet smooth dough that should be lightly tacky, not sticky and wet. If it's too wet, add a little flour (don't add too much at once) and work it all the way in, adding until the dough becomes firm but not hard. If there's too much dry ingredients and the dough won't come together, you can add water just a tablespoon or so at a time. Don't be tempted to add too much more oil as the dough may become greasy.
- Prep the Pot of Water: Fill a large pot about ½ to ⅔ full of water and put on to boil. You can continue with the next step while the water is heating. The next step with the pot is this: when it comes to a boil, dissolve a generous amount of salt into the water (how much will depend on the size of your pot, amount of water, and individual taste preferences; for reference I had a 4.5 qt pot about ⅔ full of water with a tablespoon of salt). Stir to allow the salt to fully dissolve. If the water comes to a boil before you're done with the next step, you can add a lid or even turn the heat down if needed.
- Make the Gnocchi: On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough ball into several sections (it doesn't matter how many, smaller sections are just easier to work with). Take one section and set the rest aside. Roll the section into a long rope about 1.5 - 2 inches thick. Use a bench scraper or a knife to cut little 1 inch pieces from the rope. I don't worry too much about making them perfect. If you'd like, you can roll them against your fork to make the grooves, but I didn't bother with this step. Set these gnocchi on a plate or tray and continue with each section until all the gnocchi are ready to go.
- Boil the Gnocchi: When the salted water is to a rolling boil (big bubbles), carefully add some of the gnocchi to the pot. I cooked mine in two batches so the gnocchi didn't stick together in the pot (when you drop them in, they will sink. This is temporary). Depending on the size of your pot, you may need to do 2 or 3 batches. Since you only need to cook them a few minutes, it's easy to do it in batches. Boil for 3-4 minutes or so. They will begin to rise to the top when they are done. Immediately remove them with a slotted spoon. I like to put mine on a plate until they're all done, but if you've got your heated sauce or oil in another pan ready to go, you can place them straight into the other pan. Repeat until all gnocchi are cooked.
- Serve as Desired: You can heat the gnocchi for a few minutes in a red sauce, add them to a cream sauce or pesto, or lightly pan fry them in a large skillet in olive oil or vegan butter (add a little tomato paste if desired, but fry it off for 30-60 seconds for better flavor) for 2-3 minutes over medium high heat, maybe with 1-2 cloves garlic (minced up), some chili flakes, herbs, or even a little vegan cheese (we love a little vegan parmesan with this dish) etc. Add another pinch of salt or some sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper if needed, and serve with some fresh basil or other herbs!
- Storage: Store cooked tofu gnocchi in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Note 1: Amount will vary slightly but you just add a little more flour as needed till you get a soft dough-like consistency. I highly recommend using an inexpensive food scale, since any time we dig our measuring cup into a bag of flour, we could be getting inconsistent amounts which could lead to trouble when making the recipe. I have not tested this recipe with any other flours, however if you wanted to try to make these gluten-free, I recommend a quality gluten-free all purpose flour blend such as Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour or King Arthur Baking Company Measure for Measure Gluten-Free Flour. Other flours such as straight oat flour might be a little dense.
- Note 2: Extra firm tofu is the best tofu for this recipe. While you can use firm tofu for this recipe, it does have more water so you might need to press some of that water out or you will end up needing a fair amount more flour. I do not recommend using silken tofu or soft tofu.
- Note 3: While this isn't technically necessary, I'm not listing it as optional because I think it really helps to create tender tofu gnocchi. I would not skip this, but if you are strictly no oil, you could use 1-2 tablespoons of aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas) instead.
- Note 4: While you could flavor the gnocchi dough with anything from Italian seasoning, onion powder, and garlic powder to even a little nutritional yeast or chili flakes, I like to keep the recipe fairly neutral so they're ready for whatever sauce I want to put them in. Salt is the perfect seasoning in this case. And since we're boiling them in a pot of salted water, you don't need much salt in the actual dough.
- Note 5: If you're looking for serving suggestions, check out the section by that title in the article above this recipe. There's some good ideas in there.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Pasta
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American, Italian, Comfort
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