Parsnip Gnocchi with Chestnuts and Kale (Vegan GF)

Light and fluffy pillows of gnocchi made from parsnip and oat flour – this alternative to traditional gnocchi is just as comforting and delicious. Serve the gnocchi with some herbed pan-fried kale and chestnuts for a delicious festive and comforting vegan and gluten-free meal.

My love for gnocchi continues and this wintertime, I wanted to stretch the boat a bit more and create a brand-new recipe using a new vegetable. While I love my sweet potato gnocchi and my cauliflower gnocchi, there’s something so special about parsnips. I love their sweet and robust taste and texture and while most people simply roast them, they’re really so versatile. They are great used in mashed “potatoes”, add into random traybakes and I do love a cold leftover roasted parsnip.

Another way to make them shine is in this Parsnip Gnocchi with Chestnuts and Kale – you can simply make the parsnip gnocchi and use this instead of regular gnocchi in your favourite recipes or continue to make this wintery and comforting dinner or lunch recipe.

The base for the Parsnip Gnocchi is simple and quite similar to that of my cauliflower gnocchi:

• Parsnips: steam or boil then mash them until soft.
• Cornflour or arrowroot powder: to act as a binder.
• Oat flour: grind your oats into a fine flour to make these naturally gluten-free and wholesome.

The process is very similar to all other gnocchi recipes and I posted a recipe video on my Instagram, too, to show how easy it is:

• Make the dough: by stirring together the mashed parsnips with the cornflour and oat flour.
• Roll the dough into logs: divide into pieces to make 4 even log shapes.
• Cut the logs into small pieces: these form the individual gnocchi.
• Press a fork into each piece: to make the classic gnocchi grooves.
• Boil the gnocchi: only for a few minutes to cook them through and then continue as with any other gnocchi.

As I first worked on this recipe for Parsnip Gnocchi with Chestnuts and Kale around Christmastime, the flavours are quite festive in the sense that they’re very Christmassy and classic. Lots of wintery herbs like thyme and rosemary as well as added ingredients like roasted chestnuts for flavour and texture and lots of kale which crisps nicely in the pan. Simple fry it all off until cooked through and then add in the gnocchi to merge all the flavours together and then serve.

I went for some extra herbs and pomegranate on top of this Parsnip Gnocchi with Chestnuts and Kale as it’s my favourite, but you could add some vegan parmesan or other cheese, too.

And if you’re feeling like a more classic tomato-based sauce or serving suggestion, try my:

• Vibrant Pesto and Tomato Gnocchi
• Warming Mushroom and Kale Gnocchi Bake
• Gnocchi with Balsamic Tomato Sauce
• Tricolore Gnocchi Salad for a fresh lunch-time winner

There are so many ways to serve this Parsnip Gnocchi and I really hope you’re going to love it too. The gnocchi is naturally a little sweeter with a great texture and bite, you’d never guess they are fully vegan and gluten-free. They’re a real crowd pleaser and they will also freeze well either before or after you’ve cooked the gnocchi pieces. Allow to de-frost and cook as normal.

If you’re looking for more comforting dinner recipes, how about my:

• Vegan “Drunken” Noodles
• Coconut and Chilli Banana Blossom Noodle Curry
• Moroccan-Style Lentil Stuffed Peppers
• Roasted Chestnut Cranberry Stuffed Squash
• Hassleback Sweet Potato and Chickpea Traybake

Parsnip Gnocchi (Vegan GF)

• Servings: 3
• Time: 30 minutes
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

Light and fluffy pillows of gnocchi made from parsnip and oat flour – this alternative to traditional gnocchi is just as comforting and delicious.

Ingredients

• 300g parsnips (peeled and chopped weight), about 4 medium parsnips
• 2 tbsp cornflour or arrowroot powder
• 175g oat flour, plus extra to dust
• Salt

Directions

1. Peel and chop the ends off the parsnip and dice into small cubes. Steam or boil until tender. Allow to cool and mash/blend to a puree.
2. Add the parsnip mash to a bowl with the cornflour, 150g oat flour and a pinch of salt. Stir together with a spoon and then with your hands, adding the extra oat flour to form a firm dough that isn’t too sticky.
3.Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a ball. Cut it into 4 pieces and roll each one into a log about 26-28cm long.
3. Chop each log into 2-cm pieces and lightly press a fork into each one to form grooves.
4. Bring a pan of water to the boil and cook the gnocchi in small batches, they will float to the surface once cooked through and should be firm but springy in the middle. Remove with a slotted spoon and continue to cook all the gnocchi pieces.
5. Use straight away or chill in the fridge for 3-5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Parsnip Gnocchi with Chestnuts and Kale (Vegan GF)

• Servings: 3
• Time: 15 minutes
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

Naturally sweeter homemade parsnip gnocchi served with some herbed pan-fried kale and chestnuts for a delicious festive and comforting vegan and gluten-free meal.

Ingredients

• 1 x batch of Parsnip Gnocchi, cooked
• 1 ½ tbsp olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed or thinly sliced
• 80g kale or cavolo nero, de-stemmed and chopped
• 120g pre-roasted chestnuts, chopped
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and add the garlic and kale. Fry for 5-7 minutes until softening and turning crisp.
2. Now add in the gnocchi pieces, chestnuts, fresh rosemary, fresh thyme, salt and pepper. Fry for another 5-7 minutes until the gnocchi is crisping and it’s all warmed through.
3. Serve warm topped with some pomegranate and chopped nuts/seeds.

I look forward to hearing what you think of this simple but impressive recipe for Parsnip Gnocchi with Chestnuts and Kale so please let me know what your thoughts in the comments below. Tag me in your gnocchi creations, too, I love seeing them! I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest  – please say hello!

With parsnip gnocchi love x