The Best Gluten-Free Cacio e Pepe Gnocchi Recipe | Gluten-Free Foodee (2024)

Making gluten-free restaurant-quality dishes at home doesn’t have to be expensive or have a high degree of difficulty. That is why we are sharing the best gluten-free Cacio e Pepe gnocchi recipe.

Cacio e Pepe is a Roman staple, that Italians have long enjoyed. It rose to a new level of popularity when Stanley Tucci introduced this delectable dish to a broader audience on his CNN show Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy. You may have noticed that this humble dish began popping up everywhere. We even shared our version with ‘The Best Gluten-Free Cacio e Pepe Recipe.’

Now, we have taken this simple dish to a new level, by pairing it with our recipe for ‘The Best Gluten-Free Ricotta Gnocchi Ever Recipe’.

Now, you’re probably wondering, don’t you just make your regular Cacio e Pepe sauce, and toss it over the gnocchi?

No, because our gnocchi recipe contains both Parmesan cheese and black pepper, which mirrors the flavours of Cacio e Pepe. Therefore, there are adjustments that need to be made, so that you enjoy, both the delicate flavours of gnocchi and the sauce.

Know that when you make our ricotta gnocchi recipe, you can make a larger batch, and freeze some. To freeze, place them on a wax paper-lined pan that has been dusted with gluten-free flour. Line your gnocchi up in rows and once the pan is full or you’ve finished the dough, dust the top lightly with flour. Then cover with Saran Wrap and place in the freezer for a minimum of two hours or overnight. Once frozen solid, you break them up and put them in a labelled freezer bag. They will keep for up to three months. When you want to use the frozen gnocchi make sure they are all separated (even with the flour they can fuse together in the freezer,) then drop them into a pot of boiling salted water, and enjoy. Try one when you see them floating to ensure proper doneness.

Having extra homemade gluten-free gnocchi in the freezer means you can whip up a dish of Cacio e Pepe gnocchi, really quickly. Additionally, the gnocchi pairs really well with our gluten-free Bolognese sauce recipe, as well.

If you don’t want to make homemade gnocchi, you can use store-bought gluten-free potato gnocchi. Potato gnocchi will not have the same flavour as the ricotta ones, and they also have a denser texture- though they are delicious. Additionally, potato gnocchi will take longer to boil, so be sure to follow the package instructions.

The Best Gluten-Free Cacio e Pepe Gnocchi Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 batch of our gluten-free gnocchi recipe or 1 package (500g, 17.5 oz) of gluten-free potato gnocchi

For the Sauce:

• 1/4 c salted butter
• 1 1/4 tsp fine ground black pepper
• 1/4 c grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 c salted pasta water

Directions:

• Place a large pot of well-salted water on to boil.
• Over medium-low heat, in a large frying pan or wide pot, melt the butter.
• Add ground black pepper to the melted butter-stir occasionally.
• Lower heat and keep warm.
• When the salted water boils, add in the gnocchi, stirring well.

Pro Tip: Our gnocchi recipe cooks very quickly-no matter if they are frozen, or freshly made. When the gnocchi are floating at the top of the pot, try one, and cook to your desired doneness- do not overcook as they will get mushy. For store-bought gnocchi, cook according to package instructions.

• Once the gnocchi has started to boil, add the cheese to the butter, and black pepper mixture.
• Taste the mixture, and adjust either the black pepper or cheese, to your liking.
• Using a heatproof measuring cup, remove 1-2 cups of pasta water from the pot of gnocchi.

Pro Tip: Always remove more pasta water than you need. This way if your sauce is tight, you can loosen it. Pasta water is seasoned and starchy; therefore it holds the sauce together better than just adding water

• Add a 1/2 C of water to the sauce and stir well.
• When the gnocchi is cooked, use a slotted spoon to remove the pasta from the water.

Pro Tip: You can drain the gnocchi using a strainer; however, using a spider or slotted spoon will add more water to the sauce. If you drain the gnocchi using a colander, you may need to add more pasta water to loosen the sauce.

• Add the gnocchi to the Cacio e Pepe sauce, and toss well to coat

Pro Tip: If the sauce seems tight or dry, then add more pasta water.

• Serve immediately.

This light and flavourful Gluten-Free Cacio e Pepe gnocchi recipe is so simple to make, as it takes gnocchi to a whole new level.

Quick enough for harried weeknight dinners, yet complex and upscale enough for company.

With this recipe, you will be enjoying gnocchi all year long and not only in the colder months.

Buon Appetito!