Tofu Gnocchi with Creamy Sundried Tomato Sauce

hero shot of the tofu gnocchi on a plate with parmesan and basil

5 from 9 votes

Tofu Gnocchi with Creamy Sundried Tomato Sauce

You won't believe this pillowy soft gnocchi is made from tofu. Its coated in a delicious creamy sundried tomato sauce with fresh basil.

Prep Time20

Cook Time5

Total Time25

Course: Dinner

Servings:

Calories: 327kcal

Author: Allie Petersen

Ingredients

14 oz block extra firm tofu drained and pressed
¼ cup all purpose flour plus more for rolling out the gnocchi
2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
¼ teaspoon salt

Sundried Tomato Sauce

⅓ cup sundried tomatoes in oil
1 tablespoon oil from sundried tomato jar
2 tablespoon tomato paste
⅓ cup oat milk or soy milk unsweetened
2-3 tablespoon water add more to thin
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup fresh basil

Optional toppings

vegan parmesan
fresh basil leaves

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Drain and press your tofu to remove excess water. (Either use a tofu press or wrap in paper towel or dish towel and place a heavy object on top for 20-30 minutes). This is essential - do not skip pressing your tofu or your gnocchi will be mushy and spongy!
Crumble pressed tofu into a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth.
Add in flour, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper and blend again until combined. You will have a sticky dough but you will be adding more flour as your roll it out.
On a floured surface, transfer dough and form into a ball. Hint: Add extra flour to your hands and if they start to get sticky wipe them with a paper towel.
Using a floured sharp knife, cut gnocchi ball into 4 pieces. Roll each piece in a little flour to form a ball.
Using the palm of your hand form ropes and cut into 1.5-2 inch pieces. Hint: You will likely need to add more flour to the cutting board during this step as well so it doesn't stick. (Optional: slide each piece on a fork and squeeze a little (but not too hard) to create that gnocchi texture).
Set gnocchi to the side and begin to boil your water. Add in a generous pinch of salt to the water.
Meanwhile, make your creamy sundried tomato sauce. In a blender combine sauce ingredients and blend until smooth. This sauce is a little thicker but you can add more plant milk if you want it to be thinner.
Add sauce a large saucepan and heat on low heat, stirring occasionally.
Gently add gnocchi to boiling water and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the gnocchi float to the top. Either use a strainer or a slotted spoon to gently remove cooked gnocchi.
Add the cooked gnocchi to the sauce in the large saucepan and gently stir.
Top with vegan parmesan cheese, fresh basil leaves, chili flakes and/or fresh black pepper if desired.
Enjoy gnocchi right away!

Notes

Tips:

One of the most important steps in this recipe is pressing your tofu. It will drastically change the texture of the gnocchi so don't skip this step!
Don't be afraid to use extra flour as your are rolling out your gnocchi. The dough will be quite sticky so add more flour to your hands or the surface of your cutting board if it is sticking too much.
This sundried tomato sauce is a little thicker (which adheres nicely to the gnocchi) but if you prefer a thinner sauce, add a few more tablespoon of plant milk or water.

FAQ

Do these tofu gnocchi taste like tofu?

These gnocchi do not blatantly taste like tofu. Any tofu taste is masked with the flavorful sauce. The texture is very similar but not a replica of gnocchi.

What other sauce can I use for these?

You can use pesto, a basic cream sauce, or simply a high quality olive oil with some fresh garlic.

Can I use silken or firm tofu instead?

No, I strongly recommend using an extra firm tofu and pressing it to remove the excess water to create the best texture for your tofu gnocchi.

My gnocchi dough is so sticky and hard to handle. What do I do?

The dough is naturally sticky, but start by flouring a cutting board generously. Flour your hands. Place all the dough on top of the flour and begin to form a ball. Roll the ball in some of the flour so that it no longer sticks to your hands or the board. Then continue on with your process of splitting up your dough and rolling it out.

Nutrition