These soft, pillowy “gnocchi” are made from mashed potatoes and turmeric with no chewy dough required. By adjusting the ingredients slightly, you can prepare them for different IDDSI levels while still providing a comforting, familiar pasta-like dish. They’re also naturally gluten free and much easier to handle than traditional gnocchi for people needing texture-modified diets.
Traditional gnocchi can be too dense for folks with dysphagia or dental issues. Commercial or restaurant gnocchi may include whole egg, and gluten from flour, creating an elastic texture that is hard to manage. Mashed potato based gnocchi offer similar flavor and enjoyment in a softer, safer format; you have control over moisture and binding to suit your personal level. These gnocchi freeze great for making ahead, they are naturally gluten and egg-free and can even be made vegan.
What kind of potatoes?
For this recipe, we want potatoes with a medium level of starch. These strike a nice balance: they mash smoothly and hold together without getting gluey or gummy. Some great choices include Yukon Gold, Yellow Finn, Kennebec, and Red potatoes (can be a little waxier but they work fine). Avoid super starchy ones like Russets, which can dry out too much.
Check out the modifications below the recipe for customizing IDDSI-level, style of eating, or energy levels!
Turmeric Mashed Potato Gnocchi
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Peel, boil, and mash your potatoes until very smooth. Let them cool until warm.
- In a bowl, combine mashed potatoes with turmeric, salt, and 1 tablespoon of starch. If adding Parmesan or nutritional yeast, mix that in too.
- Stir gently; you want a soft, cohesive mixture that holds its shape but stays light. If the mixture feels too sticky or loose, add a little more starch, 1 tsp at a time.
- Dust a tray lightly with starch. Using a spoon or your hands, roll small portions of dough into soft logs or bite-size pillows. (For higher levels of modification, scoop or pipe the mixture instead of rolling.)
- For soft and tender gnocchi: steam the pieces for 4–5 minutes until heated through. For more traditional gnocchi: you can also pan-sauté gently in butter or oil until just golden
- Plate with your favorite sauce: herbed butter, soft cream sauce, pureed vegetables, or meat sauce depending on your needs
Notes
- Puree 4 (PU4): We want absolutely no chew needed; just a silky, spoonable puree. To achieve, skip the starch, and loosen the mash with a splash of broth or milk. You can use sandwich bags for piping or spoons to develop a presentation like a pile of gnocchis and then drizzle with a sauce, mixing in parmesan or yeast to thicken as needed.
- Minced & Moist 5 (MM5): To get tiny, soft pieces that hold shape but squash easily with the tongue, mix in ~1 tbsp starch to help hold shape. Scoop or pipe little pillows.
- Soft & Bite-sized 6 (SB6): For small soft bites that break apart with gentle pressure (no chewy crusts!), add 1.5–2 tbsp starch. Shape into small gnocchi using a fork and steam, or pan-sauté very gently to keep them soft.
- Easy to Chew 7 (EC7): Same as Soft & Bite-Sized above.
- Protein: Stir in a scoop of unflavored or lightly flavored whey isolate or collagen peptides, add soft cheese (ricotta, mascarpone) or plain Greek yogurt to the mash or serve with a high-protein topping (soft shredded chicken, pureed beans, or minced meat sauce) modified for your level.
- Fats: If using dairy, you can choose different levels of fat content to adjust totals, or even add in avocado puree for additional healthy fats that don’t effect texture too drastically.
- Carbs: Replacing part of the potatoes with cauliflower can help reduce carb count, as well as playing with the ratio of a protein based topping on the gnocchi.
- Gluten-free: This recipe is naturally gluten-free.
- Dairy-free/Vegan: Swap in plant based milks, oils and nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor.
- Prepare and swap in instant potatoes
- Prep in parts: Boil potatoes ahead of time they hold well in fridge for 2–3 days.
- Batch & freeze: Make a double batch and freeze uncooked gnocchi on a tray, then store in a freezer bag. Steam them directly from frozen when ready.
- Simplify shaping and cooking: Just scoop dough with a small spoon or pipe it into small shapes. Steaming is gentler and doesn’t require you to stand over a hot pan.
- Low cleanup: Mix dough in the pot you mashed potatoes in to avoid extra bowls. Line trays with parchment so shaping and freezing are no-stick and easy to clean.
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