Gluten-free gnocchi with red pepper cream

Gluten-free gnocchi with red pepper cream: a creamy comfort-food recipe with red peppers, lactose-free cream, olive oil, rosemary and a hint of lemon juice.

At a glance

• Serves 2
• Prep time: 15 min
• Cooking time: 15 min
• Total time: 30 min
• Calories: 380 kcal per serving
• Protein: 9 g
• Fat: 8 g
• Carbs: 65 g

Ingredients

• 1 squeeze of lemon juice
• 400g gluten-free gnocchi
• 2 tbsp lactose-free cream
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 large red peppers
• 1 pinch of smoked paprika
• 1 small sprig of rosemary
• Salt

Method

You’ll need: saucepan · stick blender · sieve

1. Cook the red peppers gently in the olive oil with the rosemary sprig over a medium heat until they smell sweet and have softened.
2. Remove the rosemary and blend the peppers with the lactose-free cream into a smooth cream.
3. Return the pepper cream to the pan and season to taste with salt, pepper, smoked paprika and a squeeze of lemon juice. Simmer gently for a short while.
4. Cook the gluten-free gnocchi in salted water until they rise to the surface. Then drain.
5. Add the gnocchi to the warm pepper cream and toss gently so they're coated all over.
6. Divide between plates and serve straight away. Finish with a little freshly ground pepper if you like.

Good to know

Sometimes food just needs to be soft, warm and comforting. That's exactly how this dish feels: creamy, mild and full of flavour without being heavy.

Swaps

Gluten-free gnocchi → cauliflower gnocchi or boiled potato chunks (less processed) Lactose-free cream → coconut milk, or cashew butter + water (often fewer additives, creamy without lactose; cashew contains tree nuts) Olive oil → mashed avocado or a little more cashew butter (creaminess from whole foods instead of extra oil; cashew contains tree nuts) Smoked paprika → mild paprika + a little roasted red pepper (similar flavour, usually milder)

Allergens

The dish is gluten-free (check the label on the gnocchi). The lactose-free cream is low in lactose but still contains milk. Usually mild enough for children; fine in pregnancy with fresh, properly handled ingredients.

Frequently asked questions

Which nutrients are in red peppers?

Red peppers contain a lot of vitamin C as well as carotenoids such as beta-carotene. They also have smaller amounts of folate, vitamin B6 and potassium.

What's the difference between lactose-free and regular cream?

In lactose-free cream, the milk sugar (lactose) has already been broken down, which matters if you're lactose intolerant. It still contains milk protein, so it's no help with a milk protein allergy.

What does olive oil add to this recipe?

Olive oil mainly contains monounsaturated fats, especially oleic acid, plus small amounts of vitamin E and phenolic compounds. How much depends on quality and processing.

Is smoked paprika interesting from a nutritional point of view?

It mainly brings flavour and small amounts of plant compounds. In normal kitchen amounts, its nutritional contribution is small.

Are gluten-free gnocchi automatically the better choice?

Only if you need or want to avoid gluten. Depending on the product, they're made from potato, maize or rice starch and can differ a lot in fibre and additives.