Gnocchi vs. Pasta – What’s The Difference?

One of the most easily addicting food is pasta. Pasta has a distinct flavor, and a lot comes with it. It has a lot of options, from making your sauce according to your taste. It can be customized by your preference, making it much more addicting.

On the other hand, you have Gnocchi, which many consider pasta, but it’s not! Pasta and Gnocchi are considered the same by many as both are used in the same way. If you love pasta, then you should also consider trying Gnocchi.

Now the question arises on the difference between Gnocchi and pasta. Well, Gnocchi is primarily made by using potatoes, cheese and flour, while on the other hand, pasta is often made by using only wheat flour and water.

Gnocchi is made into solid dumplings, while the pasta is made into various shapes such as long noodles, shells and bowties. In this article, we will break down gnocchi and pasta, finding the difference between the two.

Keep reading this article to know about the differences between Gnocchi and pasta.

Gnocchi

Gnocchi is very similar to pasta and can even be called pasta. However, Gnocchi is not made by the usual ingredients used to make pasta. Gnocchi is slightly heavier than pasta and is used as an alternative to pasta.

Gnocchi is a great option if you are looking for something healthier as it is gluten-free. It contains less flour and is a great option for people looking to add lighter wheat products to their diet. Thus, consuming gnocchi will be a wiser choice for folks who have digestive intolerances.

Gnocchi is still high in carbs, but it offers you plenty of nutrients. Potatoes are the primary ingredient used to make Gnocchi, as wheat flour is in pasta. Moreover, Gnocchi is made by combining wheat flour, eggs, cheese and bread crumbs.

Many recipes are used to make homemade Gnocchi, which leads it to be justly small and bite-size. A lot of different flavors can be merged to make Gnocchi making it very distinct and addicting. You can customize gnocchi recipes according to your own preferences.

Nutritional Facts

According to the serving size of one cup, the nutritional properties of Gnocchi are as follows:

• Total Calories: 140
• Fat: 3g (4%)
• Saturated Fat: 0.5g (3%)
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Cholesterol: 0mg (0%)
• Sodium: 460mg (20%)
• Total Carbohydrate: 22g (8%)
• Dietary Fiber: 6g (21%)
• Total Sugars: < 1g
• Protein: 2g
• Calcium: 4%
• Iron: 6%
• Potassium: 4%

Health Benefits

Sweet potato gnocchi add a lot of nutrients to your diet and is also proven to improve your digestive health fairly. Moreover, studies have also shown it to improve brain function. If you are further considering lowering your calories, then cauliflower gnocchi are a wider choice.

Cauliflower gnocchi will be a better choice if you are looking to have a healthier diet. It is gluten-free and dairy-free, so people who have dietary restrictions must consider having cauliflower gnocchi. Gnocchi can also be made in such a way to be Keto-friendly by using alternative flours. Keto is a low-carb, high-fat diet that will help folks considering weight loss.

As we have learned about Gnocchi lets talk about pasta: its nutritional facts and health benefits.

Pasta

As opposed to gnocchi, pasta is primarily made out of wheat flour. We must know that both can be similarly high in carbs, but it isn’t good for people who are looking for a gluten-free diet. Moreover, people who are allergic to flour or wheat should not consider having pasta, and the best alternative is Gnocchi.

Pasta can be made into various forms and shapes, but typically they come in the form of long noodles. Pasta is known to be a starchy product but is made by using dough mixed with egg and water and then later cut into the form as needed.

Pasta can be cooked in various ways and served with many kinds of sauce. Pasta is lighter than Gnocchi and low in calories. Many different kinds of sauce and herbs can be added to give it the flavor that you desire.

Nutritional Facts

A 100 grams of pasta serving contains the following nutritional properties:

• Total Calories 131
• Total Fat 1.1 g (1%)
• Saturated fat 0.2 g (1%)
• Cholesterol 33 mg (11%)
• Sodium 6 mg (0%)
• Potassium 24 mg (0%)
• Total Carbohydrate 25 g (8%)
• Protein 5 g (10%)

Health Benefits

Pasta provides you with sustained energy meaning it provides you with glucose, essential fuel for your brain and muscles. It is also a complex form of carbs, meaning the energy released is slow and sustained, leading to reduced spikes in your sugar level.

Moreover, pasta also provides you with various nutrients and vitamins. It is also high in folic acid, vitamin B and iron. Combined with vegetable pasta will definitely help you reach your dietary goals. People who are on diet can consume pasta freely as it is high caloric, but low nutrient food item which will make you feel full for longer time period.

So, What’s The Difference Between Gnocchi and Pasta?

Summarizing the above-mentioned topic into key points, and leading towards the differences between Gnocchi and pasta.

1. The primary difference between Gnocchi and pasta is the recipe used and its ingredients.
2. The only similarity between the two is that both are used to make flour. However, pasta is made by adding wheat to the mix, while Gnocchi primarily has potatoes and eggs.
3. Gnocchi can be made healthier by using cauliflower as an alternative to potatoes, leading to fewer total calories.
4. Pasta and Gnocchi also differ a lot because of their total calories. Roughly it can be said that pasta has two times more calories than Gnocchi.
5. As Gnocchi is known to be high in sodium content, pasta is fairly less in sodium content.
6. Pasta has a lot of different options and recipes and is also comparatively easier to make than Gnocchi. Furthermore, it can be customized to give you the taste you desire.
7. Gnocchi comes only with the alternative to use cauliflower instead of potatoes or add cheese, thus limiting its options.

Sources:

• Foodsguy
• Livestrong
• Aquapazza