All things Trader Joe’s frozen cauliflower gnocchi – three ways to cook it and nine easy and delicious recipes to make it with!
If you follow me over on Instagram. You’ll know two things about me: I’m a huge fan of Trader Joe’s and I’m also a huge fan of their frozen cauliflower gnocchi. Why am I a fan? Because it’s easy to make, it’s versatile, it’s cheap, and it’s healthy-ISH. Oh and it’s delicious. I like having at least 2 bags in my freezer for (excuse my language) “oh sh*t” dinners. Ya know, when you forget to defrost the chicken or you burnt the enchiladas. Or you just have nothing in the fridge and need something easy. I’ve been sharing ways to make it on the gram for quite some time now but I figured it was time to put all of my gnocchi knowledge in a one-stop blog post.
How to make Trader Joe’s cauliflower gnocchi:
First of all don’t even look at those instructions at the bag or you’ll never want to eat this stuff again. And it’s delicious (when done the right way) so you don’t want to do that to yourself. Here are 3 methods that are fool proof, I personally recommend oven or air fryer method, but you do you.
1. Oven baked
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add frozen gnocchi in a single layer and spray with non-stick cooking spray (I use olive oil spray) bake for 20 minutes. Toss the gnocchi around and bake for another 13-16 minutes.. or until they’re crispy enough for your liking.
2. Air fried
(click here for the air fryer I use)- Spray your air fryer basket, add frozen gnocchi in a single layer. Next, spray the gnocchi with non-stick spray. Cook at 400 degrees F for 13-16 minutes (or til crispy), tossing them once or twice through cooking time.
3. Skillet
Add frozen gnocchi to a microwave safe plate and microwave for 2 minutes. Heat a skillet to medium heat and add about 1 tbsp of olive oil, butter or ghee. Add gnocchi in a single layer and let them cook without touching them until they start to brown and crisp up. Flip them and cook the other side until they’re crispy. It can take about 15 minutes, maybe longer.. just keep an eye on them but be patient!
Easy Recipes using the gnocchi:
Lemon Ricotta Style:
Cook gnocchi desired method listed above. Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl combine 3/4 cup ricotta, 3 tbsp olive oil, zest and juice of 1 lemon, salt and pepper. Mix til smooth. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil to a skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tsp minced garlic. Let cook for about 40 seconds, stirring frequently. Add cooked gnocchi in and mix around. Reduce heat to low and add the ricotta/lemon mixture. Add about 2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley. Toss gnocchi in the sauce until heated, you don’t want to the ricotta in there too long, it’ll change the texture. Top with more lemon zest if desired and serve immediately.
Spicy Italian Bomba Style:
Cook gnocchi desired method listed above. For the sauce combine 1/2 cup of your favorite marinara in a small sauce pan with 1 tbsp Trader Joe’s Italian bomba hot pepper sauce. You can add a little more but it’s spicy so be careful! Let it simmer and heat for a few minutes. Reduce heat to low and whisk in 1/4 cup heavy cream. Mix to combine. Toss cooked gnocchi with the sauce and top with shaved parmesan cheese and cracked pepper.
Caprese Style:
Cook gnocchi desired method shown above. Add 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes to a skillet with some non-stick spray over medium-low heat. Season with salt and pepper and sauté for 4-5 minutes or until they’re softened. Mix cooked gnocchi with tomatoes in the skillet. Next, add mozzarella balls to taste, sprinkle with some Italian seasoning. Plate the gnocchi, tomatoes and mozzarella and drizzle with balsamic glaze and add some fresh basil ribbons.
Shrimp Scampi:
Click here for recipe
Chicken & Cauliflower Gnocchi Soup:
Click here for the recipe
Roasted Red Pepper, Tomato & Gnocchi Soup:
Heat up Trader Joe’s roasted red pepper and tomato soup (or tomato soup of choice) in a stock-pot. Ladle into bowl and add gnocchi. Top with fresh chopped basil and grated parmesan if desired.
Pesto Burrata Gnocchi:
Use one of the methods above to cook the cauliflower gnocchi. In a skillet over medium heat add 1 tbsp oil. Add 1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes. Let them cook until they soften, stirring occasionally. Add cooked gnocchi to skillet with desired amount of pesto. Break up burrata over the gnocchi and serve with basil ribbons and cracked pepper.
Gnocchi Dippers With Everything Greek Yogurt Dip:
Air fry or bake gnocchi with methods listed above to get it crispy. For the dip combine 5 oz. plain greek yogurt, 2 tsp dijon, and 2 tsp of everything seasoning (or more/less to taste) and mix together. Serve gnocchi with dip… perfect for an appetizer!
Lemon Butter & Asparagus:
Use desired method to cook gnocchi. Prepare the sauce by melting 2 tbsp of salted butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tsp minced garlic and let it cook for about 30 seconds, stirring it around in the butter. Now add the juice of a lemon and some lemon zest. Transfer gnocchi to the skillet with some steamed asparagus (cut into 1 inch long pieces) – mix everything up and add more salt if desired and a pinch of pepper. You could also add a pinch of red pepper flakes for a kick. Top with parmesan cheese flakes if desired.
