How to Cook Trader Joe's Cauliflower Gnocchi by Completely Ignoring the Instructions on the Package — Worthy Pause (2024)

FAQs

How to Cook Trader Joe's Cauliflower Gnocchi by Completely Ignoring the Instructions on the Package — Worthy Pause? ›

Trader Joe's provides three methods for cooking the gnocchi: in a pan cooked with a little water and then browned with oil or butter, boiled, or microwaved.

Trader Joe's provides three methods for cooking the gnocchi: in a pan cooked with a little water and then browned with oil or butter, boiled, or microwaved.

Method: Preheat oven to 425 degrees then line a half sheet pan with a silpat or parchment paper. Pour frozen gnocchi onto the pan then spread into an even layer and mist with nonstick spray. Roast for 20 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring halfway through.

On the updated packaging, you'll now find four methods for cooking the gnocchi: pan frying (their "preferred method"), air frying, boiling, and microwaving. Fun fact: When TJ's first released their cauliflower gnocchi, the original packaging only provided instructions for pan frying, boiling, and microwaving.

Yes, cauliflower gnocchi can be a healthier choice because it uses a vegetable that's less starchy than potatoes, says Jaclyn London, MS, RD, CDN, Nutrition Director at the Good Housekeeping Institute. "Non-starchy veggies are lower in carbs but often higher in fiber, which can help you stay fuller, longer," she says.

Both boiling and frying are good for gnocchi, but boiling is the most traditional method—and it's quick and easy. The downside is that boiling can result in gummy, waterlogged gnocchi if you cook them too long.

What is this? If you've never tried pan frying gnocchi, you are in for a treat! Forget boiling it, you can actually just toss it in a skillet and cook it. This means less dishes, as it's all cooked in one skillet and crispy, pan fried gnocchi is the result.

Crispy Trader Joe's Cauliflower Gnocchi

If cooking in the oven, spread on parchment paper. Make sure the gnocci are in a single layer and not touching each other. Any gnocchi that's touching will cook together and not get as crispy. Cook at 425 for 25 minutes, flip, and then cook another 15 minutes until golden.

In this recipe for Crispy Sheet Pan Gnocchi, the gnocchi get golden-brown in a hot oven, and a couple pints of cherry tomatoes, which roast alongside, burst in the high heat to form a low-maintenance sauce that prevents the dish from being too dry.

Poach gnocchi in batches in a pan of lightly salted water for 2-4 minutes. Cooked gnocchi will float to the top. Strain and serve immediately with a good pasta sauce. See our how to make gnocchi guide for more information.

Can I microwave packaged gnocchi? ›

Place gnocchi directly from package in microwave in a deep dish. Set the power to 800watts for 1 minute to a maximum of 3 minutes. After that take them out, add the seasoning, mix them well gently and cook them again in the microwave for 1:30.

If you're planning to roast the cauliflower whole or slice it into steaks, slice off the thick stem at the base. Drop the whole cauliflower head upside-down into cool, salted water. Let it soak for 10 to 15 minutes to remove dirt, residue and bugs.

Your gnocchi may be mushy because of any or all of the following reasons: boiled the potatoes instead of baked them. used waxy new potatoes with too much moisture in them. not used eggs to help texture.

Due to the smaller and denser nature of gnocchi, it is more likely that you will end up eating bigger portions than if you chose regular pasta. Although all foods can be part of a healthy diet in moderation, if you are trying to lose weight opt for other options than gnocchi or pasta.

Nutritional Value

Believe it or not, regular pasta is actually more carb-heavy than gnocchi, coming in at around 2 times the amount of carbs per serving. Gnocchi is also notorious for having a lot more sodium, with over 200 grams of it per serving. Regular pasta doesn't have nearly as high of a sodium content.

Nutritionally, cauliflower is lighter in calories and carbs than potatoes and is more nutrient-dense. That's why it's popular among the low carb and weight loss communities.

The basic ingredient of store-bought gnocchi is, of course, potatoes, which in this case are precooked. But in addition there are various raw flours and/or starches, such as rice, wheat, corn, and potato. These latter are inedible when uncooked from the standpoint of both digestibility and safety.

Do not thaw them before cooking or they will stick together. To cook them, throw the frozen gnocchi directly into the boiling salted water without thawing. Their cooking time will be slightly longer than unfrozen but their preparation should be completed in the same manner as with fresh gnocchi.

Like pasta, gnocchi is the perfect vessel for a variety of delicious sauces, from tomato, bolognese and quick butter sauce with sage to creamy gnocchi sauces. So if you're stuck for dinner ideas, you'll find something tasty in this collection of gnocchi sauce recipes.

In a non-stick frying pan fry the Filled Pan-Fry Gnocchi following the pack instructions. Meanwhile, place the pesto and burrata in small bowls. Serve the Filled Pan-Fry Gnocchi with the bowls of pesto and burrata dips. Buon appetito!