If you loved my butternut squash noodles recipe, bookmark this one too! It’s just as easy to make and oh, so flavorful. It’s great as a stand alone weeknight dinner, or as a side to a meat entree! I don’t shop at Trader Joe’s often, but I go there for one thing consistently: the frozen cauliflower gnocchi. Even outside of this pandemic, every time I go to Trader Joe’s I stock up and buy like five bags of this stuff. I love Italian food and am always trying to recreate my favorite pasta dishes in a lighter way! I can’t get away with eating real pasta every day, so at only 330 calories a bag, the cauliflower gnocchi is a real win.
The first thing you need to know about frozen Trader Joe’s items? The instructions on the back are very hit or miss. When I first made the gnocchi I followed the directions on the back and it came out gloopy and congealed! I tried a few other methods online that other folks had recommended, like baking them, but ultimately decided to try my own way. Baking them was great, but having the added cleanup of an extra pan was a pain! I found the key to sauteeing these babies is the use of good old fashioned butter. Pan frying gets them nice and crispy on the outside, while keeping the center soft like true gnocchi! Sure, adding butter might not be the healthiest addition, but it’s worth it for how this dish turns out. Keep reading to discover my favorite way to prepare Trader Joe’s frozen cauliflower gnocchi! Can’t wait to hear what you guys thinks!
INGREDIENTS
1 bag frozen Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi
2 tablespoons of butter
1 jar of whole artichoke hearts (9.8 oz), drained then chopped
1/3 jar of sun dried tomatoes in oil (8.5 oz), drained then chopped
2 tablespoons pesto (I use Le Grand bags which makes it super easy!)
Grated parmesan cheese for garnish
DIRECTIONS
Before you heat up the skillet, go ahead and drain the jar of artichokes and remove the sundried tomatoes from their jar. Since the sundried tomatoes are in a big jar, I usually just eyeball it – I probably use 1/3 of the jar each time I cook! Chop the artichokes and sundried tomatoes and then set aside. I would also have the pesto out and ready!
Add 2 tablespoons of butter to a large non-stick pan at medium-high heat. One melted, add frozen gnocchi to pan. Stir quickly to coat all sides in butter, then let sit for about 2 minutes or until golden brown. You’ll know the gnocchi is ready to flip when it easily unsticks from the pan with a set of tongs! I usually like to brown most sides of the gnocchi for the allover crispy bite, so just continue to flip and sit until the whole gnocchi looks like it has been touched by the pan.
Once the gnocchi seems cooked on all sides, add the artichokes, sundried tomatoes and pesto to the pan and stir until coated. I would suggest using a large spoon and stirring gently as the gnocchi is now cooked and more delicate! I usually stir in the pan for a couple minutes to make sure the veggies heat up.
Turn the stove off and pour the gnocchi into a bowl, topping with grated parmesan for garnish! I love cheese, so I tend to add quite a bit. I hope you guys enjoy this recipe as much as I have!