October 15, 2018

This is how to cook Trader Joe's cauliflower gnocchi perfectly every time

Use these tips to avoid gooey and gross cauliflower gnocchi

By Bailey King
PhillyVoice Staff

Source/www.traderjoes.com

Trader Joe's began offering its cauliflower gnocchi in April 2018.

The launch of Trader Joe’s frozen cauliflower gnocchi last spring was big news for the healthy eating community. Local bloggers took to their Instagram platforms to comment on their excitement (and sometimes disappointment) about the grain-free pasta offering. But a lot of comments asked bloggers for their tips on preparing the frozen gnocchi. The posters' initial efforts apparently weren’t all that successful. Or yummy, for that matter.

The food director at MindBodyGreen, Liz Moody, recognized that people’s disappointment about the cauliflower gnocchi was coming on because, while following the cooking instructions on the packaging, they weren’t cooking these frozen gems the *right* way.

Trader Joe's says its variety is 75 percent cauliflower, with cassava flour, potato starch, extra virgin olive oil and sea salt. With no wheat, dairy, or eggs, there are fewer carbs and just 130 calories per serving.

The package suggests three cooking methods: microwaving, boiling and sautéing, all generally resulting in a gummy and gooey batch of gnocchi. According to Moody, the trick to getting perfectly crisp and buttery-tasting gnocchi is to sauté it in an oil of your choosing — not water! — for six to eight minutes. And that, mixed with your preferred fixings — like sauce, pesto and herbs — will give you one drool-worthy batch of low-carb gnocchi.

View this post on Instagram

“BUTTERY” SWEET POTATO & SAGE CAULIFLOWER GNOCCHI // I’ve been experimenting with @traderjoes cauliflower gnocchi for a story, and I have to say, I’m pretty impressed. Tonight, I pan-fried them in ghee with steamed sweet potatoes, sage, and sea salt. The sage gets all crispy and the sweet potatoes sort of fall apart to become an easy sauce. I ate it with my bestie @gretchen.amanda while discussing the concept that the 5 people you spend the most time with best reflect who you REALLY are. Do you think that’s true?? I kind of do...and I love what it means in some sense, but it scares me in another. Tell me your thoughts in the comments!

A post shared by Liz Moody (@lizmoody) on Oct 5, 2018 at 2:18pm PDT

Trader Joe’s frozen cauliflower gnocchi is totally vegan — and can stay that way even after being dressed up by their yummy vegan Kale and Cashew Pesto — but you can always dress it up with your favorite vegan (or non-vegan) add-ons.

A 12-ounce bag of cauliflower gnocchi goes for about $2.69.

Do you have a favorite way to prepare this frozen bag of vegan and gluten-free cauliflower gnocchi? Share your secrets in the comments below!