Done correctly, a good gnocchi should be light, soft, delicate. It should have a smooth mouthfeel. Done poorly, you get little potato torpedos that are dense and chewy. I've eaten from both ends of the spectrum. But there is something that is just so comforting about a gnocchi.
Now, on this blog I have tried my fair share of cauliflower related products including: Cauliflower Rice, Grilled Cauliflower, Rainbow Cauliflower, Cauliflower Pizza Crust and the gluten free one too, the seasonal Cauliflower Stuffing, Cauliflower Dip, Mashed Cauliflower, and a slew of other items have entered my shopping cart and belly.
Some are just cauliflower. Some are parading around as a product that is not traditionally done as cauliflower. The results are a bit mixed. For some reason, the products that were pretending to be something else, I did not love. I knew very much that they were the substitute and not the real thing.
I know people go crazy for the cauliflower rice, but it just was never quite rice for me. I felt like I made some comment on each of them they they're a decent "substitute."
This is different.
Oh so different. In all the best ways possible.
So, let's revisit that list of ethereal things that potato gnocchi is: soft, delicate, smooth, and light.
Is this product soft? Yes, these are pillowy soft.
Is this delicate? It's delicate enough to stand up to a good saute without falling apart. It got a good crust which added flavor.
Is it smooth? Yes, there did not seem to be any chunks of cauliflower for added texture. These were as smooth as they get.
It is light? Not quite as light as the potato ones, but good enough.
This product smells of cauliflower as you open the bag, but the flavor mellows upon cooking. I only had a chance to pan saute this. And I'm not sure I would try this any other way.
I found myself picking these right out of the pan and consuming them. They were good. But I never felt like it was a substitute. I felt like it was teetering on an improvement.
I know, that might also teeter on a bit of blasphemy being married to an Italian, but these were on point. I, in no way felt like I was missing out or having a substitute (where my head and stomach are saying, "please eat the real thing"). If I were to sit and consume the whole bag, it would be 330 calories.
In this bag, it's not hard to eat one whole bag as a dinner portion. It could be split as two sides, but it would be hard to push this little bag beyond that.
For the first time, I felt like I was enjoying the substitute as much as the original. I really liked these. They're a touch more expensive than the potato gnocchi found on the shelf. These are priced at $2.69 for a 12 ounce bag.
If I had to complain about anything, I'd like to complain that these will likely be in short supply (as are most new cauliflower products at TJs). But also, this product is not labeled as being gluten-free. It's not organic, but otherwise, this has been one of my favorite new items this year.
Here is the visual run down of what you get if you buy this product:
The bag of Trader Joe's Cauliflower Gnocchi:
The nutritional information:
The ingredients:
How Trader Joe's describes this product and how to prepare:
After being cooked you get:
Would I buy this again? Yes, I would buy Trader Joe's Cauliflower Gnocchi again and again and again. It's the first product that I thought was very, very close to the original. At 330 calories for the entire bag, it's reduced guilt on eating a product that I can easily overeat.
Want to see more items I've reviewed from Trader Joe's? Click on Thoughts & Reviews of Trader Joe's for a searchable list.
The Bottom Line
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Trader Joe's Cauliflower Gnocchi
Product Name: Trader Joe's Cauliflower Gnocchi
Product Description: Trader Joe's Cauliflower Gnocchi is frozen substitute for the potato based gnocchi
Price: $2.69
Summary
Trader Joe's Cauliflower Gnocchi does a great job of emulating the more carb heavy "regular" gnocchi. However, be mindful of how you cook this. Sautéing this is key to success.
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Taste
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Value
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Worthy of Repurchasing
Pros
- Trader Joe's Cauliflower Gnocchi is quite possibly the best cauliflower "substitute" product to date.
Cons
- This is not organic or labeled as being gluten-free.
- Don't microwave it. Sautéing is key.
- Once people try this, I predict it will be a while before I see this on shelves again.
Dag says
Wow I absolutely cannot wait to try this! Maybe sauteed with a little brown butter and sage.
becomebetty says
Hey Dag! Actually, take one bite out of the sautee pan. I had intentions of adding some cheese. I never got that far. I'm just worried this is going to be one of the hardest things to find once people realize it's on the shelf. Thanks as always for stopping by!
sarah.j.mck says
These are pretty flipping amazing! They are a god send to anyone watching what they are eating. I would buy these by the case.
becomebetty says
Hey Sarah.J.Mck! I agree! I wasn't quite sure how these would turn out and I too was pleasantly surprised!
becomebetty says
And yes, I too would buy this by the case as well.
Dagmar says
Lol- okay I just got back from Trader Joe's. I put the last six of the gnocci in my cart. The lady that was watching me put all them in my cart asked the Trader Joe's rep who was stalking something else right by us if there was any more. He said no they had been wiped clean. I felt bad and I gave her one of my bags. The cashier also said it looks like they're going to go through their entire allotment and may be out for a time relatively soon all across the board. Sort of the same situation as when the riced cauliflower came out. So to all of you that want to try this ----go sooner opposed to later.
becomebetty says
That was really kind of you to share. And yes, I agree, if you did not get it right away this might be like the cauliflower crust where I did not see that again for a while.
Catherine Brown says
From the ingredients, it also appears this is vegan! 🙂
becomebetty says
Hey Catherine! I had the same exact thought! But I don't understand why then they would not label it as vegan.
Dagmar says
Ok.... I can see I need to go to Trader Joes this evening! I never thought I'd be jonesing for some cauliflower gnocci!!!!!!!
Dagmar says
Oh my gosh! I just ate the entire bag for lunch. Everything BB said they would be . So delicious.
becomebetty says
I'm glad you enjoyed. I'm also jealous you got 5 bags. How did you make yours?
Dagmar says
I ate a few out of the sautee pan as you suggested first. I could have just eaten them like that and it would have been fantastic. I decided to add cracked black pepper, roasted garlic, sea salt and a little olive oil & butter. I was going to add parmesan but decided to try it just like this first . A-mazing!
Shane says
Did you soak them in water in the pan first like it said to? We made these last night and they didn't end up getting crispy brown on the edges like yours (and on the picture on the bag). We were thinking next time maybe we should boil them and then throw in them in the pan to saute? They were still really good though!
becomebetty says
Hey Shane! I added the water, gnocchi, and covered it. The water did not really evaporate. I let the water evaporate a bit, and then I added the butter. Once you get the butter spread around the pan, then I let them stay put for a bit so they would brown. I hope that helps! I bought the only 2 bags the store had so I haven't been able to experiment much. The directions recommended saute. I was pleased with the results, so I'm not sure I'm going to experiment too much before the supply of these comes back. If you get to try them another way, I'd love to hear. But for me personally, I liked the added texture of the browning. Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by!
Dag says
Yes, I couldn't believe that they turned out so well in the air fryer. I thought I'd kind of ruined them by letting them thaw overnight. But that wasn't the case at all. Just make sure you spray them with olive oil spray or butter spray.
Dag says
Hi Shane,
If you have any air fryer try what I did. With my 2nd bag I let them thaw in the fridge ( changed my mind as to what to have for dinner). Next day I sprayed with a little olive oil and threw them in my air fryer! Turned out great! Crispy outside, fluffy inside.
becomebetty says
Wow! I did not think to use my air fryer like that! Great suggestion. The bag doesn't mention that either! Thanks so much.
Shane says
I do have an air fryer! Good idea!
Alesha says
Dag that’s genius! What temp and how long did you cook in the air fryer? I’m going to try that tomorrow for dinner.
Polly says
Loved these. I tossed mine with a little pesto sauce and parmesan cheese. Even my picky kids who won't eat cauliflower, or even gnocchi for that matter, ate it up. Will definitely buy again.
becomebetty says
Hey Polly! Did you make the pesto or did you use store bought? Which way did you make it? Glad to hear the kids approved. Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by and share your thoughts!
Dagmar says
Hi Alesha,
My temp was set at the highest I believe, 420. And since they were thawed I think I only cooked them for 12+ minutes. I have a dial timer so I cranked it to 15 but I checked them at around 10. I basically waited until they got a little crispy brown on the outside. Let me know how yours turn out!
Tanya says
These gnocchi taste awesome! However, I think the carbs listed on the label is incorrect. I'm a type 1 diabetic and take medication based on number of carbs. Whenever I eat these, I end up with high blood sugar! They do taste good though.
becomebetty says
Hey Tanya! Thanks for stopping by. Thanks for sharing this information. I'd contact Trader Joe's and let them know your concerns, because those types of inaccuracies can be so dangerous! But thanks so much for sharing. I wonder if anyone else has been finding the same thing. Thanks so very much for taking the time to stop by!
Here is the info to let them know: https://www.traderjoes.com/contact-us/product-feedback
Dag says
Heya. I am a healthcare professional and I agree re: carb count. It seems high for cauliflower bbbbuuuutttttt that said please remember to subtract the fiber grams from the carb grams. That is how you get the "true" carb count. So per serving actual carbs per serving = 16g & for the entire bag 36g. We also have to look at the type of flour combined with the cauliflower. Cassava flour is not one I am familiar with (yet).
In general, cooked cauliflower has roughly about 5 grams of carbs per cup. 2 of those grams are fiber so true carbs are 3 grams. I am guessing the flour used stacks the carbs.
Dag says
Aha! I did some research on cassava flour. It apparently is high in carbs and does have a little bit of fiber. For more interesting information check out this link.
https://downshiftology.com/5-things-you-need-to-know-about-cassava-flour/