New Year, New You. Or maybe not. Maybe some New Year's Resolutions have been made. Perhaps one of those resolutions was to eat more greens. Well, if you are looking for something green then this little bag of Trader Joe's Kale Gnocchi has got you covered.
The taste
But let me tell you, it isn't easy being green. Or green food for the most part.
When I first saw this appear on my social media feed, I didn't know how to feel. Actually, I was in the category of "I don't know about that one." But I've never been one to skip a Frankenfood Trader Joe's food creation.
And much like the Chocolate Gnocchi these will not win any beauty pageants.
When you look at the directions, they recommend sauteeing these. To which I agree. These are best served crisp and I would not try these out of the microwave. They might do well in an air fryer.
But aside from the fact that they look like they just came out of the backside of a cow, there is the biggest question: How do they taste?
And to me, they didn't quite capture that gnocchi pillow-y-ness.
I kept getting a unique aftertaste: it reminded me of hummus. That distinct grit was there the whole time and that comes from the presence of chickpea flour.
This also explains why I didn't feel like I was having gnocchi also.
If I had to compare this against another Trader Joe's product, I'd say it is closest to the veggie patties they used to sell, just starchier. And they also left the kale flavor pretty plain, although they did take out some of the bitterness that can sometimes come with kale.
But overall, I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it. I was satisfied with a few bites of these. But at no point did I feel like they were a great replacement for a bowl full of potato pillowy softness.
Nope, these are veggies in a dumpling shape pretending to be gnocchi. For $2.69, these are priced at roughly the same as other gnocchi varieties.
The packaging
These are sold in a plastic bag. Unlike the sweet potato gnocchi very little is stuck to the sides of the bag. The bag is not resealable.
Frequently Asked Questions about this product
Below are common questions about Trader Joe's Kale Gnocchi
Each serving is a reasonable 190 calories but also contains 5g of fiber along with 7g of protein per serving.
No, this has 27 net carbs per serving and is unlikely to fit into such a low-carb diet.
Each 12-ounce package cost $2.69.
A comparison of gnocchi
And believe me, I've tried all the gnocchis they offer: Cauliflower Gnocchi, Chocolate Lava Gnocchi, Gnocchi alla Gorgonzola, Gnocchi alla Sorrentina, Inside Out Stuffed Gnocchi, Sweet Potato Gnocchi, and even the dried gnocchi which I haven't reviewed yet (but are always on my pantry shelf).
If I had to recommend them in order of the best to the worst:
- Sweet potato gnocchi
- Cauliflower gnocchi
- Inside Out Stuffed Gnocchi
- Gnocchi alla Sorrentina
- Gnocchi alla Gorgonzola
- Chocolate Lava Gnocchi
- and lastly Kale Gnocchi.
You can click on any of the links above to be taken to the reviews of each of these products.
Overall
Would I buy this again? Sorry, this kale gnocchi just wasn't for me. Maybe if you need a break from your usual veggie side, perhaps you'll be a better fit. As for me, this is a one time purchase.
Product Photos
The bag of Trader Joe's Kale Gnocchi:
The nutritional information and the ingredients:
How to prepare:
After being cooked you get:
Want to see more items I've reviewed from Trader Joe's? Click on Thoughts & Reviews of Trader Joe’s for a searchable list.
Trader Joe's Kale Gnocchi
Product Name: Trader Joe's Kale Gnocchi
Product Description: Trader Joe's Kale Gnocchi is more veggie than actual gnocchi
Price: $2.69
Summary
Trader Joe's Kale Gnocchi is a new and green way to get your veggies in.
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Taste
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Value
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Worthy of Repurchasing
Pros
- Kale is the first ingredient
- Not bitter overall.
Cons
- Wasn't gnocchi enough for me
- I wouldn't polish off a whole plate worth, I'd eat this as a green side.
- Not worthy of a repurchase
Alek says
Seems TJ's is on Gnocchi trend. They could do a twist on loaded baked potato and stuff it with cheese & bacon. That would been ideal. If that product came to fruition then air fried it would be like potato skins.
Dagmar says
Wow.... I thought the whole kale craze was kind of over. Hell no key just doesn't sound very appealing to me. Yes, I know that my last sentence kale gnocchi came out as "Hell no key" in voice translation. Lol- it kind of seemed mildly appropriate so I left it in. I have had a pretty awesome spinach gnocchi before but that was in a really good Italian restaurant. I really love the cauliflower gnocchi, the gorgonzola gnocchi and especially the sweet potato gnocchi. I guess back to the drawing table for Trader Joe's.
becomebetty says
Hey Dagmar! Kale-no on my end too. Thanks so much for sharing and I do wish these were better but the last two gnocchis werent good. Oh well, maybe there will be another one.
Robin says
I think I will stick to the cauliflower gnocchi and get my kale from their chips or spinach kale dip. I do wish the Kale spinach bites hadn’t been discontinued and the ABC and K slaw.