Well, I can now say, I feel like I've seen it all. Or now I can say, and now I've tried them all. Trader Joe's offers no shortage of gnocchi offerings. Ranging from the basic Gnocchi Sorrentina, to the more cheesy Gnocchi Gorgonzola, to Sweet Potato Gnocchi to the non-potato based Cauliflower Gnocchi. Now, Trader Joe's is playing with the order of things. Now, Trader Joe's Outside In Stuffed Gnocchi have the familiar topping of the Gnocchi Sorrentina on the inside.
Taste and review
A noble idea, but would it work?
Well, when checking this out, the cashier mentioned that they had just tried it. And I promptly asked her what she thought of them. Her first response was "Well, we only have a microwave here." And the rest of how they were a bit mushy than she would have liked.
If that isn't a hint, then I don't know what is.
So, when I tried the Cauliflower Gnocchi, that was the key takeaway. Those little pillows needed to be browned.
And remembering everything I had ever learned from any cooking class I had ever taken was the importance of tasting as you go along.
Naturally, I didn't try these in the microwave. Onto a buttered pan and I followed the directions.
But they weren't browned yet according to the directions.
Time to stop and taste.
If you follow the directions on the stovetop, you might walk away from these a bit disappointed. I would have.
I tried one and thought it had potential. But in order to get rid of the mushy texture, I had to continue sautéing even though the directions said I was done.
I kept sampling one at a time. While these should be done in 8 minutes on the stovetop, I pushed mine closer to 15.
You see the bag to me is always a hint. If you look closely enough at these, you'll see that the pictures are browned. That's the way to go with these.
But what a difference that crispness makes. It holds these together so much better and makes each bite a bit better.
Had I not browned these, I might have given them something closer to a 2. Brown these, suddenly for me they're a 4 out of 5.
Now, one other little gem of information on these. When cooking these that long, the middle will be a bit nuclear. Let them cool down, lest you burn your tongue.
Overall
Each of these is about the size of two regular gnocchis. And I didn't feel that it needed any additional toppings as sautéing them in butter did a nice job.
For $2.99, I like this way better than the Gnocchi alla Sorrentina also in the frozen section. And I can't say that they taste much different overall. But I liked the experience a lot better with these. The filling seems way more sauce than cheese, but overall, for a meatless dish, it wasn't bad.
BUT...just be warned. This bag is labeled as being 3.5 servings. They filled a salad plate for me. Is it possible for you to eat the WHOLE bag in one sitting? Not terribly difficult. So plan accordingly.
Tips for making this
- Microwaving probably isn't the best way to go
- Allow these to cool before eating them, otherwise, you will burn your tongue
- The browner they were on the outside the more I personally liked them, it helped out quite a bit with the texture.
- These might also work well in an air fryer, but I haven't explored that option yet.
Would I buy this again? Yes, I would buy Trader Joe's Outside In Stuffed Gnocchi again.
Did you try it? Let me know what you think in the comments section!
Product photos
The bag of Trader Joe's Outside In Stuffed Gnocchi:
Calories
Ingredients
Directions
After being cooked you get:
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Trader Joe's Outside In Stuffed Gnocchi
Product Name: Trader Joe's Outside In Stuffed Gnocchi
Product Description: A frozen gnocchi with the sauce on the inside.
Price: $2.99
Summary
Trader Joe's Outside In Stuffed Gnocchi have the sauce on the inside
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Taste
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Value
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Worthy of Repurchasing
Pros
- Easy one pan dinner or lunch
- If prepared correctly, these are pretty tasty
Cons
- Cooking directions could be improved.
- These are way better when they are sauted and browned to a crisp exterior.
Alek says
That looks so good! I think a simple parm cheese sprinkle on top is enough to top these off.
becomebetty says
Hey Alek! That would absolutely work! Thanks as always for stopping by!
judilyn says
The browner - the better - indeed! These look really good, especially since butter is my favorite flavor! ;-> I'd have fun with my selection of Penzey's Spices to sprinkle on a selected few at a time.
Virtual hugs,
Judie
becomebetty says
Hey Judie! As a huge fan of penzeys I'd say the pasta sprinkle or sicilian salad seasoning would pair well with this too. Thanks as always for stopping by!
Dagmar says
I bought two packages of these a few days ago and put one package in the refrigerator for 24 +hours before I pan-fried it in some olive oil, butter & garlic. It got slightly crispy/browned fairly quickly and I don't know if that's because it was thawed out or not. I definitely agree it is more sauce than cheese on the inside but I quite liked them and ended up grating cheese on top anyway. I will definitely be buying more in the future. PS - three servings my aunt fanny!!!!!!! I ate the whole dang thing!
becomebetty says
Hey Dag! I totally agree and btw I totally polished off the first bag in one sitting too. Thanks so much for sharing!
Melly says
I browned mine really well... and put the ones I didn't eat into the refrigerator. Once they are browned, they actually reheat very nicely in the microwave! Just be careful, because the sauce in the middle somehow gets very hot compared to the exterior when reheating in the microwave.
becomebetty says
Hey Melly! Yes, that filling goes nuclear in the microwave or in the pan. Thanks so much for adding that!
brendan freeman says
I can not find them! Been looking like crazy. Emailed traders and was apparently ignored.
becomebetty says
Hey Brendan! These are pretty new. One of my readers on Instagram said there store was sold out and not expected to get them until May. Hopefully, they get back to you. The best place to reach out to is often the store you go to. They can probably give you a better answer. Hope that helps!
stacey says
ok....so I just tried these....except I put them in my airfryer! sprayed the w just a little avacodo oil, cooked them at 390 f about 9 min, with stopping in between to shake them around a bit. maybe im weird, but I didn't event need a sauce or anything...these were a great little snack. I only cooked about ten of them so theres more for another day!
becomebetty says
Hey Stacey! Thanks so very much for sharing this variation on the directions. I know a lot of people have air fryers and this will be very helpful to them. Thanks again for stopping by!
Omochi says
I made these for lunch today and was going to microwave, but was saved by your review. Thank you!
Sautéed half the bag with frozen vegetables, TJ’s frozen leeks and a chopped chicken sausage in a tsp of Olive oil. Best lunch ever! It was very hands-free also since constantly moving stuff around in the pan, wouldnt have allowed these babies to brown up nicely. I didnt need to add any sauce/seasoning. Turned out to be a great one-pot meal.
becomebetty says
Hey Omochi! Glad this review was helpful to you! Nothing worse than a mushy lunch. Thanks so much for letting me know. Your comment made my day
Priscilla Dorinas says
I’m obsessed with these. Browned or not. They are like little pillows. Like home made gnocchi thay can get mushy like a mashed potato but better. Home made gnocchi is hard to get just right. I’ve never found a bagged or store bought gnocchi that isn’t hard in texture. This is a first.
becomebetty says
Hey Priscilla! Glad to hear how much you enjoyed these. Thanks for taking the time out of your day to share!
Jay says
Followed the directions on the bag and after I put the water in and covered they became mushy and broke apart when I went to stir .. still pretty good as mashed potatoes though 😅
becomebetty says
Thanks for sharing Jay!
Arshiya says
Hi! It seems as though I’m the only one confused with your technique, so please forgive me if I’m missing something! Did you follow the instructions on the bag including adding water, and then continue to brown for several minutes after?? Because whenever I add water it gets mushy no matter what. Or should I just skip the water altogether and sauté away for as long as it takes to brown nicely? Thank you for helping!
becomebetty says
Hi Arshiya! I added the water and let that evaporate. Then browned them. So think of it like a similar process to making potstickers. Also, what type of pan are you using? I used non stick.