If you’re a fan of Italian food, then you’re probably already familiar with gnocchi, small dumplings made from potato and flour typically served in a delicious sauce. Trader Joe’s (or, rather, Trader Giotto’s as they market themselves on their Italian-themed products) is no stranger to the world of gnocchi, and today we’re going over all the details of their many gnocchi varieties.
Contents
What Is Trader Joe’s Gnocchi Made Of?
Like all traditional gnocchi, all of Trader Joe’s Gnocchi varieties are primarily made from potato. Formed into the shape of small, textured dumplings, gnocchi sort of look like very large, round pieces of pasta. Essentially a form of rich potato pasta, gnocchi is a filling and comforting staple of Italian cooking and has become a popular offering at Trader Joe’s locations all over the country.
Mild in flavor on their own, plain gnocchi taste like potatoes and flour, their primary ingredients. However, gnocchi is almost always served in a rich sauce and easily absorbs the flavors of whatever it’s cooked with. Gnocchi have a soft, slightly chewy texture.
What Kind Of Gnocchi Does Trader Joe’s Have?
If Trader Joe’s is known for anything, then it’s probably their sheer variety of offerings. This grocery retailer has mastered the art of offering quality prepared meals from a wide variety of cultural cuisine traditions. When it comes to Italian food, they even have a whole separate branding campaign, Trader Giotto’s, that they use for their Italian-themed products.
Here is a list of the varieties of gnocchi currently available at Trader Joe’s:
- Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Butter and Sage
- Gnocchi alla Sorrentina
- Kale Gnocchi
- Pasta Emporium Potato Gnocchi
Below, we will go over the price, ingredients, nutrition, and calorie information for each variety of Trader Joe’s Gnocchi.
Cauliflower Gnocchi ($2.99)
One of the most popular varieties of gnocchi at Trader Joe’s, their Cauliflower Gnocchi is a standard go-to for many shoppers. Containing only five ingredients (cauliflower, cassava flour, potato starch, extra virgin olive oil, and sea salt) these simple yet delicious dumplings are an amazing centerpiece for an evening meal. Plus, they’re completely vegan and gluten free.
Nutritionally speaking, these gnocchi contain 140 calories per serving (1 cup) and contain just 3 grams of fat. However, because they are made from foods high in starch and carbohydrates, these gnocchi contain 22 grams of carbohydrates per serving. They also contain 460 mg of sodium, 6 grams of fiber, and 2 grams of protein, plus 4% of your daily value of calcium, 6% of your daily value of iron, and 4% of your daily value of potassium.
Truffle Cream Filled Gnocchi ($3.99)
A bit more decadent than their Cauliflower Gnocchi, Trader Joe’s Truffle Cream Filled Gnocchi contains potato, unbleached wheat flour, mascarpone, milk, egg, water, salt, sunflower oil, cultured butter, black truffle, natural flavor, and black pepper. Needless to say, this isn’t one for the vegans out there!
Accordingly, the calorie content is quite a bit higher than some of TJ’s other gnocchi offerings. These gnocchi contain 220 calories per cup, including 9 grams of fat, 35 mg of cholesterol, 580 mg of sodium, 28 grams of carbohydrates, and 6 grams of sugar. They also contain 2 grams of dietary fiber and 6 grams of protein, plus 4% of your daily value of calcium and iron and 6% of your daily value of potassium.
Outside-In Stuffed Gnocchi ($3.29)
Another very non-vegan gnocchi option, these Outside-In Stuffed Gnocchi are a bit more modest than their Truffle Cream Filled pals. These gnocchi contain potato, unbleached wheat flour, crushed tomatoes, eggs, mozzarella cheese, salt, egg whites, extra virgin olive oil, onions, basil, sunflower seed oil, and garlic.
Calorie wise, each 1 cup serving contains just 180 calories, despite the rich ingredients involved. Each serving also contains 3.5 grams of fat, 30 mg of cholesterol, 680 mg of sodium, 6 grams of sugar, and 29 grams of carbohydrates. You’ll also be getting 3 grams of fiber, 6 grams of protein, plus 4% of your daily value of calcium, 2% of your daily value of iron, and 8% of your daily value of potassium.
Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Butter and Sage ($3.79)
Similarly rich as many of their other gnocchi offerings, Trader Joe’s Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Butter and Sage contain sweet potatoes, wheat flour, potatoes, water, butter, milk, eggs, sunflower seed oil, grana padano cheese, sugar, salt and sage.
These rich gnocchi contain 250 calories per serving, including 100 calories from fat. Each serving contains 12 grams of fat, including 7 grams of saturated fat, plus 45 mg of cholesterol, 360 mg of sodium, and 33 grams of carbohydrates. Three grams of these carbs come from fiber while 7 grams come from sugars. There are also 6 grams of protein in each serving. Due to its sweet potato content, these gnocchi also offer 45% of your daily value of vitamin A per serving, plus 6% of your daily value of calcium and 4% of your daily iron.
Gnocchi alla Sorrentina ($2.99)
Trader Joe’s Gnocchi alla Sorrentina contain water, durum wheat semolina, dehydrated potatoes, salt, tomato juice, water, tomato, mozzarella cheese, sunflower seed oil, onion, basil, wheat starch, salt, sugar, garlic, white pepper, and chili pepper.
Nutritionally speaking, these gnocchi pack 220 calories per 1 cup serving, including 3 grams of fat, 460 mg of sodium, and 39 grams of carbohydrates (3 grams from fiber and 10 grams from sugar). Each serving also offers 4% of your daily value of calcium, plus 6% of your daily value of iron and potassium.
Kale Gnocchi ($2.69)
Another vegan option from Trader Joe’s Gnocchi collection, Trader Joe’s Kale Gnocchi is made with just five ingredients: kale, potato starch, chickpea flour, extra virgin olive oil, and sea salt. Each serving contains just 190 calories, bringing it in under most of the other TJ’s Gnocchi varieties, and this includes just 3 grams of fat and zero cholesterol.
These gnocchi also contain 480 mg of sodium and 32 grams of carbohydrates per serving, including 5 grams of fiber. Due to kale being its primary ingredient, these gnocchi also offer a whopping 15% of your daily value of calcium per serving, plus 10% of your daily value of iron and 6% of your daily value of potassium.
Pasta Emporium Potato Gnocchi ($1.69)
Their simplest gnocchi offering by far, Trader Joe’s Potato Gnocchi (sourced through Pasta Emporium and found in the dry goods aisle) are great for preparing your own gnocchi dishes at home. The ingredients of these dumplings include potatoes, water, wheat flour, potato starch, rice flour, salt, lactic acid, potassium sorbate, and natural flavors. Despite being simpler in packaging and look, they’re actually a bit more complex in the ingredients department than Trader Giotto’s own gnocchi products, containing a few preservatives and flavorings.
See the image below for calorie and nutrition information.
How To Cook Trader Joe’s Gnocchi?
The preparation instructions will vary slightly depending on which variety of Trader Joe’s Gnocchi you decide to grab, but most of TJ’s frozen gnocchi varieties recommend sauteéing in a pan on the stove top with oil or butter over medium heat for 7-10 minutes. That’s it!
If you decide to go with the Pasta Emporium Potato Gnocchi, these will need to be boiled for 3 minutes, strained, and then combined with your favorite toppings, such as sauce, oil, or cheese (or all three!).
Alternatively, Trader Joe’s Gnocchi can also be boiled or microwaved.
Note that Trader Joe’s recommends not thawing your frozen gnocchi before throwing them into a pan or pot.
Gnocchi Recipe Ideas
One of the best things about gnocchi is that they’re so versatile and can be incorporated in countless different types of recipes. Trader Joe’s has a great list of recipe ideas for you to try with their various types of gnocchi. Check it out!
- Trader Joe’s Pesto Kale Gnocchi (15 minutes)
- Trader Joe’s Chicken & Kale Gnocchi in White Wine Sauce (30 minutes)
- Trader Joe’s Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup (10 minutes)
- Trader Joe’s Curried Cauliflower Gnocchi (20 minutes)
- Trader Joe’s Gnocchi with Bacon and Brussel Sprouts (35 minutes)
Is Trader Joe’s Gnocchi Healthy?
When it comes to Trader Joe’s Gnocchi, there is a wide variety of options from super healthy and simple to majorly decadent and rich. Here, we will list out each of Trader Joe’s Gnocchi varieties from healthiest to least healthy.
- Trader Joe’s Kale Gnocchi
- Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi
- Trader Joe’s Outside-In Stuffed Gnocchi
- Pasta Emporium Potato Gnocchi
- Trader Joe’s Gnocchi alla Sorrentina
- Trader Joe’s Truffle Cream Filled Gnocchi
- Trader Joe’s Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Butter and Sage
We assessed this list based on fat and sugar content, number of ingredients, presence or lack of preservatives, and vitamin and fiber content. Keep in mind that many health metrics are subjective, so it’s best to take a look at the ingredients yourself and decide which ones best suit your dietary needs and preferences.
Does Trader Joe’s Gnocchi Taste Good?
If one thing is for sure, it’s that Trader Joe’s Gnocchi is absolutely delicious across the board. Even their healthiest varieties, such as their Kale Gnocchi and Cauliflower Gnocchi, have rave reviews. According to this review from BuzzFeed, Trader Joe’s Kale Gnocchi is mind-blowingly good, even for people who weren’t initially super excited about kale as a main ingredient.
This review from thekitchn.com has decided that Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi is definitely “worth the hype.”
FAQs
Is Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi low carb?
Yes! Each serving of Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi contains just 22 grams of carbohydrates, which is actually the lowest of any TJ’s gnocchi variety.
Is Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi Whole30 approved?
Yes. Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi does not contain any ingredients that are restricted by the Whole30 diet.
Is Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi frozen?
Yes. Like most Trader Joe’s Gnocchi varieties, Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi is sold in the frozen section and should be kept frozen until prepared.
How do you eat Trader Joe’s Stuffed Gnocchi?
Trader Joe’s Outside-In Stuffed Gnocchi should be kept frozen until prepared, then sauteed over medium heat with a little bit of oil or butter in a pan on the stove top for 7-10 minutes. This gnocchi can also be microwaved in a covered, microwave-safe container.
Conclusion
Who’s hungry? After talking about gnocchi all this time, we’re ready to drive to Trader Joe’s right now and pick up all the varieties at once. With a wide range of varieties, spanning from the simplistic and health conscious to the decadent and rich, Trader Joe’s has a gnocchi option for everyone. Which one are you excited to try first?
