Everyone has a go-to frozen food at Trader Joe's. And once you try this outside-in stuffed gnocchi, you might have a new favorite.
The inside out stuffed gnocchi are big pillows of light-as-air potato dough with the sauce and cheese hidden on the inside. A bag of this goodness costs just $2.99.
If you're curious about the nutritional info, each serving contains 180 calories and there are 3.5 servings per bag.
At first glance, these gnocchi are much larger and more circular than traditional gnocchi. It must be because they're hiding all that cheese.
According to the package instructions, you can cook the gnocchi in the microwave or on the stovetop. I opted for the stovetop method.
I heated a little olive oil in a skillet and tossed the gnocchi in it for about a minute. Then, I added four tablespoons of water, covered the skillet, and let the gnocchi cook for four more minutes. By that time, the gnocchi were defrosted and just slightly squishy.
I drizzled the cooked gnocchi with olive oil and I tossed it with Parmesan, salt, and red pepper flakes.
When you cut into the gnocchi, it oozes with melted cheese and a creamy sauce that almost resembles vodka sauce. It's straight-up delicious. The gnocchi, while made of potatoes, is so fluffy and light it tastes more like ricotta.
IMHO, this stuff is better than a lot of gnocchi I've ordered at Italian restaurants. Only TJ's version costs $3 as opposed to $20, and it's ready from start to finish in five minutes.
My one critic is that the stuffed gnocchi isn't quite saucy enough for me on it's own and I'd suggest adding tomato sauce or pesto. And beware of over-cooking. A few extra minutes over heat and these babies will get soggy. Other than that, they're impossible not to love, and they will soon be a staple in your freezer.
