Trader Joe’s Pasta Emporium Gnocchi

I recently discovered how terrific gnocchi is after trying a frozen cheesy gnocchi entree from Trader Joe’s. Gnocchi is a doughy type of dumpling, often made from potatoes, and served with a sauce. While you can purchase heat-and-serve gnocchi with sauce from Trader Joe’s, the grocer, which is Aldi’s distant cousin, also sells plain uncooked gnocchi that you can serve with any sauce or other ingredients of your choice.

Trader Joe's Gnocchi

Trader Joe’s Pasta Emporium Gnocchi cost $1.69 for a 17.6-oz. package at the time of publication.

This brand is not exclusive to Trader Joe’s. It’s also available on Amazon, but at a much higher price.

At TJ’s, this is sold at room temperature, and the package states that once it’s been opened, it will last for three days if kept refrigerated.

It’s potato-based and is non-GMO. It’s a product of Italy, imported by Di Martino Inc., which is based in Italy but appears to have a small branch in New York City in the U.S.

It advertises just a 3-minute cook time. The package suggests trying it “pan fried, with veggies, or in your favorite pasta sauce.”

To prepare it, boil it for three minutes, then strain it until it’s dry and move to plates. Serve with sauce and grated cheese.

The package gives additional quick meal ideas such as:

  • Creamy Summer Gnocchi — cook one sliced chili, zucchini, scallion, lemon zest, and mascarpone in a pan until smooth. Toss in cooked gnocchi.
  • Squash & Goat Cheese Gnocchi — Bake cubed squash at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Add baby spinach leaves to boiling gnocchi for 3-5 seconds just as gnocchi is ready, then strain. Top with crumbled goat cheese.

Ingredients are: mashed potatoes 70% (water, dehydrated potato flakes [potatoes, emulsifier: mono and diglycerides of fatty acids, spices, natural flavors]), wheat flour, potato starch, rice flour, salt, acidity regulator lactic acid, preservative: potassium sorbate, and natural flavors.

If you’re avoiding allergens, this contains wheat. This may also contain egg, milk, and soy.

Trader Joe's Gnocchi

Ingredients and nutrition information. (Click to enlarge.)

The package contains about four servings, and one 3/4-cup serving has 220 calories, 0 grams of fat, 390 mg of sodium (17% DV), 48 grams of total carbohydrates (17% DV), 3 grams of dietary fiber (11% DV), 0 grams of sugar, and 5 grams of protein.

I followed the directions to boil the gnocchi and then served it with a jar of alfredo sauce and some grated Parmesan cheese from Aldi.

Trader Joe's Pasta Emporium Gnocchi

Gnocchi with alfredo sauce.

If I make this again, I might boil the gnocchi for a minute less because I heated it for a few extra minutes on low heat when I added the alfredo sauce to the pot, or I might heat the sauce in a separate saucepan. It wasn’t overcooked by any measure, but I may have slightly overdone it.

Regardless, it was delicious and made a perfect lunch for two, and I wouldn’t hesitate to purchase this again at TJ’s.

The Verdict:

Trader Joe’s Pasta Emporium Gnocchi can be served with sauce or other ingredients of your choice. It cooks in just three minutes and makes a great easy meal.

About Rachael

Rachael is the Co-founder of Aldi Reviewer. When she isn't busy shopping at Aldi, she enjoys cooking, gardening, writing gothic romance, and collecting more houseplants than she probably should. You can learn more about her at rachaelsjohnston.com.

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