Air fryer gnocchi is one of those recipes. Once you make it, you'll wonder how you ever lived without it. They're crispy and golden on the outside, soft and pillowy on the inside. Make this easy recipe as a main dish, side dish or appetizer and watch them disappear!
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I love gnocchi and we have it on a regular basis. Usually, I cook the gnocchi in boiling water or pan fry it, but recently started cooking it in the air fryer. I use the air fryer for cooking just about everything, so it made sense and I'm glad I did. Air fried gnocchi makes a quick and easy appetizer with a dipping sauce, or you can serve it in your favorite sauce as an easy dinner or side dish.
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Why you're going to love this recipe
- Simple ingredients. All you need is shelf stable, or frozen gnocchi, a small amount of oil, and seasonings.
- Quick and easy. This air fryer gnocchi recipe takes only 15 minutes to cook, with minimal prep.
- Versatile. You can use any kind of seasonings, and your favorite sauces to serve with air fried gnocchi.
Ingredients
- Gnocchi. I used gluten-free potato gnocchi for these photos, but I have also air fried sweet potato gnocchi and cauliflower gnocchi. They work great, so feel free to use those. You can use shelf-stable gnocchi, frozen gnocchi, or fresh gnocchi.
- Oil. I'm using extra virgin olive oil, but you can use any oil. Avocado oil or vegetable oil will work, too.
- Seasoning. An Italian seasoning blend is perfect for gnocchi, and I'm using my homemade Italian seasoning, which is super easy to make. Feel free to use any seasoning that you like.
How to make air fryer gnocchi
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Stir to combine.
- Place the seasoned gnocchi in the air fryer basket and cook crisp and golden brown.
- Serve and enjoy.
Variations
- Gnocchi. Besides regular potato gnocchi, any other type of gnocchi can also be air fried. Try cauliflower gnocchi or sweet potato gnocchi. If you make your own homemade gnocchi, definitely use that!
- Gluten-free. I make my own gluten-free gnocchi, or buy it. It's easy to find on-line and in many grocery stores.
- Cheese. You can add a couple of tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese before cooking, or use nutritional yeast to keep this vegan.
- Seasonings. Italian seasoning is my go-to seasoning for air fryer gnocchi, but they can be seasoned with other dried herbs like oregano, basil, garlic powder or garlic salt instead.
- Spice. Add a little bit of crushed red pepper or ground cayenne pepper to the seasoning to spice it up. Or you could season the gnocchi with Cajun seasoning, taco spices, or chili powder, or toss them in hot sauce before air frying.
Top Tips
- Frozen gnocchi. If you are using frozen gnocchi, there's no need to thaw it. Just add a couple of minutes to the cook time.`
- Silicone Liners. I recommend using silicone liners for the air fryer basket. They keep food from sticking, so you can use less oil. They also make cleanup a breeze.
- Pre-heating. Some air fryer models require pre-heating, but many don't need it. My Ninja Foodi doesn't, so that step isn't included in the recipe card instructions. If your air fryer needs pre-heating, be sure to do that before adding the gnocchi.
- Don't overcrowd. There can be some overlap, but for optimal crispness, don't overcrowd the air fryer basket. For best results, try to cook them in a single layer. You may need to cook in batches, depending on the size of your air fryer.
- Shake or flip. Shake the basket, or flip the gnocchi at least halfway through cooking so that it cooks and crisps evenly.
- Don't overcook. Air fryers vary, so the cooking time is a guideline. Always check during the last minutes of cooking to ensure the gnocchi don't become overcooked and chewy.
- Oven Roasting. You can use the oven to make crispy gnocchi instead of an air fryer. Put the seasoned gnocchi on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake at 425° for 20-25 minutes, turning halfway through.
- Serve right away. Air fryer gnocchi is best enjoyed right away. If it sits too long it will lose its crispy texture.
- Storage. Store leftover gnocchi in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days. Reheat in the air fryer at 400 degrees for 2-3 minutes.
How to serve air fryer gnocchi
These make a delicious snack or appetizer. Serve them on a plate with toothpicks and your favorite pasta sauce for dipping. Some good ones are pesto, like my parsley pesto, or try this basil chimichurri. Marinara sauce, alfredo sauce, or just tomato sauce are perfect, too.
Crispy gnocchi is a perfect side dish for almost everything. We love it with chicken dishes like grilled chicken thighs or bang bang chicken. It's also delicious with fish. Try it alongside blackened cod or honey butter salmon. Or make the whole dinner in the air fryer and serve gnocchi with air fryer country style ribs, or air fryer pork tenderloin.
Use these crispy air fried gnocchi as croutons to top your favorite salad. They're awesome with my butternut squash and feta salad, or sweet potato quinoa salads.
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a rating in the comments below and let us know how it turned out. Did you make any changes? We would love for you to share and your feedback is important! Thank you for visiting The Food Blog!
Recipe
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Air Fryer Gnocchi
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound gnocchi gluten-free, shelf-stable, frozen, or fresh
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine all ingredients, stirring well.
- Add the seasoned gnocchi to the air fryer basket.
- Cook at 400°f for 12-15 minutes, shaking or flipping halfway through.
- Serve immediately, with your favorite dip.
Notes
- Frozen gnocchi. If you are using frozen gnocchi, there's no need to thaw it. Just add a couple of minutes to the cooking time.
- Pre-heating. Some air fryer models require pre-heating, but many don't need it. My Ninja Foodi doesn't, so that step isn't included in the recipe card instructions. If your air fryer needs pre-heating, be sure to do that before adding the gnocchi.
- Don't over crowd. There can be some overlap, but for optimal crispness, don't overcrowd the air fryer basket. You may need to cook in batches, depending on the size of your air fryer.
- Shake or flip. Shake the basket, or flip the gnocchi at least halfway through cooking so that it cooks and crisps evenly.
- Don't overcook. Air fryers vary, to the cooking time is a guideline. Always check during the last minutes of cooking to ensure the gnocchi don't become overcooked and chewy.
- Oven Roasting. You can use the oven to make crispy gnocchi instead of an air fryer. Put the seasoned gnocchi on baking sheet and bake at 425° for 20-25 minutes, turning halfway through.
- Serve right away. Air fryer gnocchi is best enjoyed right away. If it sits too long it will lose the crisp texture.
- Storage. Store leftover gnocchi in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days. Reheat in the air fryer at 400 degrees for 2-3 minutes.
GnocchiLover says
This air fryer gnocchi recipe is absolutely genius! I love how crispy and golden they get on the outside while staying soft and pillowy on the inside. The tip about not overcrowding the basket is really helpful. I'm definitely trying this with homemade gnocchi next time!