Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi With Onions, Peas and Turkey Bacon
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Last updated on Mar 20, 2023
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Looking for more ways to turn the Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi into a meal? Try this pan roasted cauliflower gnocchi with onions, peas and turkey bacon.
I think I’ve found my new favorite way to eat TJ’s cauliflower gnocchi. It’s a super simple combo, so flavorful and easy peasy to whip up. What more could you ask for?
A little backstory… last year around this time Trader Joe’s launched their cauliflower gnocchi and the world has become obsessed. I’m honestly not a huge gnocchi person so this product didn’t excite me much, plus it was always sold out at my local store so I was super late to the cauliflower gnocchi scene.
Don’t Follow the Package Instructions!
Yes, you read that right, disregard the package instructions! They say to boil or microwave the frozen gnocchi and they say to add water if you pan-sauté them. You’ll end up with a mushy, sticky cauliflower gnocchi which, to be honest, is super disappointing! Thankfully, I had the warning from other cauliflower gnocchi fanatics so I had to spread the message to you to.
Cooking Cauliflower Gnocchi
So far the best way I’ve found to cook Trader Joe’s cauliflower gnocchi is to pan roast it in a little olive oil or butter.
The first time I made the cauli gnocchi I pan roasted it with butter and served it with Rao’s homemade pasta sauce. It tasted totally fine, but I wasn’t blown away. Isaac on the other hand LOVED it and couldn’t stop raving about how much it tasted like regular, potato gnocchi. Needless to say, I knew I needed to find a way to cook cauliflower gnocchi that both Isaac and I would enjoy. This pan fried cauliflower gnocchi with onions, peas and turkey bacon totally fits that bill!
I love the combo of the pan-roasted gnocchi with the caramelized onions, sweet peas, savory and crisp bacon and the parmesan cheese. These things are all great on their own, but they’re so amazing together. Now that I’ve found one way that I really enjoy the cauliflower gnocchi, I’m excited to experiment and try some different gnocchi recipes. I’m thinking I might try a cauliflower gnocchi sheet pan dinner next! My local Trader Joe’s better stock up!
If you make this Trader Joe’s cauliflower gnocchi recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how they turn out. Your feedback is super helpful for the EBF team and other EBF readers!
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Trader Joe's Cauliflower Gnocchi With Peas and Turkey Bacon
Ingredients
- 12 ounce bag frozen Trader Joe's cauliflower gnocchi
- 3 slices cooked + crisp turkey bacon
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 large yellow onion
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- sea salt and black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons grated parmesan + more for serving
Instructions
- Cook turkey bacon using instructions in the notes. Once cooked, chop the bacon into small pieces and set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onions and cook until they begin to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden brown and almost caramelized, about 10 minutes more. At this point, stir in the frozen peas and Italian seasoning and transfer to a small bowl.
- Using the same skillet, add the remaining 1 Tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add the frozen cauliflower gnocchi and cook, tossing occasionally, until they’re golden brown on all sides, about 5-10 minutes. Gently add in the onion mixture, chopped bacon and parmesan. Serve warm, sprinkled with additional parmesan.
Video
Notes
- To cook turkey bacon: Microwave: place slices on a paper towel lined microwave-safe place. Cover with another paper towel and cook on high in the microwave for 2-4 minutes, using 1 minute increments. Every microwave is different so you'll have to experiment with the timing for this. You want the bacon to be cooked through and crispy enough that it snaps when you chop/break it into pieces. Of course, you can also cook the bacon the stove-top using the package instructions. I like cooking bacon in the microwave because it's fast and I hate bacon grease being popped all over my stove.
- Inspired and adapted from Fine Cooking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this today for a light summer lunch. I loved how quick and easy it came together. I happened to have some fresh basil, oregano, and parsley growing in my garden, so I substituted that for the Italian seasoning, but added just a pinch of dried marjoram, thyme, and rosemary to more closely replicate dried Italian seasoning. Even the significant other who rarely strays from his “meat and potatoes” comfort zone ate some. I think other proteins might work in here, so I may try substituting bacon with prosciutto, ham, or perhaps even shrimp.
This is amazing, Patricia! I am so glad you gave this recipe a try and it was a hit for you both! Thank you for sharing your review & star rating, I appreciate it!
So good!! On repeat in our house and we always double or triple it!
WOO! I am excited you are loving this recipe, Heather. Thanks so much for your review & star rating, I really appreciate it!
We made this for dinner tonight! To me it tastes like a delicious breakfast hash. We are making it again tomorrow 🙂
Oh yay! So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Katherine. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
Can I give it a 10? This was amazing! I think it is a top 5 meal of all time . Send more Trader Joe’s recipes😊
Thank you so much!
Ah yay!! This makes me so happy to hear! Thanks so much for the review and star rating. I really appreciate it!
Thank the heavens I finally have a recipe that makes this packaged gnocchi taste AMAZING! A simple recipe to whip together on a busy night.
Woo!! So happy to hear this recipe was a success, Kristen! Thanks so much for coming back to leave a review and a star rating. It means the world to me!
Hi! Looks incredible! Do you think it would work with sausage instead of bacon?.
I bet!!
Made this and it was yummy! Fairly quick & hubby loved it too. Very filling. I best go to Trader Joe’s and stock up on more cauliflower gnocchi!!
Yay! So pumped to hear this recipe was a hit. Thanks for the review, Catherine. It means so much to me!
Amazing recipe! Love the mix of vegetables and bacon. This recipe was quick to make for lunch and I threw in leftover veggies. The Italian seasoning adds so much flavor and makes it smell so good 🙂 I used half a bag but will probably end up using the other half to make this again!
So glad you loved this recipe, Louisa. Thanks for coming back to leave a review. I SO appreciate it!