Frozen Cauliflower Gnocchi with Spicy Tomato Sauce
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Cauliflower gnocchi with a thick and spicy Italian tomato sauce. This is an easy, meatless dish that cooks in one pan in just 15 minutes.
This is a recipe using a bag of frozen, store-bought cauliflower gnocchi, and it’s so good! The dish takes about 15 minutes to make and it cooks in one skillet. You end up with creamy-textured gnocchi in a thick tomato sauce, boosted with garlic and spicy red chili.
Cauliflower gnocchi look just like their original starchy counterpart, which are bite-size potato dumplings traditionally made with wheat flour, mashed potato and egg.
These gnocchi are made without any of those ingredients. There was a lot of fuss in the foodie-sphere when TJ’s frozen cauliflower gnocchi first appeared in the market back in 2018. That’s because for those who avoid fluffy pasta, a product made with cauliflower satisfies many otherwise verboten cravings.
Yes, I’m that person who makes homemade gnocchi at the drop of a hat! Aside from that, I happen to love cauliflower recipes in all forms. So, put those two facts together and I kind of needed to try them out.
For sure, we have to admit that the charm of any kind of gnocchi is that they have a comfortingly soft texture. But let’s face it — they’re on the blander side, taste-wise. Plain gnocchi cries out to be covered in tangy, spicy sauce.
Frozen Cauliflower Gnocchi in Spicy Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 12-ounce (350 g) package frozen cauliflower gnocchi, such as Trader Joe's
- ¼ cup (60 ml) water
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 fresh red chili, chopped
- ½ cup (80 g) thinly sliced onion
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped or grated garlic
- 1 teaspoon crushed red chili, or to taste
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 14-ounce can (400 g) crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- Grated Parmesan cheese, to taste
Instructions
- Empty the package of gnocchi into a large nonstick skillet (no need to thaw). Add the water, cover the pan and turn the heat to medium-high. Cook exactly 6 minutes.
- Add the onion, garlic, red pepper and salt and cook 1-2 minutes. Add the tomatoes. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat, cover and cook 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens a bit and the gnocchi are tender but not falling apart (don't overcook).
- Serve warm in bowls sprinkled with parsley and cheese.
Karen’s Notes and Tips
- If you don’t like hot and spicy sauces, reduce the amount of red pepper by half, or omit it.
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.
Hey, I’m Karen
Creator of Familystyle Food
Professionally trained cook, cookbook author, and the person behind every recipe here. I cook the way I was trained: Start with good ingredients, understand why they work, and don’t apologize for the salt. These are the recipes I actually make, for the people I love. Read more about me here.