Air Fryer Gnocchi with Burst Tomatoes

This air fryer gnocchi with burst tomato sauce is a perfect weeknight meal that’s ready in 25 minutes.

This crispy air fryer gnocchi may just change how you think about shelf stable gnocchi. When gnocchi is cooked only in the air fryer, the result is a super crispy exterior that tastes truly delicious with just about anything. Here, we are tossing crispy gnocchi with an easy and flavourful burst cherry tomato sauce that’s ready in about 25 minutes total.

You’ll love this weeknight friendly air fryer gnocchi because it’s one of those meals that requires minimal prep, but rewards you with a tasty dinner that’s ready in under 30 minutes. Even if you don’t want to make this burst cherry tomato sauce, just make the air fryer gnocchi. It will change how you think about shelf stable gnocchi and it is the only way I’ll cook that type of gnocchi now. The air fryer does it again!

Ingredients

For this easy air fried gnocchi, here’s what you’ll need to make it. I’ve also included the ingredients for the burst cherry tomato sauce, because it’s so good served with the crispy gnocchi.

• shelf stable gnocchi
• extra virgin olive oil
• butter
• garlic cloves
• anchovies (packed in oil, drained)
• Aleppo pepper (or red pepper flakes)
• cherry tomatoes
• freshly grated Pecorino Romano (or substitute with parmigiano reggiano)
• fresh basil

How to Make Gnocchi in the Air Fryer

Once you try shelf stable gnocchi in the air fryer, you won’t go back to another method.

Previously, I had used a skillet to crisp up the gnocchi, like with this pan fried skillet gnocchi with brown butter and sage.

This method still works just fine, but the air fryer really gets things crispy. Plus it’s an easier clean up and method for doing it as it doesn’t require much effort from you.

Here’s how to make air fryer gnocchi.

Preheat the air fryer to 390ºF. Pour the gnocchi into the air fryer and drizzle with the oil.

Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, tossing occasionally, until crispy.

You can work in batches if you want to really brown the gnocchi, but I’m too lazy to do that. I toss in the whole package, drizzle with oil and bake.

It doesn’t get easier that this!

How to Make the Burst Cherry Tomato Sauce

I love serving the crispy air fryer gnocchi with a simple tomato sauce like this one. It coats the gnocchi but doesn’t drown it in sauce, thus defeating the purpose of air frying and getting that crispy exterior.

In a skillet, over medium heat, add the butter and brown until fragrant and toasted, about four to five minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add in the anchovies and pepper flakes and cook for one minute.

Pour in the tomatoes along with the water and cook until tender and starting to burst.

Use the back of a wooden spoon to press down and burst some of the tomatoes. This should take about six to eight minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Once the tomatoes have burst and become jammy with the sauce, pour in the gnocchi. Toss to combine everything. Garnish with the cheese and fresh basil. Serve and enjoy immediately.

Tips

• Toss occasionally: after pouring the gnocchi in the air fryer, toss occasionally to get all sides crispy and slightly browned. I usually do this about three to four times throughout.
• Shelf stable gnocchi: this method works with shelf stable gnocchi. I have also made this with Trader Joe’s frozen cauliflower gnocchi which also works so well, the timing and temperature are the same.
• Serve immediately: once the gnocchi is tossed in the tomato sauce, it’s best enjoyed right away. Otherwise, the gnocchi will get soft again and lose that crispy exterior.

Substitutions

• Aleppo pepper: although I love Aleppo pepper and use it very often, if you don’t have it, substitute with chili flakes. The flavour is a little different, but it will work.
• Anchovies: I love adding anchovies to this recipe (and lots of others) as it adds a lot of flavour, nutrients and you’ll barely taste it in a sauce like this. However, if you don’t want to use them or want to keep this vegetarian, you can omit them. Adding in some sun dried tomatoes can add some umami flavour back in.
• Pecorino Romano: use freshly grated parmigiano reggiano instead. You can omit if you don’t want any dairy. A sprinkle of nutritional yeast would be nice on top as well.
• Basil: use some chopped fresh Italian parsley instead.

Which Air Fryer Do I Use & Recommend

I’ve tried three different air fryers over the years and here are my top two picks.

Cosori Air Fryer

The first air fryer I use and recommend is the Cosori. Here’s what I love about it:

• So crispy: this air fryer gets food super crispy, golden and brown without a lot of oil. Which is the whole point after all!
• Responsive: the digital touch is very responsive and easy to use.
• Size: it’s large enough to fit a good amount of food in it, without taking up too much space on the counter or tucked away.
• Heats up quickly: the preheat function is fast and works quickly.
• Cooks quickly: I love how powerful this air fryer is and appreciate how quickly it can cook food.

There’s not much I dislike about this air fryer to be honest. It performs amazingly well!

Cosori 9-in-1 Air Fryer

Cosori 9-in-1 TurboBlaze Air Fryer 6 Qt, PFAS-Free Ceramic Coating, 90°–450°F, Precise Heating for Even Results, Air Fry, Roast, Bake, Broil, Dry, Frozen, Proof, Reheat, Keep Warm, 120V, Dark Gray

Buy Now →

Our Place: The Wonder Oven

And the second, is the Wonder Oven from Our Place. Here’s what I love about it.

• Aesthetically pleasing: as with all Our Place products, the design is unmatched. This means you can leave it out on your countertop and don’t need to hide it away in a cluttered drawer.
• Non-toxic: the trays that come with the Wonder Oven are all non-toxic and made from stainless steel and aluminum with a toxin-free nonstick ceramic coating. This is SO hard to find with other types of air fryers and is the main reason I use it so much.
• Different cooking modes: this is not just an air fryer, it can air fry, bake, toast, roast, reheat and broil. I also love the steam function for bringing breads back to life.

Here’s what I don’t like about Our Place Wonder Oven:

• Hard to keep clean: the door and sheet tray have gotten quite dirty over the years and it’s hard to maintain it, even after cleaning after every use.
• Stopped turning off: the older version I have has also stopped turning off, so I have to unplug it all the time. The newer version could be updated and this isn’t an issue anymore, I’m not sure?
• Less powerful: I find the “air-fry” mode slightly less powerful than other standalone air fryers.

Our Place Wonder Oven

our place air fryer

Buy Now →

Ingredients & Products I Recommend:

Kosher salt: I exclusively use Diamond Crystal kosher salt for all of my recipes. I prefer the texture, taste and consistency of this brand and highly recommend it for everyday cooking.

More Pasta Recipes to Try:

I really, really love noodles and pasta, so be sure to check out these other fun recipes!

• Ravioli with Creamy Spinach Pesto Sauce
• Harissa Pasta with Burrata
• Pan Fried Gnocchi with Sage & Brown Butter
• Easy Miso Carbonara
• Chili Crisp Noodles
• Pasta with Burrata and Sausage
• Soba Noodles with Peanut Sauce and Crunchy Celery
• Healthy Pad Thai
• Chicken Noodle Salad with Thai Bang-Bang Sauce

As always, if you make this easy air fryer crispy gnocchi with burst tomato sauce please share with me, by tagging me on Instagram or leave a comment and/or review below. I truly love seeing and hearing form you!

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only share products and services I have personally used and love. Disclosure here.

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