Publised on 30/05/2024. Last Updated on 21/06/2024 by Richard
Crispy air fryer gnocchi tossed in vegan garlic butter and served with home-made marinara sauce. Perfect vegan party food or superbowl snack.
Crispy Air Fryer Gnocchi is a total game-changer for this Italian classic. Imagine biting into crispy, golden gnocchi that’s perfectly seasoned and paired with a rich marinara sauce. It's not your usual soft chewy gnocchi (also delish!) because it's cooked in the air fryer or oven. This recipe takes the humble potato dumpling and transforms it into a crunchy, flavour-packed snack. Trust me, this Crispy Air Fryer Gnocchi is superior to any other gnocchi recipe you’ve tried.
You might be asking, why should you make this recipe instead of sticking to the traditional boiled gnocchi? Well, this version adds SO MUCH extra texture but it's also just so so simple to make. It's perfect for party snacks and an ideal beer snack for the big vegan super bowl!
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Ingredients You'll Need
Here’s what you’ll need to whip up crispy air fryer gnocchi. Remember, the full recipe with quantities is listed at the bottom of the page in the recipe card. If you're in a rush, feel free to scroll down!
- Pre-made gnocchi (I use De Cecco because it's vegan!)
- Olive oil
- Fine sea salt
- Ground black pepper
- Dried oregano
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Vegan parmesan
You'll also need to whip up a batch of vegan garlic butter and simple marinara sauce! The ingredients for those guys are down in the recipe at the bottom of the page - the perfect accompaniment for your crispy air fryer gnocchi. Alternatively you could serve these tasty lil nuggets with my vegan ranch, vegan gochujang mayo or my vegan pesto!
Ingredient Substitutions
If you need to switch things up a bit, here are some great substitutions:
- Olive oil: Use avocado oil or sunflower oil. Just avoid extra virgin olive oil.
- Dried oregano: Italian seasoning mix or fresh oregano.
- Garlic powder: Fresh minced garlic.
- Vegan parmesan: Nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavour.
- Vegan butter: Coconut oil or vegan margarine.
- Chilli flakes: Fresh chopped chilli or a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- Parsley: Fresh basil or coriander.
How To Make Crispy Air Fryer Gnocchi
Here’s a simple breakdown of how to make this amazing dish. The full recipe is at the bottom of the page, but these steps will give you a good idea of the process.
Season the gnocchi: Toss the gnocchi with olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano, garlic powder, and onion powder.
Air fry: Cook the seasoned gnocchi in the air fryer for 20 minutes, shaking halfway through.
Prepare the marinara sauce: While the gnocchi is cooking, heat olive oil in a saucepan, add garlic and red pepper flakes, then the tomatoes and other sauce ingredients. Simmer until thickened.
Make the garlic butter: Mix vegan butter with garlic, chilli flakes, and parsley. Now toss the gnocchi in the garlic butter and serve!
Crispy Air Fryer Gnocchi FAQs
A: Gnocchi is a type of Italian dumpling traditionally made from potatoes, flour, and eggs. Many store-bought pre-made varieties of gnocchi are vegan and do not contain dairy or eggs!
A: Store any leftover gnocchi in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer for a few minutes to crisp them up again.
So there you have it – Crispy Air Fryer Gnocchi that’s sure to become a new favourite in your kitchen. It’s quick, it’s easy, and it’s absolutely delicious. Don’t forget to take pictures of your creation and tag @schoolnightvegan on social media. I love seeing your versions of my recipes!
If you enjoyed this recipe, you might also like my Vegan Lasagna Soup, my Vegan Gochujang Pasta or my Vegan Carbonara. Check them out on the blog!
Crispy Air Fryer Gnocchi
Equipment
- Air Fryer or Oven
- Mixing bowls
- Saucepan
- fork or potato masher
Ingredients
For the Gnocchi
- 500 g pre-made gnocchi such as Di Cecco, which is dairy-free
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
For the Marinara Sauce
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and finely slice
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 400 g peeled tomatoes from a can
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 75 ml water
For the Vegan Garlic Butter
- 3 tablespoon vegan butter
- 1 clove of garlic crushed
- 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
- 1 tablespoon parsley finely chopped
For Serving
- 3 tablespoon vegan parmesan shredded
Instructions
To Make the Gnocchi
- Begin by setting your air fryer to 200 °C to preheat.
- In a mixing bowl, toss the gnocchi with olive oil, fine sea salt, ground black pepper, dried oregano, garlic powder, and onion powder until evenly coated.500 g pre-made gnocchi, 2 teaspoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, ¼ teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- Transfer the seasoned gnocchi to the air fryer basket and spread them out in a single layer. Air fry for 20 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through cooking to ensure even crispiness. While the gnocchi is cooking, make the Marinara Sauce.
To Make the Marinara Sauce
- Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and red pepper flakes, sautéing until the garlic is golden. Do not let the garlic burn.2 tablespoon olive oil, 2 cloves garlic, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Add the peeled tomatoes and the remaining marinara sauce ingredients. Crush the tomatoes with a fork or a potato masher then cover and simmer the sauce, stirring occasionally, until it thickens slightly. This will take about 15-20 minutes.400 g peeled tomatoes, ½ teaspoon sugar, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, 75 ml water
To Make the Vegan Garlic Butter
- While the marinara sauce cooks, make the Vegan Garlic Butter. In a small bowl, mix together the vegan garlic butter ingredients.3 tablespoon vegan butter, 1 clove of garlic, 1 teaspoon chilli flakes, 1 tablespoon parsley
- Once the gnocchi are crispy and golden, remove them from the air fryer and transfer to a large bowl. Drizzle with the vegan garlic butter and toss to coat.
To Serve
- Sprinkle with shredded vegan parmesan. Serve the crispy gnocchi with the warm marinara sauce on the side.3 tablespoon vegan parmesan
Kirsty P
Oh my actual god! SO DELICIOUS
Elena
Put into a normal oven instead. Or even fry in a pan. I'm sure it will work
Katarzyna
Is it possible to make it without the airfryer?