Pan Fried Gnocchi, plus Rosemary

Pan fried gnocchi are soft and fluffy on the inside and crispy and good on the outside. These good little bites are incredibly easy to make and make a great quick side dish, appetizer or snack. fried with salt, pepper, rosemary and so easy to adapt.

The easiest alternative to fries or roast potatoes…

Did you know you CAN fry gnocchi straight out of the bag? Oh yes, you don't always have to boil them and toss them with a sauce.

You can pan-fry them to crispy, soft-centered good little bites that make a great alternative to fries or roasted potatoes which can take the best part of 40 minutes to 1 hour to prepare.

These little beauties, however, are ready from start to finish in only 8 minutes! Yup, we've been making fried gnocchi this way for years now and we LOVE them.

We like to serve them as a side dish to go with steak and parmesan cream sauce which is such a solid date night dinner!

We also use fried gnocchi to create a fun little appetizer of Fried Gnocchi, Prosciutto and Pecorino! They are so good and easy to make.

How to make Fried Gnocchi – step by step

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the fresh gnocchi and toss so they are covered in the oil and add the rosemary.

Fry the gnocchi tossing every now and then so they get crispy on all sides for around 8-10 minutes.

Tip: The gnocchi should be crispy on the outside. Don't fry them for too long or the centre will firm up on you'll lose the soft, fluffy centre.

Once the gnocchi are crispy on all sides, season them with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Serve them as a side for dinner or as an appetizer with dips.

Do we need to boil gnocchi first before frying?

The simple answer is NO.

We've tried it this way a few times but it makes no difference to the cooking time (it actually takes longer because you have to boil them first) or the taste or quality. toss them straight from the bag into a pan and fry.

Other ways to enjoy fried gnocchi

• Add garlic and parmesan
• Add pancetta/bacon, parmesan and fresh basil
• Drizzle with basil pesto
• Add sauteed onions
• Serve with steak and drizzle with parmesan cream sauce (our absolute favourite)

Top tips for making this recipe

• Any kind of store-bough gnocchi will work well for this recipe.
• It's best to serve these immediately as leftovers tend to dry out and go stale quickly.
• Serve these with anything you would serve fries or roasted potatoes with they are a great alternative.

More easy side dishes to try

• Italian green beans in tomato sauce
• Roasted asparagus with gorgonzola
• Beans in tomato sauce
• White bean mash with rosemary and lemon
• Sauteed Brussels sprouts with date and walnuts
• Crispy Baked Polenta Fries

Ingredients

Makes 4 people

• 1 lb store bought fresh gnocchi (*see notes (500g))
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1-2 large sprig rosemary
• 1 pinch salt and pepper

Method

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the fresh gnocchi and toss so they are coated in the oil, add the rosemary.

2. Fry the gnocchi tossing every now and then so they get crispy on all sides for around 8-10 minutes.

3. Once the gnocchi are crispy on all sides, season them with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Serve them as a side for dinner or as an appetizer with dips.

Kitchen notes

1. *Store bought gnocchi are found in the refrigerated pasta section. Not to be confused with the dried pasta gnocchi variety.
2. The gnocchi should be crispy on the outside. Don't fry them for too long or the centre will firm up on you'll lose the soft, fluffy centre.
3. Serves 4 as a side dish or 6-8 as an appetizer

Other Ways To Enjoy Fried Gnocchi

• Add garlic and parmesan
• Add pancetta/bacon, parmesan and fresh basil
• Drizzle with basil pesto
• Add sauteed onions
• Serve with steak and drizzle with parmesan cream sauce (our absolute favourite)