Trader Joe's Just Sneakily Launched Kale Gnocchi

Friends and fans of all things pasta, the brilliant and terrifying minds at Trader Joe’s have done it again: they’ve turned kale into pasta. As a brand new addition to the frozen aisle, Trader Joe’s new Kale Gnocchi is here to help you eat your veggies and enjoy them, too. Is this a veggie blessing? Is it a pasta sin? Will you stock up on bags of these lil frozen nuggets regardless? The answer to all three is yes.

After the success of Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi, Trader Joe’s kitchen posed the question many have been too afraid to ask: what else can be turned into gnocchi? The answer, apparently, is kale. Kale can be made into gnocchi, and now, Trader Joe’s is selling it in its freezer aisle.

The Kale Gnocchi is constructed similarly to the Cauliflower Gnocchi. Each pasta pillow combines fresh kale, potato starch, and chickpea flour for a simple but flavorful pre-made pasta. According to the product description of the Trader Joe’s Kale Gnocchi, the texture is reminiscent of traditional gnocchi while boasting the earthy, nutty taste of kale. It goes where pretty much no pasta has gone before, combining a leafy green with a doughy, creamy pasta. Is it the pasta we’ve asked for? Not that I recall, but it is certainly the pasta-vegetable combo we deserve.

So, what exactly does one do with a Kale Gnocchi? Throw them in a pot of water and hope for the best? Put them in the MoMa and call it performance art? According to Trader Joe’s, you can serve their Kale Gnocchi with most any sauce and toppings that you’d like. Pair it with some goat cheese and your favorite marinara. Toss it with some parmesan and olive oil. If you’re looking for a little gnocchi inspiration — gnocch-inspo, if you will — Trader Joe’s recommends a pesto kale gnocchi. Just toss your prepared Kale Gnocchi with Trader Joe’s vegan cashew, kale, and basil pesto, and then add mozzarella and whatever veggies your heart desires. Sautee some mushrooms! Halve some cherry tomatoes! Throw some kale on it! What pairs better with kale than kale and even more kale?

This is far from Trader Joe’s first foray into gnocchi innovation ... excuse me: gnocch-innovation. In addition to the 2018 addition of Cauliflower Gnocchi, Trader Joe’s added Outside-In Stuffed Gnocchi to its shelves in March 2019. Each doughy pasta nugget is stuffed with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese, making preparing them even easier. Just toss them in some olive oil and they’re good to go. Or, of course, you could double-down on the sauce and cheese and serve them with your favorite marinara and parmesan. You truly can’t go wrong with two-times the cheese.

If you want to expand your gnocchi palate even further, Trader Joe’s has Chocolate Lava Gnocchi which is ... exactly what it sounds like. Each pasta pillow is a chewy, cocoa-infused Gnocchi with a core of creamy cocoa with hazelnut flavors. It’s essentially like gnocchi and Nutella had a baby. Most importantly, this means you can have gnocchi for dinner and dessert. How you choose to enjoy your gnocchi — whether made with kale or stuffed with chocolate — is entirely up to you and what your Trader Joe’s frozen aisle has in stock. Just please, gnocchi responsibly.