Pan Fried Gnocchi

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Pan Fried Gnocchi is so simple to make and only takes about 15 minutes to fry up! It’s the perfect comfort food for a quick weeknight meal. Smothered in savory garlic butter with rosemary and thyme, this gnocchi might even start replacing your pasta in your Italian inspired cuisine repertoire! 

Bowl filled with fried gnocchi.

Pan Fried Gnocchi

Pan Fried Gnocchi is great as a side dish or even as the main event. In under twenty minutes, you’ve got a skillet full of Italian comfort food. Use this technique to cook up your gnocchi in “Gno” time (I had to)  for the perfect crispy on the outside and tender on the inside texture in each bite!

Eat it on it’s own or substitute this gnocchi in place of pasta in a myriad of recipes. You can even add it into your favorite soups (think a copycat Chicken and Gnocchi soup a la Olive Garden). 

While some believe gnocchi to be a form of pasta, it’s actually a potato dumpling. It’s highly popular in Italian cuisine so it’s often treated the same as pasta in recipes. Smother it in sauce, sprinkle it with cheese, or keep it pan fried in garlic and butter.

However which way you eat it, it’s sure to become a new staple in your family favorites category. Plus, this recipe serves 8, so everyone can get their fill!

How to Make Pan Fried Gnocchi

  1. First up, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the gnocchi and cook until it begins to float, about 3 minutes. Drain, and set aside.
  2. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat then add the cloves of garlic, salt, pepper, dried rosemary and thyme, and cook until the garlic becomes fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
  3. Stir in the gnocchi and stir every 3-4 minutes until it reaches your desired crispiness. Ours takes about 15 minutes.
  4. Serve with fresh thyme and freshly grated parmesan cheese if desired. Enjoy!
Collage showing how to make pan fried gnocchi.

Tips and Variations

  • You can use skillet gnocchi if you want to skip the step of boiling them first.
  • Substitute this gnocchi into any pasta dish or add it into soups!
  • Add some red pepper flakes, fresh parsley, and freshly grated parmesan or asiago cheese as a garnish!
  • When adding your gnocchi to the skillet after boiling, make sure they form a single layer in the pan. This will ensure they all cook evenly and can reach that crispy outside. 
  • Be careful when melting the butter not to let it burn or brown before the gnocchi is added. 
Skillet of fried gnocchi.

Storage and Reheating

Storage: Store any leftover Pan Fried Gnocchi in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

Reheating: You can reheat this gnocchi in a skillet until warmed through, or for a quicker method that keeps the flavor, simply use your microwave.

Try Substituting Gnocchi in Any of These Amazing Pasta Dishes for a Fun New Variation:

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White bowl filled with pan fried gnocchi.

Pan Fried Gnocchi

5 from 2 votes
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Author: Kimberly
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 8 Servings

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds potato gnocchi, uncooked
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme

Instructions
 

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the gnocchi and cook until it begins to float, about 3 minutes. Drain, and set aside.
    2 pounds potato gnocchi
  • Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat then add the garlic, salt, pepper, rosemary and thyme and cook until the garlic becomes fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
    6 tablespoons unsalted butter
    3 garlic cloves
    ½ teaspoon salt
    ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
    ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
    ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • Stir in the gnocchi and stir every 3-4 minutes until it reaches your desired crispiness. (Ours takes about 15 minutes).
  • Serve with fresh thyme and freshly grated parmesan cheese if desired.

Suggested Equipment

Notes

*The calories listed are an approximation based on the ingredients in the recipe card and a serving size of 1 cup of gnocchi. Actual calories will vary.
 
*For more information, tips, and answers to frequently asked questions, please refer to the post.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 261kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 598mg | Potassium: 9mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 0.02g | Vitamin A: 266IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 4mg
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5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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