Easy Air Fryer Gnocchi Appetizer with Dipping Sauces

If you’re looking for a quick and easy appetizer, you’ve got to try my air fryer gnocchi with dipping sauces!

This easy air fryer gnocchi appetizer is served with a pesto dipping sauce and tomato dipping sauce, so there’s something for everyone.

These air-fried gnocchi are the perfect appetizer to serve at a dinner party since it’s so simple and quick to make. Or make this delicious gnocchi appetizer for a gameday snack or as a side dish!

I love an easy appetizer like this Easy Sun-Dried Tomato Chip Dip and this 5 Minute Jalapeno Popper Dip. But, this gnocchi appetizer has to be one of my best easy recipes.

Cooking this gnocchi appetizer in the air fryer will give the outside of the gnocchi a crispy texture but keep the inside soft and pillowy.

What is shelf-stable gnocchi?

Shelf-stable gnocchi has become a staple in my house; I use it for so many recipes like this One Pan Baked Gnocchi with Boursin Cheese and this Easy One Pan Creamy Lemon & Garlic Chicken Gnocchi. I like to keep a package in my pantry at all times since I can always create a meal out of it for a quick weeknight dinner or a tasty meal on the weekend. It’s usually made from potato flakes and can be found in the pasta aisle of most grocery stores. The best part is that it becomes deliciously crispy gnocchi when air frying.  And, if you need to eat gluten-free in your house, just look for a shelf-stable gluten-free gnocchi to make this appetizer!

Why you’ll love this quick gnocchi appetizer recipe

• This is a simple gnocchi appetizer recipe that uses shelf-stable or refrigerated gnocchi – you don’t have to make homemade gnocchi for this recipe.

• This is a quick appetizer that is ready in just 20 minutes so it’s easy to whip up when guests arrive.

• This air fryer gnocchi appetizer uses simple ingredients from the pantry, nothing fancy here!

• You can use your favourite sauce for dipping!

• Make this into a delicious side dish instead for a busy weeknight.

Ingredients Needed to make this delicious air fryer gnocchi recipe

Gnocchi: the type of gnocchi used matters; a pack of shelf-stable gnocchi will give you the best results in this recipe but you can also use refrigerated gnocchi if that’s all you have on hand.

Spices: use a mixture of garlic powder, paprika and dried oregano to spice up the gnocchi flavour!

Olive oil: just a bit of olive oil goes a long way to help these gnocchi get crispy in the air fryer; if you don’t have olive oil, you can use avocado oil

Parmesan Cheese: this is optional but I love serving the gnocchi with shredded parmesan cheese on top!

Pesto: use a classic pesto or sundried tomato pesto mixed with Greek yogurt for a creamy dip

Jarred Tomato Sauce: use your favorite tomato sauce like marinara sauce or other tomato-based favourite pasta sauce

How to make this crispy air fryer gnocchi appetizer

Step 1: Make the dipping sauce of your choice and set aside. Just mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl. If desired, make both of the dipping sauces.

Step 2: Heat your air fryer to 390°F.

Step 3: Grease your air fryer basket with a cooking spray.

Step 4: In a large bowl, mix together the olive oil, garlic powder, dried oregano, paprika, black pepper and salt with the gnocchi. Toss so the gnocchi are evenly coated.

Step 5: Transfer the seasoned gnocchi to the air fryer basket in a single layer.

Step 6: Air fry the gnocchi for 12-16 minutes, shaking the basket every 3-4 minutes. The gnocchi will be golden brown and a little crispy when done.

Step 7: Serve immediately and garnish with extra parmesan cheese and fresh basil or parsley. Enjoy with your favorite dipping sauce!

Expert Tips

• I love serving this as an appetizer, but you can also serve it as a side dish with my sheet pan chicken and vegetables or one pan baked chicken with tomatoes and oregano.

• Feel free to just make one of the dipping sauces, whichever is your favourite!

• You can also use frozen gnocchi, I don’t recommend defrosting it beforehand. They’ll also need slightly longer in the air fryer, about 14-16 minutes.

• Warm up any leftover gnocchi with some tomato sauce as an easy lunch or snack!

• Make this a gluten-free appetizer by using shelf-stable gluten-free gnocchi instead of regular gnocchi.

Common Questions

Can I use refrigerated gnocchi?
Yes, for best results you can use either shelf-stable or refrigerated gnocchi. They’ll need the same amount of time in the air fryer.

Will sweet potato or cauliflower gnocchi work in this recipe?
They will most likely work in this recipe. However, please note I have not tested the cooking times for these types of gnocchi. I would start at the lower end of cooking time and then add an extra few minutes if needed to get that crispy exterior of the gnocchi.

How do I reheat the gnocchi?
I do recommend serving this appetizer immediately, but you can reheat in the air fryer if needed. Heat the air fryer to 350°F, add the gnocchi with a bit of cooking spray and heat for 3-6 minutes.

Can I use a different type of sauce?
Choose your favorite pasta sauce with this appetizer! Any tomato-based sauce will work wonderfully – a spicy sauce would be very tasty.

Storage

I recommend enjoying this gnocchi appetizer as soon as it’s made, as that’s when it will be the crispiest! Leftover gnocchi can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

More easy appetizer recipes to make from the blog:

Quick Baked Cheesy Jalapeno Ranch Chips Appetizer

Easy Cheesy Baked Pesto and Sun-Dried Tomato Dip

Quick Whipped Ricotta Dip with Hot Honey Appetizer