The Trader Joe's Frozen Pasta Customers Just Can't Get Behind

Trader Joe's is known for unique, exciting snacks and reliable frozen appetizers and entrees at reasonable prices, like these 22 best frozen Trader Joe's foods under $5. While most frozen items from the store get rave reviews, there are a few selections that don't quite hit the mark compared to other more popular items. In addition to Trader Joe's mushroom ravioli with mushroom truffle sauce, which reportedly has a bit of a chemical-like, fake truffle taste, there's one vegetable-based pasta that just isn't worth bringing home. 

In our review of which Trader Joe's frozen pastas to buy and skip, our taste tester selected the store's cauliflower gnocchi as a major item to skip. Our reviewer didn't mince words with their observations, stating that cooking the vegetable-based gnocchi according to the packaging directions would likely yield a "disappointingly slimy, sticky, gummy meal." In addition to the gnocchi's less-than-desirable texture, the cauliflower-based pasta doesn't come with an accompanying sauce, forcing you to purchase an additional sauce from either Trader Joe's or elsewhere, or requiring you to make a sauce on your own. Trader Joe's recommends tossing the gnocchi in butter and fresh sage or using the store's pomodoro sauce, but it feels a bit wrong to sell a frozen pasta dish without a sauce to go with it. 

The frozen selection may be made specifically for Trader Joe's in Italy, the home of real gnocchi, but the end product leaves much to be desired compared to traditional potato or ricotta gnocchi, which should be pillow, delicious, and light in texture. Reddit users have sounded off with their opinions on Trader Joe's cauliflower gnocchi, and the majority are not flattering. One user posed a question asking if anyone else thought the frozen gnocchi had a fishy smell, with another Redditor responding saying that to them, "it's not a fishy smell but rather like old trash." It's hard to think of a less appealing description of a food item than "old trash."

Of course like most things in life, not everyone has the same opinion regarding the frozen cauliflower gnocchi. Many Redditors cite the need to ignore the packaging directions completely, with one saying that baking them in an oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit yields a much more desirable finished product. Other users recommend air frying rather than pan frying the gnocchi so they get crispy without the risk of them sticking to the pan. If you don't need to worry about your pasta being gluten-free, there are plenty of frozen gnocchi variations from Trader Joe's that people do recommend, like the kale or the sweet potato gnocchi. If you do decide to bring home a package of frozen, pillowy gnocchi, check out our five easy delicious upgrades for Trader Joe's frozen gnocchi.