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Air Fryer Gnocchi

Air Fryer Gnocchi turns shelf-stable or refrigerated gnocchi into golden-crispy bites with blistered edges and a fluffy center. Tossed in quick garlic herb butter and finished with fresh parsley and parmesan for a fast Italian-American side dish.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 640
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Gnocchi and seasoning
  • 1 lb potato gnocchi shelf-stable or refrigerated — do not cook first
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
Garlic butter finishing
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 2 garlic minced
  • fresh parsley chopped
  • parmesan for dusting

Equipment

  • 1 air fryer
  • 1 skillet

Method
 

Season and air fry
  1. In a large bowl, toss the uncooked potato gnocchi with olive oil, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper until evenly coated. You should see the gnocchi look lightly glossy with seasoning clinging to the surfaces.
  2. Preheat the air fryer to 400F. Keep going when it reaches temperature so the gnocchi starts crisping right away.
  3. Add the coated gnocchi to the air fryer basket in a single layer. Leave space so steam can escape and the edges can blister.
  4. Air fry for 12-15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through. Cook until the gnocchi is golden and crispy on the outside, with tender centers.
Make garlic butter and finish
  1. While the gnocchi cooks, melt the butter with minced garlic in a skillet over low heat for 1-2 minutes. Stir until fragrant and lightly sizzling.
  2. Transfer the crispy gnocchi to the skillet and toss to coat in the garlic butter. The gnocchi should look glossy and evenly slicked with butter.
  3. Top with fresh parsley and parmesan right before serving. Serve immediately while the gnocchi is hottest and most crisp.
  4. Serve as a side or with marinara for dipping. Add extra parmesan on top if you want more savory dusting.

Notes

Pro tip: Don’t crowd the air fryer—work in batches if needed so the gnocchi can crisp instead of steam. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat in the air fryer at 375F for 4-6 minutes to regain some crunch. Freezing is not recommended for best texture. Dietary swap: use vegan butter to keep the finish dairy-free while still tossing the gnocchi in garlic herb seasoning.