Crispy Caprese-style Gnocchi in Air Fryer
If you’re looking for a quick, healthy dinner with all the flavor of the Mediterranean, these crispy gnocchi will be your new favorite go-to. A twist on the traditional recipe that will surprise you with its texture.
Air fryer recipes have arrived to make our lives much easier without sacrificing the usual flavor. This time, we transform classic potato gnocchi into a golden and crispy bite that perfectly combines with the juiciness of roasted cherry tomatoes and the creaminess of melted mozzarella.
To talk about gnocchi is, inevitably, to look towards the Southern Cone. In Argentina and Uruguay, it’s a sacred tradition to eat them on the 29th of every month. The most widespread origin story tells that Saint Pantaleon, after a pilgrimage through Italy and being invited to eat a humble portion of gnocchi on the 29th, thanked the peasants by prophesying a year of excellent fishing and harvests. However, there is a much more pragmatic and domestic explanation: being the end of the month, when money was scarce before payday, potatoes and flour were the most economical ingredients to feed the family. Hence the custom of placing a banknote under the plate to attract prosperity.
Interestingly, this date has left its mark on Argentine colloquial language in a less “gastronomic” way. There, public employees who don’t show up for work and only appear at the office on the 29th to collect their salary are popularly called “ñoquis” (gnocchi). But controversies aside, what interests us today is the recipe, an ideal option for those days when time is tight but you want to enjoy a balanced meal. By using suitable baking dishes, you will retain all the juices of the ingredients, achieving a delicious natural sauce.
Duration: 20 minutes
Servings: 2 people
Difficulty: Very easy
Utensils used: Vitrinor borosilicate dish and air fryer
You’ll need:
- 250 g potato gnocchi
- 150 g cherry tomatoes
- 75 g fresh mozzarella balls
- A handful of fresh basil
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Spices to taste: onion powder, dried oregano…
Salt and pepper to taste
How to make it
Prepare the tomato base:
Start by washing the cherry tomatoes thoroughly. Cut them in half and add them to the borosilicate container. This material is perfect for the air fryer because it distributes heat evenly and is very easy to clean afterward.
Season and roast:
Sprinkle onion powder, oregano, salt, and pepper over the tomatoes. Add a good drizzle of olive oil, mix well to coat them, and cook in the air fryer for 15 minutes at 180 ºC. You’ll see how the tomatoes begin to caramelize and release their juices.
Add the rest of the ingredients:
Once the tomatoes are ready, remove the container and add the mozzarella, fresh basil leaves, and gnocchi. There’s no need to pre-cook them if they are fresh and good quality, as the steam from the tomatoes will cook them perfectly.
Final cooking touch:
Carefully mix everything to avoid breaking the gnocchi and cook in the air fryer for another 2 minutes at 180 ºC. This step is key for the gnocchi to warm up, become slightly crispy on the outside, and for the mozzarella to melt smoothly.
Serve:
Remove the container from the air fryer and serve immediately while the cheese is still stringy.
To finish
If you want to take this dish a step further, the possibilities are almost endless. For an extra texture, you can add some toasted pine nuts or chopped walnuts just before serving; the contrast with the creaminess of the mozzarella is fantastic. If you prefer a more intense flavor profile, substitute the mozzarella with diced feta cheese or add some black Aragon olives halfway through cooking. Additionally, this technique works wonderfully if you incorporate other quick-cooking seasonal vegetables, such as wild asparagus tips or finely diced zucchini.
We hope you enjoy this dish as much as we enjoyed preparing it. It’s the ultimate proof that, with good produce, the right container, and a little love, you can achieve restaurant-quality results without leaving home. Put on your apron, turn on your air fryer, and tell us how these gnocchi turned out in your kitchen!
