Air fryer gnocchi Caprese is a delicious take on the classic flavors of tomatoes, basil and mozzarella. An air fryer creates crispy roasted gnocchi and caramelized tomatoes without heating up your oven in the summer. Recipe can be adapted for the oven as well.

Air fryer gnocchi caprese is a delicious way to enjoy the flavors of summer in a vegetarian dinner. — Air Fryer Gnocchi Caprese

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Every now and then I come up with a recipe idea that just seems so stinking perfect. This gnocchi Caprese recipes is one of those. We’re talking crispy gnocchi with syrupy roasted tomatoes and perfect little balls of fresh mozzarella. If heaven was food… well this might be it. At least for me. It’s that good.

Ingredients

Gnocchi- Use the kind of gnocchi that you can find in the pasta section. The frozen kind may work but you may have to adjust the cook time. I really love this whole wheat sweet potato gnocchi.
Cherry tomatoes- Halve the cherry tomatoes.
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Garlic- Fresh garlic works a lot better than dried garlic in this recipe. I prefer pressing it with a garlic press for the best texture.
Salt and pepper
Mini mozzarella balls- You can find these in the deli or specialty cheese case.
Parmesan cheese- Grated Parmesan not shredded.
Fresh basil- Again fresh basil is so much yummier here than dried.

How to Make Gnocchi in the Air Fryer

Air fryer gnocchi caprese is a delicious vegetarian dinner — Air Fryer Gnocchi Caprese

If you haven’t had air fryer gnocchi yet and own an air fryer you have to make it! It’s so good- one of my favorite uses for my air fryer. (This is the air fryer I have and I LOVE it.) The gnocchi gets a lovely crunch on the outside but stays soft and pillowy on the inside. It tastes very similar to oven roasted gnocchi but with just a touch more crunch and in a fraction of the time.

To make this gnocchi in the air fryer:

Preheat the air fryer to 350 and prepare the tomatoes and gnocchi.

Toss the cut tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and balsamic together with the gnocchi.

I like to get the basket of the air fryer nice and hot before I air fry anything in it. Halve the cherry tomatoes. Toss the halved cherry tomatoes, gnocchi, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, pressed garlic and salt and pepper together until everything is evenly coated. Spread the mixture out in the basket of your air fryer. (You may have to do two batches depending on the size of your air fryer.)
Air fry the gnocchi.

Add the gnocchi and tomatoes to the basket of your air fryer.

Air fry the gnocchi for 8 to 10 minutes depending on how crispy you want the gnocchi, gently shaking the fryer a few times throughout the cooking process. When the air fryer beeps, remove the basket from the fryer and transfer the gnocchi and tomatoes to a bowl.
Add the cheese and fresh basil.

Toss the cheese and basil with the cooked gnocchi and tomatoes.

Toss everything Parmesan cheese until coated. Then gently toss with basil and mozzarella. Serve and enjoy!

Oven Roasted Gnocchi Caprese- No Air Fryer Needed!

Air fryer gnocchi Caprese makes a delicious vegetarian dinner. — Air Fryer Gnocchi Caprese

You can also make this dish without an air fryer if you want. If you want to do that, then you can do it in your oven. To do this in your oven:

Preheat the oven to 425.
Prepare the tomatoes and gnocchi.
Halve the cherry tomatoes. Toss the halved cherry tomatoes, gnocchi, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, pressed garlic and salt and pepper together until everything is evenly coated. Spread the mixture out onto a sheet pans lined with aluminum foil and sprayed with nonstick spray.
Bake at 425 for 25 minutes.
Flip the gnocchi and the tomatoes after 12 minutes.
Toss with Parmesan cheese, mozzarella and basil.
Remove from the oven and pour the gnocchi and tomatoes into a bowl. Toss it with the Parmesan, mozzarella and basil. Enjoy!

Why use an air fryer for gnocchi?

Air fryer gnocchi is yummy and perfectly crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. — Air Fryer Gnocchi Caprese

I am the first to admit that I was late to jumping on the air fryer bandwagon. But, I wholeheartedly love my air fryer especially for gnocchi. (I’m sorry to my Italian grandma.) It gives the gnocchi the yummiest texture, plus it works absolute magic on veggies to make them extra delicious.

But I really like gnocchi in the air fryer for a few reasons:

It creates a very similar texture and taste to sheet pan gnocchi without heating up the whole house by turning on the oven. A huge bonus for the summer.
It’s much faster than oven gnocchi.
Because you don’t flip everything midway through, it’s less work.
It yields consistent results.

Tips and tricks

A perfect forkful of air fryer gnocchi with tomatoes, mozzarella and basil. — Air Fryer Gnocchi Caprese

Toss the ingredients well to evenly coat them.
If you don’t want the cheese to melt, let the gnocchi cool for a few minutes prior to tossing with the cheese.
For a little kick, add a 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes.

Storing Leftovers

Air fryer gnocchi is delicious with tomatoes, basil and mozzarella — Air Fryer Gnocchi Caprese

To store leftover gnocchi, put it in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat by microwaving, loosely covered with a damp paper towel, until warmed through or enjoy cold. The leftovers will save for 3-4 days in the fridge.

Other Italian Recipes You Might Enjoy

This gnocchi Caprese has similar flavors to these yummy dishes:

Other Gnocchi Recipes

Did you make this recipe or one of my other recipes? Leave me a comment below and let me know how you liked it or show me and tag a photo on Facebook or Instagram @seasonedsprinkles. Happy eating!