A family favorite for twenty years

Trader Giotto’s Gnocchi alla Sorrentina has been a favorite in my family for almost twenty years. My mother introduced me to these gnocchi when my oldest daughter was a toddler, and we have all enjoyed them over the years. We don’t go to Trader Joe’s frequently (parking is a pain), but when we do, we bring back many bags of this gnocchi.


The gnocchi are made in Italy and come in packages of plain gnocchi and pats of frozen sauce and cheese. When these melt, on the stove or in the microwave, they cover the gnocchi with the sauce.

They’re really as good as home made. Indeed I was surprised, when I finally made the home made version, how similar it was to the packaged ones. At $3 per package, they are probably just as cheap as making them yourself.

The gnocchi can be dense if you cook them uncovered in the microwave, so cover them or heat them on the stove. The sauce has a bright, tomato flavoring and just enough cheese – I actually wonder if less than in the past. It’s just good.