Crispy Pan-Fried Gnocchi with Buttery Onions and Sauerkraut
By Annie PetitoPublished on September 26, 2025
Time
45 minutes
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 pound shelf-stable gnocchi 6 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 pound onions, halved and sliced through root end ¼ inch thick1½ cups water, divided1 teaspoon caraway seeds ½ teaspoon table salt ½ teaspoon pepper 1 cup sauerkraut, drained2 tablespoons unsalted butter 4 teaspoons packed brown sugar 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard Sour cream chopped fresh dill leaves
Instructions
- Separate 1 pound shelf-stable gnocchi and arrange in single layer in 12-inch nonstick skillet. Drizzle 6 tablespoons vegetable oil evenly over gnocchi. Place skillet over medium-high heat and cook, without moving gnocchi, until well browned on 1 side, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir gnocchi and continue to cook until second side of most pieces is lightly crisp, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Using slotted spoon, transfer gnocchi to large plate, leaving oil in skillet.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add 1 pound onions (halved and sliced ¼ inch thick), 1 cup water, 1 teaspoon caraway seeds, ½ teaspoon table salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper to skillet and bring to simmer. Cover and cook for 8 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and pale golden brown, 8 to 12 minutes.
- Add 1 cup drained sauerkraut, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 4 teaspoons packed brown sugar, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, and remaining ½ cup water and simmer until mixture is cohesive and spatula drawn across bottom of skillet leaves clean trail, 3 to 5 minutes. Off heat, stir in gnocchi. Divide among 4 shallow bowls and garnish with sour cream, dill, and coarsely ground pepper. Serve.
Time
45 minutesYield
Serves 4Ingredients
1 pound shelf-stable gnocchi
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound onions, halved and sliced through root end ¼ inch thick
1½ cups water, divided
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
½ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 cup sauerkraut, drained
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 teaspoons packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Sour cream
chopped fresh dill leaves
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
1 pound shelf-stable gnocchi
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound onions, halved and sliced through root end ¼ inch thick
1½ cups water, divided
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
½ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 cup sauerkraut, drained
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 teaspoons packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Sour cream
chopped fresh dill leaves
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
1 pound shelf-stable gnocchi
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound onions, halved and sliced through root end ¼ inch thick
1½ cups water, divided
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
½ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 cup sauerkraut, drained
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 teaspoons packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Sour cream
chopped fresh dill leaves
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Shelf-stable gnocchi show their star potential when you skip boiling and brown them instead. For deep, even browning, we arranged them in a single layer in a cold, dry skillet (easier than adding them to a pan of hot, spattering oil) and then poured a full 6 tablespoons of oil over the top, which seeped to the bottom of the skillet, thoroughly coating it and ensuring even contact with the heat. We let the gnocchi sit over medium-high heat without moving until a nicely browned crust developed, and then we lightly crisped the second side so that they retained moisture and chew. We removed the gnocchi with a slotted spoon and cooked the other ingredients in the remaining oil. For a play on pierogi, we softened onions with caraway seeds and then stirred in sauerkraut, mustard, brown sugar and butter and water before adding the gnocchi back to the pan.
Instructions
- Separate 1 pound shelf-stable gnocchi and arrange in single layer in 12-inch nonstick skillet. Drizzle 6 tablespoons vegetable oil evenly over gnocchi. Place skillet over medium-high heat and cook, without moving gnocchi, until well browned on 1 side, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir gnocchi and continue to cook until second side of most pieces is lightly crisp, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Using slotted spoon, transfer gnocchi to large plate, leaving oil in skillet.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add 1 pound onions (halved and sliced ¼ inch thick), 1 cup water, 1 teaspoon caraway seeds, ½ teaspoon table salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper to skillet and bring to simmer. Cover and cook for 8 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and pale golden brown, 8 to 12 minutes.
- Add 1 cup drained sauerkraut, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 4 teaspoons packed brown sugar, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, and remaining ½ cup water and simmer until mixture is cohesive and spatula drawn across bottom of skillet leaves clean trail, 3 to 5 minutes. Off heat, stir in gnocchi. Divide among 4 shallow bowls and garnish with sour cream, dill, and coarsely ground pepper. Serve.
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