Vegan Gnocchi Salad from the Air Fryer

We say it often and we’ll gladly say it again: potato salad is fantastic. Our potato salad is even the best one out there – and we say that without the slightest hint of exaggeration. But every summer, it’s always the same line-up on every picnic blanket. Potato salad on the left, pasta salad on the right, somewhere a bottle of lemonade that has gone warm. Everyone is happy, everything is great.

This year though, we decided that at least once, we want to be the person who brings something nobody else has seen before. The result: a crispy Mediterranean gnocchi salad from the air fryer that is just as easy to transport as the classics, but definitely sparks a bit more conversation on the picnic blanket.

Air fryer or oven?
Do you need to get an air fryer just for this delicious gnocchi salad? In short: no. But we loooove the air fryer, because it makes this dish wonderfully straightforward and works really well for smaller portions too. The oven, however, works just as well: simply toss the gnocchi with olive oil and spices, spread them out on a baking sheet and roast them at 200 °C/390 °F (fan) until golden brown and crispy. After approximately 15–20 minutes they should be wonderfully crunchy. Give them a quick toss halfway through so they brown evenly.

How do I season the gnocchi best?
Our gnocchi don’t just go into the air fryer as they are, they first take a little spice bath. For a proper portion of flavour and heartiness we went for the Veggie-Küche by LEBENSBAUM: the spice blend we use as a marinade for the gnocchi and in the dressing focuses specifically on umami. You know, that one taste that is kind of hard to pin down, but clearly makes a lot of dishes better. Ingredients like porcini mushrooms, celery, leek, horseradish and parsley are 100% organic and come together as a bold seasoning mix that makes our salad – and plant-based cooking in general – even rounder.

What is the best way to prep the salad for a picnic?
To make sure the crispiness survives the trip to the park: prepare the dressing at home in a sealable jar and take it with you separately. We also recommend letting the gnocchi cool down briefly before closing them into a container. This helps them stay extra crispy and keeps the veggies crunchy too.

Looking for more vegan picnic recipes?
If you are in the mood for more summer recipes that travel well, check out our stuffed pretzels with cabbage, try our vegan cigar börek with spinach, or prepare vegan empanadas. Your friends will thank you!