By Nick Graff, executive chef, Noodles & Company

For more than 25 years, Noodles & Company has been serving popular noodle dishes, such as our best-selling Wisconsin Mac & Cheese, as well as new ones we can't wait for customers to discover for the first time, like our Spicy Korean Beef Noodles. Innovation is at the core of our brand, and we have gone from innovating bold flavors to innovating the noodle itself. With the introduction of our Zoodlein 2018, and our Cauliflower Rigatoni in 2019, we've made it possible for almost every dietary lifestyle to enjoy pasta, and now with our latest addition to the menu, we're taking it even further with Cauliflower Gnocchi.

Noodles has added Cauliflower Gnocchi to the menu.


Our new Cauliflower Gnocchi is part of our better-for-you menu and now available nationwide in two dishes: Cauliflower Gnocchi Rosa and Cauliflower Gnocchi with Roasted Garlic Cream. It's gluten-free and contains half the carbs of a traditional pasta dish as well as a full serving of vegetables in the pasta.
Gnocchi has long been one of my favorite classic Italian dishes. With its pillowy texture and the rich depth of flavor that comes alive when you pair it with just the right sauce, it's a comforting, craveable meal. In creating this dish for Noodles, we wanted to capture the indulgence of traditional gnocchi and put a Noodles twist on it to make it a lighter meal that guests can enjoy as frequently as they like.

We began by researching and exploring numerous different types of gluten-free flours and ingredients, and then we took to the test kitchen to create countless prototypes. Our goal was to find the right flavor, texture, and shape, all while working towards our nutritional targets including half the carbs of traditional pasta and one full serving of vegetables. It took a significant amount of time to make sure we checked all those boxes, but we knew immediately when we had found the perfect recipe. From there, we worked closely with our partners at Taste Republic gluten-free to bring it to life.

As we began testing Cauliflower Gnocchi in our restaurants, one of our primary areas of focus was ensuring this dish's texture wouldn't be compromised by travel — a necessity in the era of COVID where almost all meals are eaten off-premise. We landed on serving our gnocchi in a new container that allows for the gnocchi to be separated from the sauce until its ready to be eaten, and then guests have the fun of deciding whether to dunk their gnocchi or pour the sauce on top (I'm a dunker myself).

Following two years of testing and refining our artisanal Cauliflower Gnocchi recipe, I am thrilled to offer our guests these satisfying and healthier dishes that are only available at Noodles. From long-time pasta lovers to first-time guests, I can't wait to see how you fall in love with pasta all over again with these dishes.

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