Flavor-packed creamy pesto gnocchi is a quick and easy-to-make midweek comfort meal. Made with fresh homemade basil walnut pesto and store-bought gnocchi, it takes 20 minutes or less.
Enjoy light pasta that is great during summer pan-fried gnocchi, chicken pesto pasta, sun-dried tomato pesto, basil walnut pesto.
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Why does this recipe work?
- It’s quick and easy to make!
- It’s light, comforting, and perfect for a busy weekday dinner.
- A definite crowd-pleaser!
- Easy to customize. Any type of pesto will work. Use basil pesto, parsley pesto, or experiment with sun-dried tomato pesto.
Ingredients
Variations
- Add protein: stir roasted chicken with pesto sauce and gnocchi. You can also add shrimp, salmon, or sausages to the pasta dish
- Extra veggies: stir in baby spinach to pesto gnocchi along with sun-dried tomatoes. Feel free to add any vegetables of your choice to the dish. Vegetables like zucchini and grilled corn are best here.
- Extra flavors: along with lemon zest you can add extra flavor to the sauce by adding in a splash of white cooking wine or some butter for extra richness.
Step-by-step instructions
You can use homemade basil pesto or parsley pesto for this recipe.
Step 1: Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add 2 teaspoons of salt to boiling water. Once the water starts boiling, add gnocchi (fresh homemade or store-bought).
Step 2: Cook gnocchi as per packet instructions. Gnocchi will begin to float on top once cooked. While gnocchi cooks, heat a skillet on another burner.
Step 3: Drain quickly from boiling water.
Step 4: Set aside until use.
Step 5: While the gnocchi is cooking, add fresh pesto and cream to a skillet.
Step 6: Stir together. Allow it to just heat up(a minute or two), DO NOT BOIL. Pesto will oxidize and lose its bright vibrant color if overheated.
Step 7: Add cooked gnocchi to the pesto cream. Stir until gnocchi is coated in pesto sauce.
Step 8: Reduce heat to low. Add salt and pepper to taste, and sun-dried tomato. Stir well.
Step 9: Add a splash of pasta-cooked water to emulsify the sauce if needed.
Step 10: Remove pan from heat. Add freshly grated lemon zest and Parmesan cheese (grated or shaved).
Stir well and serve immediately. Pesto gnocchi is best when served immediately hot.
Note: creamy pesto sauce will thicken as it cools.
Useful tips
- Use the best quality olive oil when you make pesto. Toasting nuts briefly in a pan enhances the taste and flavor of pesto.
- Don’t overcook gnocchi. It will turn into mush. Gnocchi cooks much quicker than pasta, in 1 or 2 minutes it’ll start floating. Keep an eye.
- Add a splash of pasta-cooked water to emulsify the sauce. Add warm chicken stock instead of pasta-cooked water to enhance the taste.
- Serve pesto gnocchi fresh as soon as it’s made.
Storage
If you have leftover gnocchi, you can store them in an airtight container refrigerated for 1 or 2 days. But it will oxidize and turn brown. Leftover gnocchi won’t be bright vibrant green. But it will taste good. Best make enough for one time and eat immediately.
Recipe FAQs
You can use store-bought (fresh from the freezer section or shelf-stable gnocchi from the dried pasta aisle) or fresh homemade gnocchi.
You can use any type of gnocchi to make pesto gnocchi, potato gnocchi, potato ricotta gnocchi, sweet potato gnocchi, or pumpkin gnocchi all works.
Related Pasta Recipes
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📋Pesto Gnocchi Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb gnocchi store bough or fresh homemade
- ½ cup basil pesto homemade or store bought
- ½ cup cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup sun dried tomato optional
- 1 lemon zest
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese grated or shaved
Instructions
- You can use homemade basil pesto or parsley pesto for this recipe.
- Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add 2 teaspoons of salt to boiling water. Once the water starts boiling, add gnocchi (fresh homemade or store-bought).
- Cook gnocchi as per packet instructions. Gnocchi will begin to float on top once cooked. While gnocchi cooks, heat a skillet on another burner.
- Drain quickly from boiling water. Set aside.
- While the gnocchi is cooking, add fresh pesto and cream to a skillet.
- Stir together. Allow it to just heat up(a minute or two), DO NOT BOIL. Pesto will oxidize and lose its bright vibrant color if overheated.
- Add cooked gnocchi to the pesto cream. Stir until gnocchi is coated in pesto sauce.
- Reduce heat to low. Add salt and pepper to taste, and sun-dried tomato. Stir well.
- Add a splash of pasta-cooked water to emulsify the sauce if needed.
- Add freshly grated lemon zest and Parmesan cheese (grated or shaved).
- Stir together and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
-
- Use the best quality olive oil when you make pesto. Toasting nuts briefly in a pan enhances the taste and flavor of pesto.
- Don’t overcook gnocchi. It will turn into mush. Gnocchi cooks much quicker than pasta, in 1 or 2 minutes it’ll start floating. Keep an eye.
- Add a splash of pasta-cooked water to emulsify the sauce. Add warm chicken stock instead of pasta-cooked water to enhance the taste.
- Serve pesto gnocchi fresh as soon as it’s made.
Nutrition
Created by Jyothi Rajesh
Jyothi Rajesh is the founder of the food blog, Curry Trail. She lives in Bangalore, India and is the mom of two beautiful kids. Her passion is creating and sharing delicious and easy recipes for the home cook. She’s been blogging since 2007 and many of her recipes have appeared in both online and print publications over the years. Learn more about Jyothi Rajesh.
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