Pesto Gnocchi

This pesto gnocchi recipe is irresistibly creamy in 10 minutes! Use this trick for a tasty and easy side dish in no time.

Here’s a tip for a quick side dish or an easy dinner: frying pan Gnocchi with pesto! Get this: you don’t even have to cook the gnocchi! Cook these Italian Potato Dumplings right in a skillet and they cook right in the sauce, helping to thicken it by releasing starch. Stir in the purchased pesto and a shiny herb sauce is ready: in just 10 minutes. This trick has become a must for us when things have to go fast!

Gnocchi with pesto: how to do it?

Gnocchi (pronounced NYOW-kee) are Italian dumplings made with potatoes, eggs, and flour. Typically in a gnocchi recipe, you boil it and then add the dumplings to a sauce. But in this recipe, everything is cooked in one pan! You can prepare both the sauce and the gnocchi in just a few minutes 5 minutes. In our opinion, it’s pretty magical! Here’s what you need to know about the process:

• Bring the milk and basil pesto to a boil in a deep pan. When ready, add the gnocchi.
• Add the uncooked gnocchi and cook for about 5 minutes. The dumplings cook directly in the sauce and release starch as they cook. The sauce will be thick and crunchy, then add the parmesan.
• Adjust flavors to taste. See below!

How to use pesto and how to adjust flavors

Here’s the problem with pesto: The pesto you buy varies widely from brand to brand. More importantly, glass pesto has nothing to do with the fresh taste of the original. Many store-bought brands taste intensely sour or have an odd aftertaste. Here’s what you need to know:

• The brands of pesto that you buy vary widely, so find one that you like. We have experimented with many different pots: and they all have different levels of salt and acidity. But when it’s winter, it’s not the only option!
• Homemade pesto tastes best! Again, this is only an option if you have a lot of fresh basil. But basil pesto is better homemade.
• After the pesto gnocchi has cooked, taste and adjust the flavors. Add a pinch or two of salt and add up to 1 tablespoon more pesto if needed. It always depends on the brand!
• Lemon peel gives freshness. If you have a lemon on hand, the lemon zest will balance the flavor of the pesto you bought.

Can we use homemade gnocchi?

If you have the time and energy, you can make homemade gnocchi with potatoes and flour. But it’s a small process! Do it on a day off if you have the energy to channel the Italian granny vibes. If you’re making homemade gnocchi, we don’t recommend using them here. We only tested this recipe with store-bought gnocchi, and the homemade ones have a different texture. Add your favorite marinara or butter sauce!

Serve pesto gnocchi as a side dish or as a main course

You can eat pesto gnocchi as a simple side dish or even as a main dish if you outfit it right! Here are some points to consider:

More recipes with gnocchi

There are a thousand and one ways to cook gnocchi! Here are some of our favorite gnocchi recipes:

This pesto gnocchi recipe is…

Vegetarian. For gluten-free gnocchi, use gluten-free gnocchi.