A super easy recipe for gnocchi with pesto sauce, a quick (and DELICIOUS) weeknight pasta. This is a fantastic base recipe to add anything in, up the protein with some chicken on top or add in any vegetables you have in the fridge. Creamy pesto gnocchi truly is one of my fall back dishes and will also work with any other pasta shape too!
Hi! Ok, so I am kind of obsessed with pesto at the moment. All my latest recipes have been pesto focused, I can't get enough! All starting with my Homemade Basil Pesto Recipe (but store-bought pesto is great in this recipe too). I have a very simple and popular 10 Minute Creamy Pesto Sauce as well as a Chicken Pesto Pasta. See? Obsessed.
There really is something about gnocchi though, right? It hits the spot every time and is such a simple dinner to cook on busy weeknights. If you feel like making your own gnocchi from scratch then my Homemade Potato Gnocchi Recipe is fun to make and has really clear step-by-step instructions. I have used store-bought gnocchi in these photos though!
Ingredients
Gnocchi - Use homemade gnocchi or store-bought is great too!
Garlic - Fresh garlic cloves are best.
Broccoli - I used broccoli as it is my absolute favorite in a creamy sauce but use any fresh veggies you have in the fridge.
Cream - I prefer to use single or light cream as I find heat and the addition of parmesan thicken it up a lot. Use heavy cream if you wish but you'll need to thin it out with some pasta water.
Parmesan cheese - Even though pesto already has parmesan in it, I like to amp up the flavor with some extra. Use Grana Padano or Pecorino if you prefer.
Fresh Basil Pesto - Use any store-bought pesto you like or you could make my Traditional Basil Pesto or even my Arugula Pesto with Basil would be delish.
Lemon - I am actually incapable of making a creamy sauce without fresh lemon juice in it. It freshens it up and cuts through the richness. I love to top this dish with lemon zest too.
Optional extras
Bacon - Fry up some rashers of streaky bacon to add into the dish at the end. You could fry in the same pan first then remove with a slotted spoon and cook the garlic and broccoli in the fat left behind.
Chicken - Some chicken would make this a much more rounded meal. Use my Creamy Chicken Pasta Recipe to cook the perfect pan fried chicken breast. Even some rotisserie chicken would be great to make it easy.
Red pepper flakes - Amp up the flavor with a touch of spice! You could just sprinkle over the top which would add some nice color too.
How to make creamy pesto gnocchi
The full ingredient list and step by step instructions are in the recipe card below, this is just a quick overview so you can have a visual reference. Cook your gnocchi in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions.
ONE: In a large skillet over a medium heat, cook the broccoli in the olive oil for 3 - 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a further 30 seconds.
TWO: Lower the heat and add the cream.
THREE: Add the parmesan cheese, allowing it to melt into the cream. Add the pepper and mix through.
FOUR: Add the pesto and mix through.
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FIVE: Add your cooked gnocchi into the pesto cream sauce along with the lemon juice and mix through.
SIX: Allow it to gently bubble away together for a minute or two. Serve with extra parmesan cheese and some lemon zest.
Expert tips
- Make some fresh pesto from scratch, it's so easy and is so much more delicious.
- Have a big pot of water boiling before you start so you can drop the gnocchi straight in when the sauce is almost done.
- Don't have your heat too high when adding the cream. It should only ever be at the most gentle simmer.
- Boil the gnocchi until it JUST floats to the surface and no more. You want to let it bubble in the sauce for a couple of minutes to soak up some flavor.
- Make it saucy. Creamy sauces dry up so quickly once you take them off the heat so you want it on the saucy side in the pan.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! This sauce works with any pasta shape, it's a great base recipe to customize however you like.
If you want but once it is mixed into the creamy sauce it will lose it's crunch. To pan fry gnocchi you boil then pan fry in some olive oil until crispy. I have a delicious Crispy Pan-Fried Gnocchi recipe.
Traditionally no as it is made with a little bit of wheat flour as well as potato. There are so many gluten free gnocchi options available to buy from grocery stores.
I don't think creamy sauces re-heat that well, that's why I make my recipes so delicious so you won't have leftovers! It will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 -3 days if you must.
Want to make some homemade pesto?
It's so easy and can even be made in a food processor! A combination of fresh basil leaves, pine nuts and parmesan.
Some other delicious recipes to try
If you loved this creamy pesto gnocchi recipe, I have SO many delicious pasta recipes for you to try. Here are a few suggestions!
Did you make this recipe?
I would LOVE it if you could leave a review and star rating down below. Also please tag me on Instagram if you share a photo of the dish!
Recipe
Gnocchi with Pesto Sauce
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Ingredients
- 450 grams gnocchi see notes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cups chopped vegetables (I used broccoli, see notes for other options)
- 3 - 4 garlic cloves finely diced or minced
- 1 cup cream
- 30 grams parmesan very finely grated
- ½ - 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup pesto see notes
- 1 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice plus zest for topping
Optional extras
- 250 grams bacon chopped and fried
- 2 chicken breasts cooked and sliced
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt well. Cook the gnocchi according to package instructions which is usually until they float to the top. Do not over cook as we want to let it bubble in sauce for a couple of minutes at the end.
- In a large pan on a medium heat cook the broccoli or vegetables of your choice in the olive oil for 3 - 4 minutes. I like for the veggies to get a bit of color but still have a nice crunch.
- Add the garlic and cook for a further 30 seconds - 1 minute.
- Lower the heat slightly and add the cream, it will bubble up a lot when you add it but then should only be at the most gentle simmer so adjust heat accordingly.
- After a minute or two push the vegetables to one side of the pan and sprinkle in half of the parmesan cheese. Use a spatula or whisk to gently stir the cheese in.
- Follow with the remaining parmesan and when it has melted add the pepper.
- With the vegetables still to one side mix the pesto into the cream.
- Add the cooked gnocchi in and mix everything together. Quickly mix through the lemon juice.
- Let it bubble away very gently for a min or two then serve with extra parmesan if you wish and some grated lemon zest on top.
- Helpful hint for timing: The gnocchi will only take about 2 minutes to cook so I have a pot of water already boiling and add the gnocchi to it around the time I add the cream to the fry pan. Then the gnocchi isn't sitting around in a colander getting mushy. Reserve a half cup or so of pasta water before draining in case you need to thin the sauce out slightly.
- There is a video below to help!
Alex says
Sooo good! Have made 3-4 times in the last couple months. Yum!
Emilie Pullar says
So glad you enjoy the recipe Alex! 🙂