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This creamy Pesto Gnocchi is a simple and easy dinner that you can throw together in 15 minutes or less. You’ll want to make this delicious homemade comfort food part of your permanent meal plan.
When you’re in the mood for a simple “throw together” one-pot meal, feast your eyes on this creamy pesto gnocchi. It goes from the stovetop to the table in less than 15 minutes.
And “technically” this is not a one-pan dinner because I do recommend boiling the gnocchi separately. But it’s one-pan(ish) and worth the extra dish to wash.
Once you make this gnocchi, check out our Creamy Chicken Pasta, Pesto Orzo, and Creamy Pesto Pasta for other tasty options.
What’s in This Pesto Gnocchi Recipe
We’re rocking:
- Gnocchi – I used shelf stable (find it in the pasta aisle), but frozen or refrigerated gnocchi will also work.
- Pesto – use storebought or make your own (related: Pesto Without Pine Nuts or Vegan Pesto)
- Olive oil and a bit of salted butter.
- Shredded Parmesan, and while the recipe card below recommends how much to use, we all know cheese should really be measured with your heart.
- Heavy cream
And, if you want to get fancy or make this a more robust dish, you can add toasted pine nuts, shredded Parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes, and/or crumbled crispy bacon.
I also highly recommend adding a minced clove of fresh garlic in step 7 to punch up the flavor. You can also throw in a few fistfuls of baby spinach in step 8.
How to Make Pesto Gnocchi
I’ll walk you through it with some tips and tricks and photos, and you’ll find a printable recipe card at the bottom of the post with exact measurements and cooking times.
There are two options with this recipe – the short version and the (barely) longer version. The longer version takes an extra 3-5 minutes. Both options are delicious, but if you’re pressed for time, go for the short version.
This recipe is FAST, so you’ll want to have everything measured and ready to go when the gnocchi is boiling. Thankfully, we’re only talking about 2 minutes of prep time!
Boil the gnocchi in a pot of salted water for 2-3 minutes. It cooks super quickly, and you also don’t want to overcook those delicious little potato dumplings. When the first few gnocchi starts to float, remove the pan from the heat and immediately drain the gnocchi in a strainer.
While the gnocchi is boiling, preheat a heavy-bottomed stainless steel skillet over medium heat. While the gnocchi is draining, add the olive oil and butter to the skillet.
Add the gnocchi to the skillet, and stir gently for 1 minute to coat the gnocchi in the oil/butter mixture. Pro tip: if any gnocchi sticks to the pan, keep gently stirring and scraping. It will release during the toasting process.
After that first minute of stirring, let the gnocchi sit in the skillet, stirring only occasionally. You don’t want them to burn, but you do want some tasty searing action happening. This toasting process only takes 3-5 minutes, but it gives the gnocchi an incredible texture.
Once those gnocchi are looking lightly browned and delicious, slowly pour in the heavy cream, add the pesto, and stir. Pro tip: Start with the recommended amount of pesto and add more to taste. During the recipe testing process, we initially used 1/2 cup of pesto and the whole family found the flavor overpowering.
Top the dish with shredded Parmesan and go live your best life.
More Gnocchi Recipes You’ll Love
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can use your favorite non-dairy butter and cream. Plant-based unflavored creamer would work well as would a cashew cream base.
If you need instructions on how to make cashew cream, you can find them in this post on vegan aioli.
If you consume dairy but need a lactose-free option, lactose-free milk or cream will also work in this dish.
Top your gnocchi with white beans, leftover chicken (like from a dry brined roast chicken), Air Fryer Frozen Shrimp, smoked salmon, or Air Fryer Scallops.
Allow the gnocchi to cool and store them in an air-tight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. We love these Snapware glass spill-proof containers.
This dish reheats very well, but the gnocchi will absorb a lot of the creamy pesto sauce. If you plan to make it ahead of time, either 1) add an extra 1/4 cup of heavy cream in the initial cooking process (I’d also add an extra tbsp of pesto), or 2) reheat with a splash of heavy cream.
If you’re making this to serve later, you can skip the step of toasting the gnocchi. The crispy gnocchi texture doesn’t last when reheated.
A side dish of veggies like Chopped Cabbage Salad, Roasted Frozen Broccoli, Air Fryer Asparagus, or Green Pea Salad are all great.
And for more carbs (yes please!), Cheesy Garlic Bread, Air Fryer Texas Toast, Stuffing Biscuits, or No Knead Dutch Oven Bread are delicious options.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- I recommend using a stainless steel skillet if you have one. It gives you the best sear on the gnocchi.
- If you use refrigerated or frozen gnocchi, follow the cooking instructions on the package and then jump into step 4 in the printable recipe card below.
- I recommend using salted butter in this recipe, as unsalted might brown during the cooking process. This could be delicious but if it isn’t watched closely, it could burn.
- If you use a milk product that is lower in fat than heavy cream, you’ll want to warm the milk prior to adding it to the pan. The high level of milkfat in the heavy cream will keep it from curdling in the heat, but half-and-half, whole milk (or lower) will seize up and curdle in the hot pan.
- While this recipe is essentially vegetarian as written, if you’re a strict vegetarian, you’ll want to use a vegetarian-friendly Parmesan cheese.
- If you have leftover pesto, check out my tutorial on How to Freeze Pesto. You can also make some of our delicious Pesto Rice.
More Weeknight Dinners To Enjoy
Creamy Pesto Gnocchi
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a large saucepan bring 2 quarts of salted water to a boil.
- Add the gnocchi and cook until al dente, ~2-3 minutes. When a few start to float, they're done.Start the sauce while the gnocchi cooks.16 oz gnocchi
- Drain the gnocchi. Set aside.
- Preheat a large deep skillet over medium heat.
- While the gnocchi is draining, add the olive oil and butter to the skillet.1 tbsp salted butter, 1 tbsp olive oil
- Add the gnocchi to the skillet, and stir gently for 1 minute to coat the gnocchi in the oil/butter mixture.
- After that first minute of stirring, let the gnocchi sit in the skillet for 3-5 minutes, stirring only occasionally.
- Reduce the heat to low and slowly pour in the heavy cream, add the pesto, and stir. Cook on low for 1 minute.1/2 cup heavy cream, 1/4 cup pesto
- Top with shredded Parmesan and serve.1/3 cup shredded Parmesan
Notes
- I recommend using a stainless steel skillet if you have one. It gives you the best sear on the gnocchi.
- If you use refrigerated or frozen gnocchi, follow the cooking instructions on the package and then jump into step 4 above.
- If you use a milk product that is lower in fat than heavy cream, you’ll want to warm the milk prior to adding it to the pan. The high level of milkfat in the heavy cream will keep it from curdling in the heat, but half-and-half, whole milk (or lower) will seize up and curdle in the hot pan.
- While this recipe is essentially vegetarian as written, if you are a strict vegetarian, you’ll want to use a vegetarian-friendly Parmesan cheese.
My family loved this so much we fought over who would get to take the leftovers for lunch! I loved that it was quick to come together after a long day at work.Â
I love when our recipes can incite mini battles. So glad you enjoyed this one!
I’ve cooked this a second time. I doubled the recipe and added ground pork. Still absolutely delicious. The flavor was awesomeÂ
I love the addition of the ground pork! Smart choice.
I love the recipe. Simple and elegant. You have to try also the pumpkin gnocchi.
Sarah you know I love a 15 min meal. This was awesome! Even the picky one ate it!! I will need to double it next time as the 16 oz just wasn’t enough mostly because I used this as our entire meal.Â
Awwww, I’m so thrilled to hear that! I think of you when crafting recipes and was hoping this would be a homerun for you. 🙂