Pesto Gnocchi

Those little packages of gnocchi in the pasta aisle have become one of my favorite dinnertime shortcuts. Lately I’ve been using them in sheet pan dinners—this garlic butter sheet pan gnocchi has been on frequent repeat since I developed it—but today’s pesto gnocchi recipe uses a more classic stovetop method, and it’s another easy one pan meal.

Easy Creamy Pesto Gnocchi

Comfort food with a twist. Pesto gnocchi is comfort food elevated! The carb-y gnocchi, creamy sauce, cheese—it hits all the comfort food notes and delivers a little bit of indulgence, with a hefty amount of veggies for good measure.

Quick and easy. Stovetop pesto gnocchi is FAST. This is a dinner that’s done with only about 15 minutes of cooking time, and it’s made in one pan. And unlike other quick dinner options (looking at YOU, boxed mac and cheese!), this is one that’s loaded with fresh veggies and feels kind of fancy—although that creamy sauce and tender gnocchi make it pretty kid-friendly too. (It’s similar to creamy chicken pasta!)

A recipe that changes with the seasons. I use asparagus, zucchini, bell pepper, and red onion in the recipe below, but you can grab whatever looks good at the farmers’ market or whatever is in season. When it’s the middle of winter and nothing’s in season at all, sun-dried tomatoes and frozen veggies will work too!

Vegetarian with options for meat-eaters. As written, this is a satisfying vegetarian recipe, but if you’ve got meat-eaters in the house who insist on a protein with every meal, you can easily add meat to the pesto gnocchi itself or serve it alongside the gnocchi. (This air fryer Italian sausage would be perfect!)

Ingredient Notes

• Olive oil: You’ll need a few tablespoons for sautéing the vegetables and browning the gnocchi.
• Vegetables: I chose asparagus, zucchini, red bell pepper, and red onion because I wanted to add veggies with crisp textures. Like I mentioned above, you can easily substitute other vegetables.
• Seasonings: You only need a few simple seasonings because the pesto adds so much flavor. Salt, black pepper, and garlic powder are added to season the sautéed vegetables.
• Gnocchi: Refrigerated or shelf-stable gnocchi will both work in this recipe. You’ll need a 16 ounce package.
• Heavy cream: Heavy cream will give you the richest, creamiest sauce but half-and-half can be used for a lighter option.
• Pesto: You can use store-bought pesto for a shortcut or make it yourself. We love this basil pesto recipe. 
• Parmesan cheese: Grated Parmesan adds an umami, nutty flavor to the creamy pesto gnocchi sauce; Pecorino Romano can be used as an alternative.  
• Pine nuts: Toasted pine nuts are a crispy-crunchy addition to the dish. Feel free to swap in walnuts if you prefer them, or leave them out entirely if you’d rather have a nut-free dish.
• Fresh basil: Fresh basil enhances the pesto flavor.

How to Make Pesto Gnocchi

Sauté the vegetables. Warm a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet (deep enough to stir all the ingredients you’ll eventually be adding!) set over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the vegetables, season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and cook for about 7 minutes, stirring often, until tender-crisp. Transfer the vegetables to a plate.

Brown the gnocchi. Add the remaining oil to the skillet, stir in the gnocchi, and cook for 5 minutes, or until golden-brown. Don’t stir too often; leave the gnocchi undisturbed for a few minutes at a time so it gets nicely browned and slightly crisp.

Put it all together. Add the vegetables back to the pan, adjusting the heat to low. Add the cream and pesto to the pan, and simmer until the sauce thickens a bit. Stir in the grated cheese.

Serve. Garnish with toasted pine nuts and basil before serving.

Easy Recipe Variations

• Add a protein. For an effortless option, toss cut-up rotisserie chicken during the last few minutes of cooking time, or serve the chicken on the side. If you lean more towards shrimp, sauté it in the pan first, transfer to a plate, then stir the cooked shrimp back into the pesto gnocchi at the end of the cooking time to warm it back up.
• Switch up your pesto. Basil pesto isn’t your only option! Try cilantro pesto or arugula pesto for a different spin on this recipe. Chimichurri would be a nice option, too.
• Get creative with the veggies. Mushrooms would be excellent, and halved grape tomatoes will add a burst of juicy, sweet flavor. Slice fresh corn off the cob and add that when it’s in season. There are so many ways to put your own spin on this recipe!

Serving Suggestions

Protein. Pesto salmon cooked in parchment paper packets would pair well, naturally! You could cook the salmon without the added veggies in the packets, or simply enjoy all the extra veggies. Air fryer chicken breasts are always a great pairing with pasta, too.

Bread. You’re not going to want to let any of that creamy pesto sauce go to waste, so sop it up with homemade Dutch oven bread or flatbread. This easy beer bread would go well, too.

Salad. A light, crisp salad is the perfect side dish to balance the richness of pesto gnocchi. Try this goes-with-everything arugula salad recipe or a classic house salad.

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerator: Leftover pesto gnocchi can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 3 days. I don’t recommend recommend freezing this recipe, as sauces made with heavy cream can split when frozen, thawed, and reheated.

Reheating: For best results, warm your leftovers in a pan on the stovetop over medium low heat. If you’re in a time-crunch or the stove just isn’t an option, the microwave will work, but be careful not to overheat the dish or the gnocchi can get tough and the sauce will separate.