This gnocchi with pesto sauce is a restaurant-quality meal that comes together in just 15 minutes! Featuring tender potato gnocchi, crisp fresh asparagus, and a light yet flavorful basil pesto sauce, this dish is the perfect balance of comfort food and gourmet flavors.
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Gnocchi (pronounced nyow·kee) are small, pillowy Italian dumplings traditionally made from potatoes, flour, and eggs. Many pesto gnocchi recipes use store-bought gnocchi for convenience, you can elevate this dish even further by making homemade gnocchi from scratch! Some variations even use semolina flour instead of potatoes, creating a slightly firmer texture.
This pesto gnocchi recipe is simple, quick, and bursting with fresh flavor, making it an excellent choice for a weeknight dinner or a special occasion meal.
Why We Love This Pesto Gnocchi Recipe
- An impressive dish that’s easy to make!
If you’re looking for a quick and easy Italian meal that tastes like it came from a restaurant, then this dish is perfect for you. - 15-minute dinner recipe!
Asparagus gnocchi can be on your table in 15 minutes, making it the perfect weeknight dinner. 30-minute meals like this will be your best friend on busy weeknights. - Customizable and adaptable.
The best part about this dish is that it can be easily customized. If you’re looking for a high protein meal, want to add some meat, or want a vegan option, plenty of plant-based cheeses are available.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Gnocchi – We prefer homemade, fresh gnocchi, but you can use store-bought to save time. It’s available fresh, frozen, and dried.
- Basil pesto – You can use store-bought if you prefer. You should be able to find it in the grocery store aisle where they stock the pasta sauces.
- Asparagus – If you aren’t a fan of asparagus, you can use another small green veggie instead. Good options are peas, tiny broccoli florets, or green beans.
Recipe Variations
- Chicken pesto: serve it with our pan seared chicken breasts or baked tenderloins chicken to make this a pesto gnocchi chicken dinner. Or, stir in some diced cooked rotisserie chicken.
- Creamy: stir in 1/2 cup of heavy cream to make a sauce for added creaminess.
If you love gnocchi, then we are sure that you will love our chicken gnocchi recipe!
How to Make Pesto Gnocchi
- Use plenty of salt.
Like traditional pastas, semolina dumplings and potato pasta are very bland. Add a lot of salt to the water for the gnocchi—if the water tastes like the sea, you are using enough salt.
- Cook the gnocchi to “al dente”.
When boiling the potato pasta, cook it for a few minutes less than the instructions on the package. So, if the package says to cook for 6 minutes, just cook it for 4 minutes.
After boiling, it will go into the skillet with the asparagus, where it will finish cooking.
🎯 TFN Pro Tip
When cooking gnocchi, ensure that you don’t overcrowd the pot. Boil the gnocchi in small batches to allow them to cook evenly and prevent them from sticking together. Once they float to the surface, let them cook for an additional 30 seconds to a minute before removing them with a slotted spoon. This technique helps achieve that perfect, pillowy texture that makes gnocchi so delightful.
- Reserve some of the cooking water.
Use a heat-proof measuring cup to reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water. You’ll use it to thin the sauce for the pesto gnocchi.
You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Serving Suggestions
One of the best things about this pesto gnocchi recipe is that it’s delicious at any temperature—warm, room temperature, or even cold! This makes it perfect as a main dish, side dish, or even a pasta salad for picnics and potlucks.
Since it’s a vegetarian dish, it works well as a meatless meal, but you can also pair it with grilled salmon, sautéed mushrooms, or a drizzle of melted butter for extra richness. For a more Mediterranean-inspired plate, toss in roasted bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, zucchini, or spinach for a fresh, colorful twist.
If you love a bit of crunch, sprinkle the gnocchi with toasted almonds or walnuts, which add texture and complement the nuttiness of the basil pesto. To serve it like traditional semolina dumplings, enjoy it warm with classic Italian sides like caprese pasta salad, sourdough rolls or some caprese flatbread. No matter how you serve it, this gnocchi with pesto sauce is a flavorful, versatile dish that everyone will love!
Recipe FAQ
If you cook it for a long time, it will absorb some of the liquid it is cooked in, making it chewy and dense. So, be careful not to overcook it.
For proper storage, place any leftover pesto gnocchi in an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Since pesto is best enjoyed fresh, it’s recommended to eat the dish within a day or two for optimal flavor.
It’s best to freeze gnocchi separately from the pesto sauce. Cooked gnocchi can be frozen on a baking sheet, then transferred to a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Homemade pesto can also be frozen in small portions (like in ice cube trays) and used as needed. When ready to serve, thaw and mix them together for a fresh-tasting dish.
To maintain the best texture, reheat pesto gnocchi on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of water or olive oil to refresh the sauce. If using a microwave, reheat in short 20-second intervals, stirring in between to avoid overheating the pesto, which can cause it to lose its vibrant color and flavor.
Consider these other pasta side dishes…
If you tried this pesto gnocchi recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Gnocchi with Pesto Sauce
Equipment
- stockpot
- food processor
- skillet
- mesh strainer
Ingredients
- ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice about 1/2 large lemon
- 2 cups tightly packed fresh basil leaves
- ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 8 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons), divided
- 1 pound gnocchi (fresh, frozen, or dried gnocchi)
- 2 cups chopped asparagus about 12 spears, cut into 1-inch pieces
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over medium high heat. Keep the water at a boil until you’re ready to cook the gnocchi.
- To the bowl of a food processor or high speed blender, add the pine nuts, garlic, and lemon juice. Pulse about 10 times, until they are broken up. Next, add the basil and parmesan to the processor bowl and pulse 10 times again, until the basil is broken into small pieces.
- With the food processor on low speed, slowly drizzle in ⅓ cup olive oil. Taste the pesto and season with salt and pepper to your liking.
- Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the asparagus and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes, just until asparagus is crisp tender.
- While the asparagus sautés, cook the gnocchi for 2 minutes less than the package instructions call for (if the gnocchi says to boil for 6 minutes, then boil it for 4 minutes.) Reserve ½ cup of the cooking liquid and then drain the gnocchi in a strainer.
- Add the cooked dumplings to the skillet with the asparagus. Add the pesto sauce and ¼ cup of the reserved cooking liquid. Stir to combine and cook for 1 minute, just until the pesto sauce thickens and evenly coats the gnocchi. If the sauce is too dry, add the remaining ¼ cup of reserved cooking water.
- Season with salt and pepper to your liking and serve immediately, or place in the fridge to chill– this gnocchi is delicious at room temperature, warm, or cold! Top with flakey sea salt, toasted pine nuts, and fresh basil, if desired.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Notes
- You can use homemade, fresh, frozen, or dried gnocchi, just adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- This recipe uses asparagus, but you could use other vegetables like peas, small broccoli florets, green beans, etc.
- This recipe is vegetarian as written. For a vegan option, substitute nutritional yeast for the cheese, or use a plant-based cheese alternative.
Lana says
The recipe was actually 15 minutees lol! So simple and very tasty, we all loved this for lunch. Thank you!
Kelley says
This recipe was so good! We used fresh herbs from the garden and it was fantastic!
Ned says
I freaking love this! Not only is it delicious, but it’s quick to make. Can’t wait for the leftovers for my lunch tomorrow!
Donalyn says
Pesto made such a beautiful sauce for these gnocchi! And thanks for this super easy way to get dinner on the table in a hurry!
Paula says
I was so impressed that something this delicious only took 15 minutes! Incredible!!