Creamy Pesto Gnocchi

This Creamy Pesto Gnocchi is so robust and flavorful. The recipe comes together in minutes for an easy weeknight dinner everyone will love!

this recipe

My favorite thing to eat in the world is pasta, and even though gnocchi is technically potato, I like to put it in the pasta category. It's just way too good to call it potatoes!

This was made with my healthy vegetarian pesto recipe, which adds so much fresh flavor. You can also use store-bought pesto to save on time, but if you have an extra 10 minutes, I promise it's worth it.

If you love Italian food, make sure to check out these recipes too:

Spicy Arrabiata Spaghetti

Creamy Mushroom Pasta

Pink Sauce and Prosciutto Pasta

Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love This Recipe:
• The Ingredients:
• What to Pair with the Recipe:
• How to Make Creamy Pesto Gnocchi:
• Recipe FAQs:
• Storage of Leftovers:
• More Pasta Recipes You Will Love:
• Recipe

Why You'll Love This Recipe:

• It's quick and takes less than 20 minutes to make
• The gnocchi and pesto are a match made in heaven
• This recipe uses simple and minimal ingredients
• It is the perfect easy weeknight dinner

The Ingredients:

Gnocchi- A potato dumpling that has a delightful chewy texture and tastes amazing smothered in pesto.

Pesto- Rich, bright green sauce that is made up of fresh basil, garlic, olive oil, parmesan, and pine nuts. You can make my homemade pesto or buy store bought for this recipe.

Heavy Cream- Adds a creaminess to the sauce.

Parmesan Cheese- Nutty cheese that packs so much flavor. It's one of my favorite cheeses too!

Olive Oil-Cooks the garlic and shallot to perfection.

Red Pepper Flakes- Infuses just a touch of spice into the olive oil

Garlic- Adds a flavorful punch.

Shallot- A more subtle flavor than onion and pairs well with garlic.

Salt- To season.

What to Pair with the Recipe:

Looking for more recipes to pair with the recipe? If you need an appetizer, check out my bruschetta or air fryer garlic bread.

This recipe would go really well with a salad like my Steakhouse Wedge Salad or this Peach Burrata Salad.

Need a beverage? Try my Cranberry Sangria or just a glass of Chardonnay will do wonders.

If you want to add a protein to the meal, make this Panko Crusted Chicken.

How to Make Creamy Pesto Gnocchi:

Watch the full recipe video and be sure to Subscribe on YouTube! I post NEW easy recipe videos every week to share with you.

If you are making homemade pesto, start with that recipe. (It only takes 10 minutes)

Start boiling the water in a large pot for the gnocchi. Once boiling, add in the gnocchi and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Look at the package instructions for the exact time as it can vary for different brands. Strain into a colander.

Into a skillet over medium low heat, add in olive oil.

Once the olive oil is hot, add in shallot, garlic, salt and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1-2 minutes, but do not allow the garlic or shallot to burn.

Pour in the pesto and cream. Stir and allow it to warm up for a minute.

Add in the gnocchi and turn heat down to low.

Toss in the parmesan cheese and gently stir to incorporate.

Time to Serve!

Recipe FAQs:

Storage of Leftovers:

Store the leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. I'm not going to lie, I've been eating my leftovers straight out of the container. It almost tastes like pesto pasta salad and it seriously tastes delish cold. Of course, you can heat it up in the microwave or on the stovetop in a pot too.

More Pasta Recipes You Will Love:

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