Pesto Gnocchi Recipe - Creamy Pesto Gnocchi in 10 Minutes

If you ever feel like the end of the world is coming you just head straight on over to my house friend and we will live happily for many years to come, subsisting primarily on pasta because there are, at all times, a minimum of 37 different pasta shapes in my cupboard. Including gnocchi. There is always gnocchi.

I’m actually not even sure if gnocchi is truly a pasta, but I do know that grabbing a package or three of it off the shelf in the grocery store is sooooo much easier than making it from scratch.

Gnocchi – if you don’t currently have a package or two of shelf stable gnocchi in your pantry you are missing out on life my friend. I always have a couple of these lying around so I can quickly whip up dishes like this or this or this. It’s easy, versatile and really good.

Broth – I use vegetable broth but chicken broth is also delicious. Both make an equally delicious sauce.

Pesto – I often have jars of homemade basil pesto in my freezer because it freezes so well, but there are so many good options at the store that are really good that store bought pesto is not something you should balk at, especially in the interest of keeping this recipe quick and easy.

Cream – heavy cream to keep the dish nice and rich.

Pine Nuts – I know the price of pine nuts is right up there with buying a new car, but just a little scattering of them on top of this dish brings such a lovely textural component along with a buttery, subtly sweet pop of flavour. If you can’t find them you can sub in toasted slivered almonds or chopped walnuts in a pinch.

Parmesan – freshly grated parmesan cheese is ideal, but you can sub in another sharp cheese if you like. Asiago or Pecorino are both good options.

Pesto Gnocchi Recipe Variations:

Spicy Version – add in a good pinch of red pepper flakes along with the garlic and then serve with extra for sprinkling.

Extra Herby Version – stir in a handful of fresh basil leaves right before serving and top with a few more.

Tomato Version – add in some chopped sun dried tomatoes along with the broth and then stir in a few halved cherry tomatoes along with the cheese.

Chicken Version – I really like this with chicken added in. I prefer to grill some chicken, chop it and add it on top, but you can also start the recipe by cooking some chopped chicken breast in a little olive oil in the skillet first, removing to a plate, continuing with the recipe as written and then adding the chicken back in at the end.

This is an easy one friends, which is exactly the point of this entire recipe.

Heat up a large heavy skillet and add in a little butter to melt. When it’s hot add in some garlic and allow it to cook for a minute. Pour in some broth and add in the gnocchi.

Let the gnocchi simmer and cook for a minute and then pour in some heavy cream. Allow this to bubble and simmer for a few minutes more until it thickens slightly. Stir in some pesto and cheese and S&P.

Scoop the gnocchi into bowls, top with buttery toasted pine nuts, a little freshly cracked black pepper and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to brighten everything up.

Done. How easy is that?

This is a great dish to serve for a vegetarian meal pretty much all year round.

It’s cozy enough for a cold weather meal but it’s also quick and easy enough for a summer dinner with enough lemony brightness to keep it from feeling too heavy.

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