Pesto Gnocchi {Creamy & Comforting}

Name: Pesto Gnocchi {Creamy & Comforting}
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Ingredients: 1.1 lb potato gnocchi ((1 kg)); 50 g basil leaves (without stem) (or 60 large leaves); 2 tbsp pine nuts (20 grams); 1 garlic clove; ¼ cup Parmesan cheese (or 25 grams); 2 tbsp Pecorino chees (or e15 grams); ½ cup extra virgin olive oil + more if needed (, about 125 ml); ¼ tsp salt (or a little less); 2 ice cubes; Parmesan cheese (for serving)

Recipe Print

This creamy Pesto Gnocchi is one of the staples of Italian cuisine. Imagine pillowy potato gnocchi coated with bright, flavorful basil pesto sauce (Pesto Genovese), all topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese – simply divine!

In Italian, this hearty creamy pasta is called Gnocchi Al Pesto, in English it’s “pesto gnocchi” or simply “ pure comfort food”.

Whatever you call it, one thing is certain – it’s one of the easiest and mouth-watering Italian dishes to make.

What To Love About Pesto Gnocchi

Super quick. It takes only 10-12 minutes from the time you put a pot of water to boil to serving hot, creamy gnocchi at the table.
Perfect for the big crowed. With basil pesto you can easily season gnocchi for a huge family gathering. In this case it’s best to put 2 large pots of water to boil and cook gnocchi simultaneously in 2 pots to help them cook quicker and evenly or cook them in the same water in 2 or 3 rounds.
Flexible. You can you store-bought gnocchi and store-bought pesto. Of course, we always want to opt for a homemade version of both.
Make in advance. If you’re making homemade gnocchi and/or homemade basil pesto you can easily make pesto 2-3 days in advance, gnocchi same day or weeks in advance and store them in the freezer.
Genuine homemade whole food. If you make both potato gnocchi and homemade basil pesto you’ll feed your family with a meal packed with real foods, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and most importantly free of preservatives and unpronounceable ingredients on the label.

How to Make Pesto Gnocchi

Step 1: Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.

In the meantime prepare basil pesto.

Step 2: Wash and pet dry basil leaves, let them air dry completely before use. To make them dry faster you can skip washing them and simply wipe with a damp cloth.

Cut garlic clove in half and remove the germ (core) if it has one.

Place garlic, pine nuts and cheese in a food processor. Pulse until you get grainy texture. Make sure to scrape the bowl a few times.

Step 3: Add basil leaves, salt and oil. Pulse quickly scraping the sides of the bowl. Add 1-2 ice cubes and pulse again until you get the creamy paste.

Make sure to stop a few times to avoid over heating of the basil. Scrape the sides of the bowl as/if needed to blend all ingredients together.

Step 4: Once water is boiling drop gnocchi. When them come afloat cook for 1-2 minutes or as directed on the package.

Reserve ½ cup of cooking liquid before draining gnocchi.

Season gnocchi in a large bowl or serving dish.

Top them with Pesto Genovese, stir gently until they’re all coated with basil pesto, if needed add a little bit of water that you’ve reserved earlier.

Serve immediately with more grated Parmesan cheese.

Top Tips For Making Pesto Gnocchi

Make your own homemade pesto whenever possible. You’ll be amazed how quickly it comes together – all you need is to blitz all ingredients in a food processor!
Same holds true for potato gnocchi. If you can, make them from scratch (don’t forget to freeze for later!). It will take a little more time but the result will exceed your expectations.
Use at least 3 quarts of water to boil 2 pounds of gnocchi. If you need to cook more than 2 pounds cook them in two rounds using the same water.
Before dropping gnocchi in hot boiling water, stir it vigorously with a wooden spoon and THEN add gnocchi. This will prevent gnocchi from sticking to each other and to the bottom of the pot while cooking.
Reserve some gnocchi cooking liquid to make pesto extra creamy.
It’s best to drain gnocchi spooning then out of the pot with a large slotted spoon. This will prevent any possible breakage. This also comes handy if you need to cook more gnocchi using the same water.
Season gnocchi in a servings dish or in a large bowl. Never season them in a pan with heat turned on or you’ll alternate the flavor of pesto.

Should I add potatoes and green beans to gnocchi al pesto?

Short answer is “no”. While according to Ligurian tradition classic pasta al pesto should be made with potatoes and green beans, with these pesto gnocchi there’s no need to add any of the above. Gnocchi pasta is already made of potatoes and their soft, pillowy texture pairs perfectly with creamy pesto sauce and doesn’t require anything else but a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

How to store/reheat leftover gnocchi?

While it’s best to cook and enjoy Pesto Gnocchi fresh, it’s also possible to store leftovers in the fridge. You can reheat the next day in the oven. Make sure to mix them with a little bit of water and top with more Parmesan cheese. Bake in a the oven for 10-15 minutes of until light golden crust.