Our pesto gnocchi recipe is a quick and easy dinner idea made in less than 30 minutes with eight simple ingredients. Use your favorite store-bought pesto or a yummy homemade pesto recipe to make this creamy, one pan dinner.
Pesto gnocchi is yummy any time of year but I especially love it in the summertime when I have plenty of fresh basil growing in the backyard. If you want to make a delicious batch of homemade pesto, be sure to check out our Macadamia Nut Pesto recipe.
🍃 Ingredients
Be sure to see the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and detailed recipe instructions.
- gnocchi - use either a refrigerated "fresh" gnocchi or frozen, uncooked gnocchi for this recipe
- butter - use unsalted butter to cook the garlic and create the base for the sauce
- garlic - adds flavor to the dish
- mascarpone cheese - works with the heavy cream to create a rich and creamy sauce
- heavy cream - adds a creamy richness to the sauce
- white wine - contributes to the overall flavor of the sauce
- pesto - you can use a favorite store bought pesto or try our Macadamia Nut Pesto
- fresh basil - to use as a garnish for the finished pasta
🍳 Instructions
Add garlic and butter to a medium sized frying pan. Cook over medium heat until the garlic is fragrant.
Reduce heat to low. Add gnocchi mascarpone, heavy cream, white wine and parmesan. Cook on low until the cheeses are all melted and the gnocchi is tender.
Remove the pan from the heat and mix in the fresh basil pesto.
Serve pesto gnocchi with parmesan cheese and fresh basil.
Hint:
Be sure to cook the pesto gnocchi at a low temperature. Follow the exact instructions in the recipe. If the sauce gets too hot, or comes to a boil, the sauce will separate and will not be a nice, creamy texture.
📦 Storage
This dish is definitely one that is best when it is freshly made. You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. Reheat any leftover pasta in a saucepan over low heat.
These ingredients do/don't stand up well to freezing for X days/weeks/months.
⭐️ Top Tip
Make your own pesto! It's really so easy to do! Use our recipe for Macadamia Nut Pesto or check out this Basil Pesto Recipe from Love and Lemons
🤓 Recipe FAQs
In my opinion, it's absolutely worth it to make your own pesto. It's so easy to make and you can freeze it for future recipes. Homemade pesto is fresh, smells amazing and it's a great way to make good use of all of that basil growing in your back yard.
Gnocchi is delicious with just about any sauce you can image. Pan fry you gnocchi in some butter or olive oil and serve it with fresh parmesan cheese. Gnocchi is also delicious with your favorite red sauce and I really love it with a combo of an Alfredo sauce and a scoop of red sauce.
More Easy Dinner Ideas
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📖 Recipe
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Pesto Gnocchi
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- 1 pound gnocchi
- ½ cup fresh pesto can be store bought or homemade
- ¼ cup mascarpone
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup white wine
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a large frying pan, combine crushed garlic with butter, cook over medium heat for a minute until fragrant.
- Lower heat to low, add mascarpone, heavy cream, wine and parmesan.
- Add gnocchi and cook over low heat for 5-7 minutes until gnocchi is tender. Be sure that the sauce doesn't get too warm here. You want to cook the gnocchi but don't want to sauce to separate.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in pesto.
- Serve with fresh parmesan, chopped fresh basil and salt and pepper.
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