Creamy Gnocchi Pesto

This Creamy Gnocchi Pesto Sauce recipe is a healthy vegetarian meal or side dish made with just 4 ingredients in 10 minutes.  The pillowy gnocchi is topped with bright basil pesto and turned creamy with a few tablespoons of Greek yogurt, not heavy cream. This is an easy family dinner everyone will love!

Use store-bought pesto or make it with any of my 7 Perfect Homemade Pesto Recipes, including Basil Almond Pesto, Walnut Pesto, or Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto.

Creamy Gnocchi Pesto recipe

This Creamy Gnocchi Pesto recipe is such a treat! This super-easy, 3-ingredient recipe is whipped up in literally 10 minutes.  Plus, it's made in just one pan with no boiling water.  The result is a super flavorful dinner that everyone will love.  My entire family, including my toddler twins, loves this recipe!  If you haven't had gnocchi with pesto yet, you are missing out.

This Pesto Gnocchi recipe starts with gnocchi.  The delightful little dumplings cook quickly in a pan (yes, no need to boil them!) and turn out tender on the inside and slightly crispy on the outside.  The simple dumplings are then elevated with a toss in your favorite pesto (store-bought or homemade), and then the entire dish gets a healthy but creamy touch with some Greek yogurt and Parmesan cheese.

You seriously can't beat the rich flavor in this cozy comfort dish.  If you are looking for good gnocchi recipes, this is it.  And no joke, it will be on your table in 10 minutes.

What is gnocchi?

If you aren't familiar with gnocchi, it's an Italian word meaning "lump" or "knot."  There are many different types of gnocchi, but the most common and the kind you'd find prepared in the grocery store are made with cooked potatoes, flour, and egg.  The dumplings are often pressed with a fork to get a unique shape.

This recipe uses store-bought potato gnocchi, which is found with the pasta in the grocery store.  You can use shelf-stable or refrigerated.

What is pesto gnocchi made of?

Pesto Gnocchi or Gnocchi al Pesto is one way gnocchi is served in Italy.  They simply cooked gnocchi and tossed them in pesto.  My healthy twist for this classic dish uses Greek yogurt instead of heavy cream.  Gnocchi with pesto is a real tasty treat.

Why You'll Love this Creamy Gnocchi Pesto recipe...

• This Creamy Gnocchi Pesto recipe uses just 4 ingredients and takes just 10 minutes to make.
• This is the ultimate easy dinner made in just one pan.
• It's so good!  The flavors and textures are perfect.  Gnocchi with pesto is such a great food combo.
• It's the kind of easy vegetarian dinner you don't really miss the meat for.
• This is a basic recipe, but you can tweak it to add your favorite vegetables or proteins.  See below for some tasty variations.
• It's a well-loved recipe for kids and adults.
• You can serve it as a main dish or a side dish.

Ingredients:

Here's an overview of what you'll need to make this Creamy Gnocchi Pesto recipe, but keep scrolling for the full recipe amounts.

• Gnocchi: Use your favorite store-bought gnocchi for this recipe.  You can buy either the shelf-stable or refrigerated types.  It's on the pasta aisle.  I like to keep some shelf-stable gnocchi in my pantry with my pasta for easy dinners like this one.  They also make some that are sold in the frozen section; you'll just need to make sure those are thawed before using them.
• Olive Oil: Instead of boiling the gnocchi, I keep this recipe super simple and cook them in a bit of oil in a pan before adding the pesto.  This gives the gnocchi a fabulous tender center and a slightly crispy outside. Because of that, you do need a touch of oil or butter to saute the gnocchi in.
• Pesto: You can use your favorite prepared pesto or make your own, like my Basil Almond Pesto or Walnut Pesto. A fun twist on this recipe would be to use Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto.  Pesto is made with fresh basil leaves, garlic, olive oil, nuts like pine nuts, cashews, walnuts, or almonds, and parmesan cheese.   You can find any of my Easy Pesto Recipes here.
• Parmesan Cheese: Rich Parmesan cheese brings a delightfully salty flavor and texture.  You can use whatever type you have, but the best flavor comes from the real cheese in the refrigerated section of the store.  If you are feeling extra fancy, use freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
• Plain Greek Yogurt: Instead of mixing in heavy cream, I use a few tablespoons of creamy plain Greek yogurt, which adds richness without the calories and fat.  You can use low-fat or full-fat depending on your dietary preferences.
• Garnish: fresh basil and Parmesan cheese
• Salt & Black Pepper: You can salt and pepper this dish to taste, but you probably will not need much, if any, salt, since the prepared pesto and parmesan are pretty salty already.

Instructions:

This is an overview of the instructions for this Gnocchi Pesto recipe; the full, detailed printable recipe is below in the recipe card.

1. You'll just need one large non-stick skillet to make this creamy pesto gnocchi dish.  In a skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil (or butter) and the gnocchi. Sauté them for 5 minutes until tender inside and slightly crispy on the outside. For the best even texture, stir them every minute.
2. Add the pesto to the hot pan and stir until well combined.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the Greek yogurt. 
4. Stir in the Parmesan cheese.
5. Transfer to a bowl.
6. Serve with basil and more Parmesan cheese.  Enjoy!

Variations

I love this Gnocchi Pesto recipe as written, but here are some fun variations.

• Add a Protein: This dish is vegetarian as written, but you can turn it into a meal by adding grilled chicken, steak, fish, shrimp, or even tofu.  Try my Blackened Shrimp or Blackened Salmon.
• Add Vegetables:  I kept this basic, but you could add so many different delicious veggies to the dish.  Great options are cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, zucchini, onions, broccoli, or bell peppers.
• Add Something Fun: Want to elevate the dish? Add something fun like olives, sun-dried tomatoes, or capers.
• Add A Nut: Give the dish some texture by adding a nut, such as pine nuts or toasted slivered almonds.
• Mix up the Cheese: Add a different cheese, like goat, feta, or asiago.
• Mix up the Gnocchi: You could easily make this with the popular sweet potato gnocchi or cauliflower gnocchi.
• Add Lemon: Brighten the dish by adding fresh lemon juice to the pesto.  This is a great trick, especially if you are using packaged pesto and not homemade.  It adds a touch of freshness to the packaged pesto.
• Make it Vegan:  Make this into a Vegan Pesto Gnocchi by substituting nutritional yeast for parmesan.
• Make it Gluten-Free: Substitute this gluten-free gnocchi for regular gnocchi.

FAQ

Storage and Leftovers

Store any leftover Creamy Gnocchi Pesto in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.  Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop.  It does keep well for meal prep.

I would not recommend freezing this recipe.

Is gnocchi a type of pasta?

Although gnocchi is sold with pasta, cooked, and served in similar ways, it's not a type of pasta.  It's just delicious, pillowy, carb-y, well-loved gnocchi!

What can I add to gnocchi for protein?

This is a basic recipe without protein, but you can add your favorite protein, such as chicken, fish, shrimp, or even steak.

This Gnocchi Pesto recipe is the Perfect Easy Dinner!

Gnocchi Pesto is truly the perfect easy dinner.  There are lots of dinner recipes that claim to be easy or simple, but this one truly is! It's one that literally comes together in 10 minutes with minimal cleanup.  This version has no boiling water or messy pot.  This tasty dinner idea is on regular rotation at our busy house.  Plus, it tastes so delicious.

I hope you'll enjoy this Creamy Gnocchi Pesto recipe as is, or tweak it and make it your own!  Don't forget to try it sometime with my homemade pestos, including mine. Either way, I know you will love it.  Make sure to use any of my 7 Perfect Homemade Pesto Recipes, including my Almond Basil Pesto,  Walnut Pesto, and Sun Dried Tomato Pesto.   This makes a great main course on its own, or serve it as a side dish with some of these recipes.

Make it a Meal:

• Pesto Salmon
• Blackened Mahi Mahi
• Grilled Lemon Shrimp
• Blackened Shrimp
• Air Fryer Grouper
• Blackened Swordfish
• Crab Stuffed Mushrooms
• Portobello Mushroom Steak
• Cheese and Spinach Stuffed Mushroom Caps
• Italian Chopped Salad
• Parmesan Panko Halibut

More Delicious Recipes Using Pesto:

• Pesto Gnocchi
• Lemon Pesto Pasta
• Salmon Pesto Pasta
• Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables
• 4 Ingredient Caprese Pasta Salad
• Pesto Tortellini Salad with Asparagus
• Healthy Creamy Pesto Pasta
• Pesto Zoodles (zucchini noodles)
• Pesto Quinoa with Shrimp

If you make this Gnocchi Pesto recipe, I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a comment and a star rating ★ below. Make sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook too!

Creamy Pesto Gnocchi

Julie Wunder

This Creamy Gnocchi Pesto recipe is a healthy vegetarian meal or side dish that is made with just 4 ingredients in just 10 minutes.  The pillowy gnocchi is topped with pesto and turned creamy with a few tablespoons of greek yogurt, not heavy cream. This is an easy family dinner everyone will love!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine Italian

Servings 2

Calories 603 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 packaged gnocchi, 16 ounces
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• ⅓ cup pesto
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 tablespoons greek yogurt
• garnish: basil and parmesan cheese

Instructions

 

• In a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil and gnocchi to the pan. Saute them for 5 minutes until tender inside and slightly crispy on the outside. For the best even texture, stir them every minute.
  
• Add the pesto to the hot pan and stir until well combined.
  
• Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the greek yogurt.
• Sprinkle the parmesan cheese on top.
• Serve with basil and more parmesan cheese.

Notes

Storage and Leftovers

Store any leftovers of the Gnocchi Pesto in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.  Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop.  It does keep well for meal prep.

I would not recommend freezing this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 603kcalCarbohydrates: 85gProtein: 17gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 1361mgPotassium: 33mgFiber: 6gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 932IUCalcium: 277mgIron: 9mg

Keyword Pesto Gnocchi

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