Description
This vibrant Pesto Gnocchi recipe combines soft, pillowy gnocchi with burst cherry tomatoes and a rich, flavorful pesto sauce. Enhanced with toasted pine nuts and fresh basil, it’s a quick and easy meal perfect for summer weeknights that delivers a fresh and satisfying dinner in just 20 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Gnocchi and Sauce
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 pound uncooked store-bought or homemade gnocchi
- ½ cup store-bought pesto (or homemade pesto made with ⅓ cup olive oil)
For Serving
- 1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts
- Fresh basil leaves (for garnish)
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (for serving)
Instructions
- Boil the Gnocchi: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. This ensures the gnocchi cook quickly and evenly.
- Cook the Tomatoes: While waiting for the water to boil, heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add the cherry tomatoes along with a pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir occasionally and cook for about 6 minutes, or until the tomatoes burst and their juices release, creating a flavorful sauce base. Remove the skillet from heat temporarily.
- Cook the Gnocchi: Add the gnocchi to the boiling salted water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they float to the surface indicating they are done. Use a slotted spoon or spider strainer to transfer the cooked gnocchi directly to the skillet with the tomatoes, reserving some of the gnocchi cooking water.
- Toss Gnocchi with Sauce: Gently stir the gnocchi into the tomatoes to combine. Add the pesto sauce, stirring gently until everything is well coated. If the pesto sauce is too thick, add a few tablespoons of the reserved gnocchi cooking water at a time to loosen it, until the gnocchi are lightly coated and saucy.
- Season and Serve: Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Divide the pesto gnocchi into serving bowls. Garnish each bowl with toasted pine nuts and fresh basil leaves. Serve with a generous sprinkling of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy immediately.
Notes
- This recipe is ready in just 20 minutes, making it ideal for quick and easy summer weeknight dinners.
- Using burst cherry tomatoes adds vibrant freshness and natural sweetness to the dish.
- If your pesto is homemade, adjusting the olive oil quantity can help achieve the perfect sauce consistency.
- Toasted pine nuts add a lovely crunchy texture and nutty flavor that complements the creamy gnocchi.
- Reserve some of the gnocchi cooking water to loosen the pesto sauce for better coating.
- Fresh basil and Parmesan are essential garnishes that elevate the flavor profile.
- You can substitute store-bought pesto with your favorite homemade pesto to customize flavors.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately half the recipe)
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 420 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
