Amazing 15-Minute Creamy Pesto Gnocchi
Enjoy this quick, Italian-inspired dinner featuring soft, pillowy gnocchi coated in a rich, creamy pesto sauce. This recipe delivers big flavor with minimal effort for a satisfying weeknight meal.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2-3 servings
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound potato gnocchi
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup prepared basil pesto
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the gnocchi according to package directions until they float. Drain well.
- While the gnocchi cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the minced garlic to the skillet and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Do not let it brown.
- Pour in the heavy cream and let it warm through for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
- Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the basil pesto until the sauce is smooth and fully combined.
- Add the drained gnocchi to the skillet. Toss gently to coat every piece in the creamy pesto sauce.
- Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until the sauce thickens slightly. Season with salt and pepper to your taste.
- Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan and fresh basil leaves.
Notes
- You can use store-bought or homemade pesto for this recipe.
- For a thinner sauce, add a splash of the pasta cooking water before adding the cheese.
- If you prefer a lighter sauce, substitute half-and-half for the heavy cream.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: Estimate needed
- Sugar: Estimate needed
- Sodium: Estimate needed
- Fat: Estimate needed
- Saturated Fat: Estimate needed
- Unsaturated Fat: Estimate needed
- Trans Fat: Estimate needed
- Carbohydrates: Estimate needed
- Fiber: Estimate needed
- Protein: Estimate needed
- Cholesterol: Estimate needed