bits + bites
Katie Kelly
This pesto gnocchi recipe is a combination of cooked gnocchi and homemade pesto consisting of fresh basil leaves, lemon juice, olive oil, fresh garlic, parmesan cheese, and pistachios (instead of pine nuts.)
– In a food processor, blend together your basil, olive oil, parmesan cheese, pistachios, garlic cloves, and lemon. Blend until smooth, pour into a bowl, and set aside. – Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce to medium heat and cook the gnocchi according to the package directions. Gnocchi cooks quickly, within a few minutes, so don't walk away and have overcooked gnocchi! – Once your gnocchi is cooked, using a slotted spoon, spoon your gnocchi into the bowl with your pesto. – Carefully stir in your gnocchi and add a splash of pasta water. – Top with extra parmesan cheese and enjoy!
Spice it up. If you like a spicy pesto, you can add a pinch, or two, of roasted red pepper flakes. That'll add a really nice spice. Make homemade gnocchi. If you are feeling up for it and really want to elevate this dish, you can make your own fresh gnocchi. Add some more veggies. There are so many options for adding veggies. You can add baby spinach or arugula to the sauce, you can saute cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, green beans, peppers, or whatever your favorite veggie is, and mix them in with the gnocchi. No pine nuts? No problem. I used pistachios in this recipe, but you can also use walnuts or cashews.
What meat to serve with gnocchi? Chicken breasts, Italian-style chicken sausage, shrimp, or salmon pair very nicely with pesto gnocchi. What is gnocchi? Gnocchi is Italian potato dumplings. What are some sauces similar to pesto? A basil vinaigrette or chimichurri sauce is very similar to pesto.