Gnocchi with Pesto
Pillowy potato gnocchi are tossed with fragrant basil pesto, parmesan and a little pasta water.
Ingredients
Quantities for 4. Tick things off as you go.
Method
Toast the pine nuts
Heat a dry frying pan over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the pine nuts and toast for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, until lightly golden and fragrant. Transfer to a plate to cool.
Chop the pesto ingredients
In a food processor, pulse the garlic and 1/4 tsp salt for 5 seconds until finely chopped. Add the basil, cooled pine nuts and 50 g Parmesan, then pulse for 15 to 20 seconds until finely chopped.
Finish the pesto
With the processor running, drizzle in the olive oil over 20 to 30 seconds until the pesto is cohesive. Pulse in the lemon juice and pepper for 5 seconds, then taste and adjust the salt if needed.
Boil the water
Bring 4 litres of water to a rolling boil in a large pot over high heat, about 8 to 12 minutes. Add 3/4 tsp salt and stir until dissolved.
Cook the gnocchi
Add the gnocchi to the boiling water and cook according to the packet, usually 2 to 4 minutes, until tender and floating. Reserve 180 ml cooking water before draining.
Toss with pesto
Return the drained gnocchi to the warm pot off the heat. Add the pesto and 60 ml reserved cooking water, then toss gently for 30 seconds until evenly coated.
Adjust the sauce
Add reserved cooking water 1 tbsp at a time, tossing off the heat for 10 seconds after each addition, until the sauce lightly coats the gnocchi. Taste and add a pinch of salt if needed.
Finish and serve
Divide among four plates. Top with the remaining 10 g Parmesan, a little olive oil and black pepper, and serve immediately while hot.
Tips
- Dry the basil thoroughly so the pesto does not become watery.
- Keep a mug near the pot to catch the cooking water before draining the gnocchi.
- Add the cooking water gradually; the sauce should lightly coat the gnocchi, not pool beneath it.
Swaps
- Use walnuts in place of pine nuts.
- Use pecorino in place of Parmesan, adjusting the salt to taste.
Storing
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days and reheat gently in a pan with a splash of water.
Nutrition per serving
545 kcal 路 protein 16 g 路 carbs 67 g 路 fat 24 g 路 fibre 4 g. This is an estimate, not a lab measurement.
Allergens
Read the label on every ingredient you buy. The recipe as written contains tree nuts, milk, wheat, gluten. We can't account for how a product was made or packed.
How this page was made
Written by the Cookt team, following our recipe standards. AI tools help us draft, check and illustrate recipes. No star ratings until enough people have rated this recipe in Cookt.
