15-Minute Creamy Pesto Gnocchi Recipe - Little Sunny Kitchen (2024)

This 4-ingredient creamy pesto gnocchi dinner is a family-friendly vegetarian meal that you can whip up in just 15 minutes! Pillowy and tender gnocchi smothered in a creamy basil and dried tomato sauce. An easy comforting dinner that you’ll keep making over and over again!

I love potato gnocchi as it’s great for making super quick meals and it’s also very versatile. I mean, I ALWAYS make sure that I have a bag of dried gnocchi in my pantry to cook on busy weeknights.

I’ve been obsessed with this gnocchi with pomodoro sauce recipe, and have been making it non-stop. It’s so simple, yet so satisfying and comforting!

I also love Olive Garden’s chicken gnocchi soup, and recently shared a copycat recipe on my blog. It’s so cozy and tastes like a hug in a bowl, and can be easily made vegetarian so make sure to check it out.

This creamy pesto gnocchi dinner is even simpler than the recipes I shared above, but it’s equally as good, so let’s get into it!

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Takes just 15 minutes from start to finish!
• You only need 4 simple ingredients.
• The flavor combo of sundried tomatoes and pesto is incredible.
• Easy homemade comfort food.
• It’s a family-friendly recipe.
• Make ahead and reheat before serving.

Sauce For Gnocchi

This recipe is made with a simple 2 ingredient pesto cream sauce. I used heavy cream, and whisked in homemade fresh basil pesto. For extra flavor, I also added sundried tomatoes that are quickly cooked in their oil in a pan to release their flavor.

This recipe makes an awesome sauce for gnocchi. For a tomato-based gnocchi sauce, check out my gnocchi al pomodoro recipe. Or try the decadent cream sauce in my creamy chicken and gnocchi recipe instead.

Ingredients for Creamy Pesto Gnocchi

You only need 4 ingredients to make this delicious pesto gnocchi dinner:

Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

• Gnocchi – use a pack of store-bought gnocchi, or homemade. I usually go for dried gnocchi, but you can also use dried or frozen if you like.
• Pesto – homemade or store-bought. I love making my own basil pesto at home, tastes WAY better than the jarred stuff!
• Sundried tomatoes – from a jar in oil. In this recipe, I’m using a little bit of the oil and the tomatoes.
• Heavy cream – to make this vegan, substitute with soy cream or cashew cream.

How to Make Creamy Pesto Gnocchi

1. Cook the gnocchi. You have 2 options, you can either pan-fry the gnocchi for a crispy texture or boil them in water. I usually boil them in water until they float to the surface and that’s how I know that they’re ready.
2. In a pan, heat sundried tomato oil (from the jar), add the chopped sundried tomatoes, and cook for a minute. This will help release their flavor.
3. Add the cream, simmer for a minute (don’t boil), remove from heat, and mix in the basil pesto. Season with salt.
4. Add the cooked and drained gnocchi to the sauce, and stir until the gnocchi is covered in the creamy sauce.
5. Serve warm and if desired, top with parmesan (not vegetarian), or with vegetarian hard cheese.

Top Tips

• Make your own homemade pesto, it’s so easy and tastes a million times better than the store-bought stuff. You can use spinach, kale, arugula, or even make a carrot top pesto using carrot tops!
• If you’re a vegetarian, make sure that the pesto is suitable for vegetarians as it often contains parmesan. And top the gnocchi with grated vegetarian hard cheese or just skip it since it’s just a garnish.
• Cook the gnocchi according to the package instructions (I also included some instructions in the recipe card).
• Be careful with the salt if you’re planning to top with parmesan or vegetarian hard cheese as the cheese can be quite salty.
• Keep this dish meat-free as is, or add crispy bacon. You can also serve it withgrilled chicken tendersfor a fun kid-friendly meal.

Storing Tips

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, uncover, and microwave for 2 minutes stirring halfway through. You may need to add a splash of water when reheating to loosen the cream sauce.

I don’t recommend freezing this dish.