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    Home » Pasta

    Pan Fried Gnocchi with Pesto

    Published: Aug 25, 2023 · Modified: Nov 29, 2024 by Zimmy · This post may contain Amazon and other affiliate links · 2 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    Pan Fried Gnocchi with Pesto. Quality in-season ingredients, thoughtfully prepared, elevated this dish to Elaine’s NEW favourite ‘pasta’ meal. The fragrant basil we have over-flowing in the garden, plus the freshly picked tomatoes and jalapeños were the undeniable stars.

    A chef stirring a pan of fried pesto with orange tomatoes.

    But don’t get me wrong, this dish is exceptionally delicious using the freshest ingredients you can find at your local store as well!

    Toasting the pine nuts and cooking the garlic in the olive oil before blending the pesto adds a lovely warmth and depth of flavour without impacting the pure freshness of the basil and spinach combination! While the slight spice of the jalapeño mingling with the juicy tomatoes, lingers on the palette, leaving you wanting just one more bite, again and then again.

    A close up of pan fried pesto gnocchi.

    We loved the additional flavour and texture that browning the gnocchi brought to the table. But if you don’t have the time or inclination, then just add the cooked gnocchi to the dish, let it soak up all the delicious flavours and enjoy!

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Watch how this recipe was made here.
    • Equipment
    • Leave a Comment
    • 📖 Recipe

    Ingredients

    • Gnocchi
    • Salt
    • Olive oil
    • Cherry tomatoes
    • Jalapeño
    • Pasta water
    • Mascarpone
    • Parmesan

    Pesto

    • Garlic
    • Olive oil
    • Pine nuts
    • Spinach
    • Basil leaves
    • Ice cubes
    • Parmesan
    • Salt

    See recipe card for quantities.

    Instructions

    Pesto

    Garlic oil. Heat a small skillet over medium heat, add the oil and garlic. Let simmer for 5-7 minutes to infuse the oil and mellow the garlic. The garlic should be a light golden colour not brown, so remove from the heat or lower the heat if the garlic is browning. Let cool completely before adding to the pesto.

    Oil and garlic simmering in a pan.

    Toast the pine nuts. Heat a small dry skillet over medium-low heat. Add the pine nuts and stir frequently to prevent burning. Toast for about 3-5 minutes until they turn golden brown and fragrant. Let cool.

    Toasting pine nuts in a skillet.

    Blend ingredients. Add the spinach, basil and ice cubes into a food processor and blend. Next add the parmesan, pine nuts, garlic oil and salt.

    Basil and spinach pesto ingredients in a food processor ready to blend.

    Gnocchi

    Boil the gnocchi as per package instructions (or bring 3 litres of salted water to a boil in a large pot. Add one tablespoon of olive oil and the gnocchi. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle boil and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.)

    Reserve ¼ cup pasta water.

    Strain the gnocchi, set aside.

    Blister the tomatoes. Add ½ tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the tomatoes and toss to coat in the oil. Cover the tomatoes and cook, tossing occasionally until their skins begin to blister, approximately 6-8 minutes. Add the sliced jalapeños into the skillet and stir the combine. Cook uncovered for 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside.

    Blistering orange cherry tomatoes in a skillet.

    Brown the gnocchi (optional). Preheat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and heat through. Add the gnocchi in a single layer and cook undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes or until browned to your liking. Flip the gnocchi and cook the other side for 3 to 4 minutes more.

    A skillet of browned gnocchi.

    Mix everything together. Add the pesto into a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pasta water, mascarpone, and parmesan, stir to combine.

    Stirring in pasta water, mascarpone, and parmesan into a pan of pesto.

    Next add the blistered tomatoes, jalapeños, and gnocchi.

    Adding in the browned gnocchi into a skillet with blistered tomatoes, jalapenos and pesto sauce.

    Gently stir to incorporate and warm everything though, about 5 minutes.

    Serve and enjoy!

    Stirring the pesto and tomato gnocchi.

    Watch how this recipe was made here.

    Equipment

    This Pan Fried Pesto Gnocchi recipe was made in partnership using the Hestan Culinary skillets and the Hestan Cue Portable Induction Cooktop. Proud Hestan Culinary Ambassador. Opinions in this post are my own.

    Leave a Comment

    If you get the chance to try this Pan Fried Gnocchi with Pesto recipe please drop back and leave us a comment and rating here. We would love to know what you think! Thanks Elaine & James

    📖 Recipe

    A chef stirring a pan of fried pesto with orange tomatoes on a portable induction burner.

    Pan Fried Gnocchi with Pesto

    Quality in-season ingredients, thoughtfully prepared, elevated this dish to Elaine’s NEW favourite ‘pasta’ meal. The fragrant basil we have over-flowing in the garden, plus the freshly picked tomatoes and jalapeños were the undeniable stars. But don’t get me wrong, this dish is exceptionally delicious using the freshest ingredients you can find at your local store as well!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 35 minutes mins
    Total Time 50 minutes mins
    Course Dinner, Entree, Main Course
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 4 People

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 pack of gnocchi 500g
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 3 ½ tablespoons olive oil divided
    • 2 cups cherry tomatoes
    • 1 jalapeños sliced
    • ¼ cup pasta water
    • ¼ cup mascarpone
    • ¼ cup parmesan

    Pesto

    • 3 cloves garlic thinly sliced
    • ½ cup olive oil
    • ¼ cup pine nuts
    • 1 ¼ cups tender baby spinach stems removed
    • 1 ¼ cups basil leaves stems removed
    • 3 ice cubes keeps the pesto vibrant green
    • ½ cup parmesan grated
    • ½ teaspoon salt

    Instructions
     

    Pesto

    • Garlic oil. Heat a small skillet over medium heat, add the oil and garlic. Let simmer for 5-7 minutes to infuse the oil and mellow the garlic. The garlic should be a light golden colour not brown, so remove from the heat or lower the heat if the garlic is browning. Let cool completely before adding to the pesto.
    • Toast the pine nuts. Heat a small dry skillet over medium-low heat. Add the pine nuts and stir frequently to prevent burning. Toast for about 3-5 minutes until they turn golden brown and fragrant. Let cool.
    • Blend ingredients. Add the spinach, basil and ice cubes into a food processor and blend. Next add the parmesan, pine nuts, garlic oil and salt.

    Gnocchi

    • Boil the gnocchi as per package instructions (or bring 3 litres of salted water to a boil in a large pot. Add one tablespoon of olive oil and the gnocchi. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle boil and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.)
    • Reserve ¼ cup pasta water.
    • Strain the gnocchi, set aside.
    • Blister the tomatoes. Add ½ tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the tomatoes and toss to coat in the oil. Cover the tomatoes and cook, tossing occasionally until their skins begin to blister, approximately 6-8 minutes. Add the sliced jalapeños into the skillet and stir the combine. Cook uncovered for 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside.
    • Brown the gnocchi (optional). Preheat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and heat through. Add the gnocchi in a single layer and cook undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes or until browned to your liking. Flip the gnocchi and cook the other side for 3 to 4 minutes more.
    • Mix everything together. Add the pesto into a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pasta water, mascarpone, and parmesan, stir to combine. Next add the blistered tomatoes, jalapeños, and gnocchi. Gently stir to incorporate and warm everything though, about 5 minutes.
    • Serve and enjoy!
    • Rate this Recipe. If you make this, please leave a review letting us know how it was!

    Video

    Keyword crispy gnocchi with basil pesto, gnocchi and pesto recipe, gnocchi sauce pesto, gnocchi with pesto recipes, pan fried gnocchi with pesto
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Shanley Steuart

      August 25, 2023 at 9:47 pm

      5 stars
      Can’t wait to try this!

      Reply
      • Zimmy

        August 26, 2023 at 8:18 am

        We love to here that!
        Have a great weekend Shanley!
        Elaine & James

        Reply

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