Baked Pesto Gnocchi

Soft and delicious cooked gnocchi, coated in homemade pesto sauce, and baked to perfection.

Overview

This recipe is quick and simple to assemble. Gnocchi typically cooks in about three minutes. The prep work involves peeling the skins from the garlic cloves and removing the ends with a sharp knife. The basil just needs a quick rinse and any large stems removed. Arguably, the longest step in making this dish is the bake time of between 10 to 15 minutes.

A food processor is used to create the pesto. Which is comprised of olive oil, garlic, pine nuts, and fresh basil. Just a few quick pulses and you have delicious homemade pesto. A little water is added to the pesto at a later step to create the pesto sauce. Which is then used to coat the gnocchi in a greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish.

This flavorful meal works great as a side or a main course. Next, we will walk through the cooking process.

Cooking Notes

Prep work and making the pesto

Start by peeling the garlic cloves and chopping off the ends. Wash and dry the basil and remove any large stems. Place all the pesto ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until the pesto is smooth.

Once the pesto is made place it in the refrigerator until it is time to make the pesto sauce. Bring a pot of water up to a boil. Cook the gnocchi based on the instructions on the packaging.

Generally, gnocchi takes just a few minutes to cook. When they float they are done cooking. Use a strainer to drain the water.

Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Use a paper towel to evenly distribute and coat the dish. Then add the cooked gnocchi and set off to the side.

Pesto Sauce

Remove the pesto from the refrigerator and place the contents in a small mixing bowl. Add the water and stir together until the pesto sauce is combined.

Pour the sauce as evenly as possible over the top of the gnocchi. Then use a silicone spatula to coat the gnocchi in the sauce. Just a couple quick stirs should be all that are needed.

Baking the pesto gnocchi

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. When the oven comes up to temperature place the baking dish, with the pesto coated gnocchi, on the center rack. Bake for 10 – 15 minutes.

When the time elapses remove the baking dish from the oven and place on a wire rack. Serve the baked pesto gnocchi immediately. Garnish with vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast.

Substitutions and Variations

Pine Nuts – in place of pine nuts you can substitute walnuts for this recipe.

Gnocchi – If you can’t find gnocchi at your local supermarket then you can try substituting regular pasta in its place. Just cook the pasta based on the instructions on the packaging and follow the remaining directions in this recipe.

Optional Toppings

Vegan parmesan – for this meal I used Follow Your Heart vegan parmesan shreds.

Nutritional Yeast – as with most pasta dishes, nutritional yeast makes a pleasant addition.

Pine nuts – if there are any pine nuts left over from making the pesto then they work great as a garnish.

Storage

The easiest way to store the leftovers is to place a sheet of aluminum foil over the top of the 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Conversely, if there aren’t a lot of leftovers it may make more sense to place them in a smaller container. In either case, place the leftovers in the refrigerator. They should last for several days before the freshness starts to taper off.

If you like this recipe be sure to check out our other recipes below:

• Baked Ziti
• Spicy Seitan and Broccoli Rabe Pasta
• Vegan Lentil Bolognese with Mushrooms, Sweet Peas, and Carrots
• Baked Stuffed Shells
• Spicy Tempeh and Kale Quinoa Bowl
• Tofu Knots and Sweet Potato Quinoa Bowl