Gnocchi with Pesto Sauce and Roasted Tomatoes

Name: 🍃 Gnocchi with Pesto Sauce and Roasted Tomatoes
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: cooking spray; 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes (halved); 1 Tablespoon olive oil; 1/2 teaspoon salt (+extra for salting pasta water); 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 1 lb gnocchi; 3-4 Tablespoons pesto sauce; parmesan (optional )

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Our Gnocchi with Pesto Sauce and Roasted Tomatoes is an amazing blend of tender gnocchi pasta and vibrant pesto sauce, elevated by the rich flavors of roasted tomatoes! It's the perfect addition to your summer side dishes or meatless dinner options. Even better - this pesto gnocchi recipe requires only three ingredients you might not have at home, and comes together in just 20 minutes!

green bowl of gnocchi pasta with roasted tomatoes parsley and shredded parm

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You can absolutely use store-bought pesto, but we highly recommend trying our homemade pesto. Making pesto doesn’t take any extra time; you can prepare it while the tomatoes are roasting!

And if you love recipes with pesto, be sure to try our Simple Pesto Pasta with Veggies or our tasty Pesto Caprese Kabobs which make the perfect dinner party food!

Jump to:

👍🏽 Why We Love Gnocchi with Pesto Sauce
🛒 Ingredients
👩🏽‍🍳 How to Make Gnocchi al Pesto
✔️ Tips and Tricks
📖 Variations
❓ FAQ
🥗 What to Serve with this Gnocchi and Pesto
🧊 Storing and Reheating
🧒🏽 Tips for Picky Eaters
✂️ Crafts for this Recipe
🍝 Other Pastas to Check Out
🍃 Gnocchi with Pesto Sauce and Roasted Tomatoes

👍🏽 Why We Love Gnocchi with Pesto Sauce

Quick and simple- Our gnocchi with pesto takes only 20 minutes! The longest part is roasting the veggies, but it's definitely worth it.

Homemade pesto- We highly recommend trying our homemade pesto for this gnocchi dish! It's delicious and can be made quickly while the tomatoes are roasting in the oven. Note: Our homemade pesto includes basil, parsley and spinach for added flavor and nutrients.

Very customizable- Add more veggies to the roasting pan or increase the amount of pesto on your gnocchi. You can also omit the tomatoes altogether or even add in a protein to make a chicken pesto gnocchi. Make our homemade pesto or use store-bought.

Versatile- Serve our gnocchi with pesto sauce for lunch, as a side dish, or as a light dinner. This dish is a true crowd-pleaser and also makes a great addition to any party menu.

🛒 Ingredients

Notes on key ingredients are provided below. Please see the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and quantities.

Pantry staples- You likely already have salt, pepper, olive oil and cooking spray at home. Using a really good olive oil (EVOO) elevates this gnocchi.
Tomatoes- Grape or cherry tomatoes are best!
Gnocchi- You can use shelf-stable gnocchi (find it in the pasta aisle), or the refrigerated kind.
Pesto- Make homemade pesto or use your favorite jarred version. Our homemade pesto uses a combination of spinach, basil and parsley for added flavor and nutrients.
Killer garnishes- Though optional, we think fresh parsley and shredded parmesan really make the dish!

👩🏽‍🍳 How to Make Gnocchi al Pesto

Step 1. Preheat oven to 425°F, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and spray with non-stick cooking spray.

Step 2. Arrange tomatoes on baking sheet and season with salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until skin pops and tomatoes are visibly tender.

red colander filled with gnocchi being sprayed with water in metal sink

Step 3. Cook gnocchi in boiling, salted water for 2-3 minutes, drain, rinse, and set aside.

Step 4. Combine gnocchi, roasted tomatoes and pesto sauce in pot on low heat for a couple minutes.

We recommend serving this gnocchi and pesto dish with a parsley garnish and sprinkled parmesan.

Kids Steps

Help make the pesto! If you choose to make our homemade pesto, this is a super easy task for kids. My 7-year old made the pesto, only needing my help to operate the Vitamix.
Set a timer for the tomatoes. We love this adorable cat timer from Kikkerland.
Measure ingredients! Kids can measure out the olive oil, salt, pepper and pesto.
Taste-test! Let kids taste the gnocchi to see if it's done!
Stir! Your kiddo can stir everything together until "it's all green."

girl holding Vitamix container of blended pesto sauce

old Ball jar of green pesto sitting next to fresh greens on wooden board

✔️ Tips and Tricks

Double the recipe if you're making this pesto gnocchi recipe as a main dish for four people. As is, the recipe makes the perfect amount for a four-person side dish.
Cutting tomatoes vertically (from stem to base) & arranging them cut-side up on the baking sheet helps hold in the seeds and juices.
Don't overcook the gnocchi. Gnocchi cooks pretty quickly, so make sure to keep an eye on the pasta. Gnocchi will float to the surface of the water when cooked.
Increase or decrease ingredient amounts, e.g. use more pesto if you like a greener pasta or a stronger pesto flavor. Or feel free to add more or less salt & pepper to the tomatoes.
The greatest tip I can give, though, is to top this sucker off with lots of cheese. Parmesan rounds out the dish perfectly!

📖 Variations

There are lots of different ways you can make this gnocchi. Here are some ideas:

This gnocchi can be served as different kinds of meals: lunch, a main course for dinner, a side dish, or buffet style for a larger group.
Go ahead and add more veggies to the pasta - roasted bell peppers, steamed broccoli (the kind that microwaves directly in the bag), peas, or roasted red onion and summer squash (like in our Pesto Pasta with Veggies Recipe). Just note that the more you put into the pasta, the more sauce / seasoning you may need.
Make it vegan! Find a pre-packaged gnocchi that has no egg or cheese (look for pantry-stable gnocchi in pasta aisle). And either buy a vegan jarred pesto or make our pesto, swapping the parmesan for 2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast.
Make this a creamy pesto gnocchi by adding in some milk, heavy cream or plant-based milk to the sauce.
Add a meat protein! One of my favorite food hacks is to buy a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, pull all the meat off the bones at home while it's still warm, and then refrigerate for easy meals during the week. Use this chicken to make a chicken pesto gnocchi. Another idea: make our chicken pomodoro and serve the gnocchi as a side dish.

bowl of gnocchi and tomatoes with no cheese

❓ FAQ

Is gnocchi a pasta or a potato?

Technically, both! Gnocchi are miniature pasta dumplings made from wheat, eggs and potatoes. Although gnocchi are found in the pasta aisle, the pasta's main ingredient is potato!

Can I prepare this dish ahead of time?

You can definitely prepare your pesto sauce ahead of time, but we recommend roasting your tomatoes and cooking your gnocchi right when you plan to serve this dish.

Is this Pesto al Gnocchi considered vegan?

Our gnocchi with pesto sauce is not vegan, due to the cheese in our homemade pesto sauce. As for the gnocchi itself, it depends. If the gnocchi has eggs and/or cheese, it's not vegan - this is true for most refrigerated, store-bought gnocchi. If the gnocchi doesn't have eggs (which is true for most shelf-stable, store-bought gnocchi), it may be vegan. Here is a great guide on vegan gnocchi.

🥗 What to Serve with this Gnocchi and Pesto

If serving as a side dish...consider pairing this pesto gnocchi with a simple protein, like our panko parmesan pork chops, chicken pomodoro, or one of these chicken thigh recipes.

If serving as a meatless main...pair the gnocchi with garlic bread, a light green salad or veggie side, like our roasted parmesan asparagus or tomato caprese kabobs.

🧊 Storing and Reheating

Store leftover gnocchi in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Warm leftovers in the microwave or in a skillet over medium heat on the stove. If using the stove, you might need to add a bit of water to the pan to thin out any remaining sauce.

We do not recommend freezing leftovers.

🧒🏽 Tips for Picky Eaters

🍅 Set aside some raw tomatoes. Since my kids prefer some of their veggies uncooked, I make sure to set some aside before cooking.

🍅 Serve with a guaranteed favorite side. It's always uncertain if our kids will like a new dish, so we included baby carrots, sliced cucumbers, and garlic bread on the side—these are always a hit. Steamed broccoli is another great option.

✂️ Crafts for this Recipe

Need a craft to keep kids busy while you cook this gnocchi al pesto? We've got you! If your kids love tomatoes, they can also make these adorable Paper Plate Tomatoes. Or to celebrate olive oil (a key ingredient in pesto), kids can make these sweet Play Food Olive Oil Bottles out of empty glue containers.