This Creamy Pesto Gnocchi recipe combines pillowy soft gnocchi with a rich basil pesto sauce mixed with whipped cottage cheese, creating a velvety, flavorful dish. Juicy cherry tomatoes add a burst of freshness, balancing the creamy texture with a hint of sweetness.
It’s easy to love this Creamy Gnocchi
This creamy pesto gnocchi with tomatoes and whipped cottage cheese is the perfect balance of indulgence and nutrition. The whipped cottage cheese in the sauce and greek yogurt in the cottage cheese both add a velvety, tangy richness while boosting the protein content, making it a satisfying meal.
Juicy cherry tomatoes provide a fresh, slightly sweet contrast to the creamy pesto sauce, making every bite delectable. With its comforting texture, bold flavors, and nutritious twist, this dish is sure to become a family favorite!
I love batch making my own gnocchi in batch and storing some in the freezer for when I want to make this dish in a hurry. My husband and I have been loving comforting pasta dishes lately, and this gnocchi is hitting the spot in so many circumstances.
And if you’re a pesto lover, also try my Pesto Focaccia or this Pesto Pasta Salad, both I’m sure you and the entire family will obsess over, too! Looking for a sweet cottage cheese treat? Make my Oreo Dip or Protein Churros!
Recipe Ingredients
- Cottage Cheese – Boosts the protein in this recipe and makes the creates the most luscious pesto sauce.
- Avocado – Mixed into the pesto to make it extra creamy.
- Pesto – I use store-bought pesto but homemade pesto with fresh pine nuts would be even tastier. We will put this in the homemade gnocchi and the creamy sauce.
- Flour – I used all-purpose and have not tried any alternatives. This will be the base of our homemade gnocchi.
- Greek Yogurt – Mixed with the flour to create soft pillowy gnocchi.
- Cheery Tomatoes – We’ll cook this and let them ‘burst’ in the pan to allow the juices to contribute to the sauce.
- Toppings – Feta cheese, fresh basil and crushed red pepper flakes.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- Don’t love pesto? Use a jar of marinara instead – I’d omit the avocado and use equal parts cottage cheese to tomato sauce.
- Looking for a shortcut? Use store bought gnocchi instead of making your own. I love Trader Joe’s cauliflower gnocchi sautéed in a little olive oil.
- Want to make it a little richer? Use cream cheese instead of cottage cheese in the pesto cream sauce.
- Add some veggies: Spinach, sundried tomatoes, sautéed bell peppers, kale or spinach, green beans, or roasted zucchini would go well in this dish.
How to Make This Recipe
1. High protein pesto: Combine cottage cheese, avocado, and fresh pesto in a high speed food processor. Blend until smooth. Set aside until ready to use.
2. Gnocchi: In a mixing bowl, combine all purpose flour, salt, greek yogurt and fresh pesto. Use a rubber spatula then as dough starts to form, use your hands to knead it together.
3. Flour a clean surface (2 tablespoons flour) and start to knead the dough. Use a bench knife to cut it into fours. Sprinkle more flour and roll each quarter into ½” logs. Cut the gnocchi to be roughly 1” long. You should end up with about 10-14 cuts per log.
4. Heat a large pot of salted water to a boil. Place the gnocchi into the boiling water and cook for 3 minutes. Poke around with a rubber spatula to separate any gnocchi that is sticking together.
5. Remove the gnocchi from water with a slotted spoon and drain the water (do not rinse the cooked gnocchi). Heat the same skillet to medium heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once hot, add the gnocchi. Use a rubber spatula to stir regularly and avoid sticking. This part is crucial – there may be some dough that will stick to the pan. This is your sign to add a bit of oil and continue tossing. Scrape the bottom of the pan where the dough is sticking.
Cook for 6-8 minutes until all sides are golden brown, adding another splash of oil every 1-2 minutes or so to prevent sticking.
6. Once golden, remove the gnocchi from the skillet. Add the cherry tomatoes to the same pan and let some burst to release their juices. Turn the heat to low and add the minced garlic. Stir to avoid burning. Once fragrant, put the gnocchi back into the pan to gently warm.
7. Remove the pan from the heat and fold in velvety sauce. Garnish with crumbled feta cheese, fresh basil leaves, and red pepper flakes.
Note: avocado browns when hot so avoid direct heat on the sauce. The gnocchi and tomatoes will be hot enough to warm the sauce.
PRO TIPS
For the classic ridges: use a gnocchi board or the back of a fork, pressing and rolling slightly.
Recipe FAQs
Any leftover gnocchi holds up great in the fridge for up to 3 days. Store in an airtight container and reheat for 60-90 seconds in the microwave. Note: It may dry out a little the longer it sits and the pesto gets absorbed into the gnocchi. I recommend adding a drizzle of olive oil and/or balsamic glaze before enjoying leftovers. If you want it extra creamy, opt for a splash of heavy cream.
You might notice the color changing a bit as it sits. This is due to the added avocado in the pesto, but it is still perfectly okay to enjoy.
If you didn’t flour your work surface well when rolling out the dough, it’s likely the gnocchi will stick together in the pot. Also be sure to stir the gnocchi when adding it to the boiling water so each dumpling keeps separated.
The creamy pesto is delicious on gnocchi, but consider saving extras (or make a double batch) to use throughout the week spread on toast, as a sauce to a rice bowl, slathered on a sandwich or mixed with scrambled eggs.
Serving suggestions
Serve this creamy pesto pasta with a crisp class of white wine. Make this Arugula Caprese Salad as an appetizer and some Pesto Focaccia for soaking up any extra sauce for a complete and delicious meal.
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Creamy Pesto Gnocchi
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Bench Scraper
- Cutting Board
- Rubber Spatula
- large skillet
- strainer
- Food Processor
Ingredients
High Protein Pesto Sauce
- 1 ½ cup cottage cheese
- 1/2 avocado
- 2 heaping tbsp fresh pesto
- 1/4 cup olive oil
High Protein Gnocchi
- 1 ½ cup All Purpose Flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt, I used non-fat
- 1 tbsp fresh pesto
- 3/4 tbsp salt
- 1/4 cup olive oil, for cooking
Pasta Dish
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup small tomatoes
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 batch High protein gnocchi
- 1 cup High protein pesto sauce
- Fresh basil, for topping
- Crumbled feta cheese, for topping
- Red pepper flakes, for topping
Instructions
- High protein pesto: Combine cottage cheese, avocado, and fresh pesto in a high speed food processor. Blend until smooth. Set aside until ready to use.
- Gnocchi: In a mixing bowl, combine all purpose flour, salt, greek yogurt and fresh pesto. Use a rubber spatula then as dough starts to form, use your hands to knead it together. Flour a clean surface (2 tablespoons flour) and start to knead the dough. Use a bench knife to cut it into fours. Sprinkle more flour and roll each quarter into ½” logs. Cut the gnocchi to be roughly 1” long. You should end up with about 10-14 cuts per log.
- Heat a large pot of salted water to a boil. Place the gnocchi into the boiling water and cook for 3 minutes. Poke around with a rubber spatula to separate any gnocchi that is sticking together.
- Remove the gnocchi from water with a slotted spoon and drain the water (do not rinse the cooked gnocchi). Heat the same skillet to medium heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once hot, add the gnocchi. Use a rubber spatula to stir regularly and avoid sticking. This part is crucial – there may be some dough that will stick to the pan. This is your sign to add a bit of oil and continue tossing. Scrape the bottom of the pan where the dough is sticking.
- Cook for 6-8 minutes until all sides are golden brown, adding another splash of oil every 1-2 minutes or so to prevent sticking.
- Once golden, remove the gnocchi from the skillet. Add the cherry tomatoes to the same pan and let some burst to release their juices. Turn the heat to low and add the minced garlic. Stir to avoid burning. Once fragrant, put the gnocchi back into the pan to gently warm.
- Remove the pan from the heat and fold in velvety sauce. Garnish with crumbled feta cheese, fresh basil leaves, and red pepper flakes.
Nutrition
Video
Notes
Looking for this in MyFitnessPal?
If you’re using MyFitnessPal, search ‘A Paige Of Positivity’ and find Creamy Pesto Gnocchi calories and nutrition facts. Disclaimer: for most accurate macronutrients and caloric breakdown, it is recommended that you input each ingredient into your MyFitnessPal food diary.
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SO good and had a ton of fun making it!! Perfect for meal prep too!
I came for the pesto, stayed for the whipped cottage cheese, and now I’m emotionally attached to a gnocchi dish