Creamy Pesto Gnocchi
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.
Servings: 4
Calories: 665kcal
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.
Video
Notes
Avocado browns when hot so avoid direct heat on the sauce. The gnocchi and tomatoes will be hot enough to warm the sauce.
For the classic ridges: use a gnocchi board or the back of a fork, pressing and rolling slightly.
Store in an airtight container for up to three days. 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. 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.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 665kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 25g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 1780mg | Potassium: 391mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g