One pot Creamy Pesto Gnocchi is luscious, smooth, and comforting. Cooked in an easy creamy pesto sauce, the gnocchi is tender and has layers of flavor. Ready in 20 minutes and dairy free!
This Creamy Pesto Gnocchi is a comforting and savory dinner idea you can whip up in just 20 minutes. Made with fresh vegan pesto, coconut milk, and storebought gnocchi, this meal saves you time and effort without sacrificing flavor!
Coconut milk, white wine, and homemade pesto come together in one pot to make the creamy gnocchi sauce. It’s finished with a handful of fresh spinach for extra nutrients to beautiful layers of green throughout. The flavors are so herby and elegant, you’ll feel like you’re dining at a fancy restaurant.
If you’re a big fan of creamy and comforting vegan pasta dinners, then make sure you try my Tuscan Vegan Gnocchi and Creamy Vegan Sausage Pasta as well!
Is pesto vegan?
A traditional pesto recipe blends fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, oil, and parmesan cheese together, meaning it isn’t vegan friendly. Thankfully, you can swap the dairy for nutritional yeast to create a vegan pesto recipe!
My homemade basil pesto is made without any dairy and with pine nuts or cashews. It’s my favorite sauce to use on pizza, sandwiches, cold or hot pasta dishes, with roasted veggies and salads, and so much more! The pesto elevates the creamy sauce for the gnocchi in this recipe, giving it a beautiful green color and taking every bite to new heights.
How to make vegan pesto gnocchi
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
Make the pesto and set it aside while you prepare the creamy sauce and gnocchi.
Add the basil pesto, coconut milk, and wine to a pot. Stir gently over medium heat and when it begins to simmer, add in the gnocchi.
The sauce will thicken and the gnocchi will cook and soak in the flavor. To finish, stir in the spinach. Serve the pesto gnocchi with some vegan parmesan cheese and cracked pepper and enjoy!
Tips and substitutions
- Add veggies – Like sun dried tomatoes, halved cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, or more leafy greens.
- Add vegan protein – Tempeh or tofu bacon pieces and vegan chicken will make each serving extra filling.
- Gluten free? Simply swap the gnocchi for a gluten free brand.
- Coconut milk – If you don’t have coconut milk at home, almond milk or cashew milk would also make the sauce really creamy.
- Don’t overcook the gnocchi – It cooks much quicker than regular pasta. Test it out and take some bites as you go to make sure the gnocchi is tender and not mushy.
- Don’t have gnocchi? Replace it with any short pasta noodle you like or make homemade gnocchi instead.
Storing
The leftovers will keep for about 2 or 3 days in a sealed container in the refrigerator. They freeze nicely as well.
Reheat the leftover gnocchi in the microwave or in a pot on the stove. Add a little water as needed to thin the sauce.
More creamy vegan pasta dinners
Creamy Pesto Gnocchi
Ingredients
Basil Pesto
- 1/4 cup pine nuts or cashews
- 2 cups fresh packed basil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
The Rest
- 1 pound uncooked gnocchi
- 13.5 ounce can full fat coconut milk
- 1/4 cup dry white wine I used sauvignon blanc
- salt + black pepper, to taste
- 3 cups baby spinach
- Vegan Parmesan optional
Instructions
Make the pesto
- Place all ingredients except the olive oil in a food processor and process until finely chopped.
- With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Process until smooth (there will still be a little texture, but mostly smooth), adding a little more olive oil or water if needed to help it blend.
- Set aside while you prepare the gnocchi.
Pesto Gnocchi
- In a large deep skillet or pot, add 1/2 cup pesto (use the leftovers elsewhere), coconut milk and wine. Stir and warm over medium heat.
- When the sauce starts to simmer, add the gnocchi and give it a good stir.
- Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- The sauce will thicken as the gnocchi cooks, so add a little water if needed. Add salt + pepper, to taste and stir in the spinach. Cook for another 1-2 minutes until the spinach has wilted.
- Test the gnocchi- at this point, it should be softened but not mushy. Cook an additional minute or two if needed.
- Serve immediately with a sprinkle vegan parmesan cheese and enjoy!
Notes
- Leftover gnocchi will keep for 2-3 days in the refrigerator. Add a little water to thin the sauce when you reheat it, as it will thicken. It can also be frozen, though it’s better fresh.
- May also add in sun dried tomatoes, halved cherry tomatoes, some tempeh or tofu bacon pieces or even Vegan Chicken for protein.
I love pesto and this recipe looked good, but I wasn’t sure it would be as good as I hoped… then I realized I was on Nora’s site and had total confidence! Glad I did, we really enjoyed it. I also made roasted cherry tomatoes and added the over top with extra basil. YUM.