Pesto Gnocchi with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Okay real talk as a Kansas City mom: dinner needs to be delicious and actually doable on a weeknight. This Pesto Gnocchi with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes has become a total staple in our house. Pillowy potato gnocchi tossed in fresh basil pesto with burst cherry tomatoes. And honestly it is so much better than anything I could order out.

Why You’ll Love This

• Ready in 25 min with mostly pantry staples
• The whole family devours it every single time
• Great for meal prep and leftovers taste amazing the next day
• Simple enough for a Tuesday but special enough for company

Ingredients

• Potato gnocchi
• Basil pesto
• Cherry tomatoes
• Parmesan
• Pine nuts
• Olive oil

How to Make It

Gather all your ingredients and prep your workspace. I always do a quick mise en place because it makes everything smoother. Follow the recipe card below for the full step-by-step instructions with exact measurements and timing.

What You’ll Need

A few tools make this so much easier: kitchen essentials. These are my actual go-tos in my KC kitchen.

This is one of those recipes I come back to again and again. If you make it let me know in the comments how it turned out!

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Pesto Gnocchi with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Pillowy potato gnocchi tossed in fresh basil pesto with blistered cherry tomatoes, toasted pine nuts and plenty of parmesan. It comes together in 25 minutes, which makes it a real weeknight dinner and not just a nice idea.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 pound potato gnocchi shelf stable or refrigerated
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2/3 cup basil pesto
• 1/3 cup parmesan, grated plus more to finish
• 3 tablespoons pine nuts
• fresh basil torn, to finish

Method

 

1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Toss the cherry tomatoes on a sheet pan with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, the salt and the pepper. Roast for 15 minutes, until they blister and start to burst.
2. While the tomatoes roast, toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, shaking the pan often. Tip them onto a plate right away so they do not scorch.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the gnocchi and cook until they float, about 2 to 3 minutes. Scoop out 1/4 cup of the cooking water, then drain.
4. Return the gnocchi to the warm pot off the heat. Add the pesto and the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and toss, loosening with a splash of the reserved water until everything looks glossy.
5. Fold in the roasted tomatoes along with any juices from the pan, then stir through the parmesan. Taste and add salt if it needs it.
6. Top with the toasted pine nuts, torn basil and a little more parmesan. Serve right away while the gnocchi is still pillowy.

Notes

Shelf stable gnocchi works just as well as refrigerated here. Leftovers keep for 3 days and reheat best in a skillet with a splash of water to loosen the pesto.