Pillowy gnocchi tossed with basil pesto and crisp beans.
Bright, Pillowy Gnocchi with a Crunch of Green Beans
A fast, feel-good weeknight dinner where silky potato gnocchi meets zesty basil pesto and crisp-tender green beans for lively texture and flavor.
This is the kind of dinner that looks—and feels—like you spent longer in the kitchen than you actually did. Soft, pillowy potato gnocchi provides the cozy base while a fresh basil pesto keeps the whole dish bright. Toasted pine nuts and sharp Parmesan add nuttiness and umami; a squeeze of lemon wakes everything up. It’s comforting and lively all at once.
The trick to great color and crunch is quick blanching: drop trimmed green beans into boiling salted water just until bright and tender, then shock them in ice water so they stay crisp. Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet until golden for the best aroma, and make the pesto slightly chunky—those little flecks give the sauce something to grab onto when tossed with the gnocchi.
Practical speed bumps solved: use good-quality store-bought gnocchi to shave time, and toss the hot gnocchi straight out of the pot with the pesto so it coats every pillow. Reserve a tablespoon of the toasted pine nuts for garnish, finish with extra lemon or a drizzle of olive oil, and add a pinch of red pepper flakes if you want a gentle kick.
This is an easy, family-friendly meal that scales well: make the pesto ahead and refrigerate for 2–3 days (or freeze in small portions), then cook and assemble when you’re ready. Serve with a simple green salad or blistered cherry tomatoes and enjoy the contrast of silky, bright, and crisp in every bite.
Ingredients
How to Make Pesto Gnocchi with Green Beans
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil; while it heats, trim the ends of the green beans and set aside.
- Toast the pine nuts in a dry medium skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, until golden and fragrant, about 2–3 minutes; transfer to a small bowl to cool.
- Make the pesto: in a food processor combine the basil, cooled pine nuts (reserve a tablespoon for garnish), Parmesan, garlic, lemon juice, 0.5 tsp salt, and 0.1 tsp pepper; pulse while streaming in 2 tbsp of olive oil until a slightly chunky paste forms. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or lemon as needed.
- Add the trimmed green beans to the boiling water and blanch 2–3 minutes until bright green and just tender; use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking, then drain and pat dry.
- Return the pot of water to a simmer and cook the gnocchi according to package directions (typically 2–3 minutes) until they float; scoop gnocchi out with a slotted spoon and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water.
- Heat the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add the drained gnocchi in a single layer and sauté without stirring for 1–2 minutes to brown, then toss and brown the other side, about 3–4 minutes total.
- Add the blanched green beans to the skillet with the gnocchi, pour in the reserved cooking water (start with 1/4 cup), then remove from heat and stir in the prepared pesto until every piece is coated; add more cooking water a tablespoon at a time if the sauce needs loosening.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with the remaining salt and pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes if using; divide among plates and finish with the reserved toasted pine nuts and additional grated Parmesan if desired.
Recipe Card
Pesto Gnocchi with Green Beans
Pillowy gnocchi tossed with basil pesto and crisp beans.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 12 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil; while it heats, trim the ends of the green beans and set aside.
- Toast the pine nuts in a dry medium skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, until golden and fragrant, about 2–3 minutes; transfer to a small bowl to cool.
- Make the pesto: in a food processor combine the basil, cooled pine nuts (reserve a tablespoon for garnish), Parmesan, garlic, lemon juice, 0.5 tsp salt, and 0.1 tsp pepper; pulse while streaming in 2 tbsp of olive oil until a slightly chunky paste forms. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or lemon as needed.
- Add the trimmed green beans to the boiling water and blanch 2–3 minutes until bright green and just tender; use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking, then drain and pat dry.
- Return the pot of water to a simmer and cook the gnocchi according to package directions (typically 2–3 minutes) until they float; scoop gnocchi out with a slotted spoon and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water.
- Heat the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add the drained gnocchi in a single layer and sauté without stirring for 1–2 minutes to brown, then toss and brown the other side, about 3–4 minutes total.
- Add the blanched green beans to the skillet with the gnocchi, pour in the reserved cooking water (start with 1/4 cup), then remove from heat and stir in the prepared pesto until every piece is coated; add more cooking water a tablespoon at a time if the sauce needs loosening.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with the remaining salt and pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes if using; divide among plates and finish with the reserved toasted pine nuts and additional grated Parmesan if desired.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 34
- Saturated Fat
- 2.2
- Sodium
- 690
- Fiber
- 3.5
- Unsaturated Fat
- 20.6
- Protein
- 8.5
- Fat
- 22.8
- Cholesterol
- 10
- Trans Fat
- 0
- Calories
- 384
- Sugar
- 3.5