Silky, herb-forward gnocchi tossed in a bright vegan pesto enriched with pureed white beans for a creamy, dairy-free finish; served warm with a touch of lemon and crunchy walnuts.
Silky Basil & White-Bean Gnocchi
A weeknight-friendly pasta that gets its luxurious, dairy-free creaminess from pureed cannellini beans and a bright, herb-forward pesto.
This dish solves a common craving: something pillowy and comforting that still feels fresh. Potato gnocchi provides a soft, silky base while a quick pesto—made with basil, garlic, nutritional yeast and a splash of lemon—keeps the flavor bright. Instead of dairy, pureed cannellini beans are folded into the sauce for a velvety finish that clings to each gnocchi pillow. The result is familiar and a little surprising: rich without heaviness, herbaceous without butter or cream.
Texture is everything here. Pulse walnuts into the pesto for a coarse, crunchy counterpoint, then finish everything with a pinch of red pepper flakes for warmth. Toss the hot gnocchi with the bean-enriched pesto and a splash of the reserved starchy pasta water to make the sauce glossy and cohesive—start with a tablespoon or two and add until the coating is silky. A squeeze of lemon right before serving wakes up the basil and keeps the dish bright.
Small timing and prep tricks make this triply practical: toast the walnuts briefly to boost their flavor, set aside a couple of whole cannellini beans to scatter on top for a pretty, textural garnish, and use a blender for the bean purée and a food processor for the basil pesto so each element gets the right finish. The sauce can be made a day ahead and kept in the fridge; warm it gently and loosen with pasta water when you’re ready.
Serve this as a cozy weeknight dinner or an easy weekend supper with a crisp green salad or roasted vegetables. Leftovers store well—reheat gently with a splash of water or olive oil so the gnocchi don’t dry out—and the bright lemon and basil notes keep the whole bowl tasting fresh the next day.
Ingredients
How to Make Vegan Pesto White Bean Gnocchi
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil (about 1 tbsp salt per 4 quarts) and have a 1/2-cup measuring cup ready to reserve pasta water.
- Drain and rinse the cannellini beans, then set aside about 2 tablespoons whole beans for garnish if desired; place the rest in a blender or food processor.
- To the blender with the beans add 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1/4 cup reserved water (or plain water if needed), and a pinch of salt; blend until very smooth and creamy, scraping down sides once.
- While the blender runs, combine basil leaves, walnuts, nutritional yeast, garlic, remaining olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes in a food processor and pulse until a slightly coarse pesto forms; scrape down and pulse again to incorporate.
- Add half of the white-bean cream to the pesto and pulse briefly until the mixture is a homogenous, silky green sauce; adjust texture with up to 1/4 cup reserved pasta water if too thick and taste for seasoning.
- Cook the gnocchi in the boiling water according to package directions (usually 2–3 minutes) until they float; before draining, scoop and reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water.
- Return the drained gnocchi to the hot pot off the heat, add the creamy pesto-bean sauce, and gently toss to coat, adding reserved cooking water 1–2 tablespoons at a time to loosen the sauce until it clings smoothly to the gnocchi.
- Serve immediately, garnished with the reserved whole beans and a few chopped walnuts or extra basil leaves; adjust salt, lemon, or red pepper flakes to taste.
Recipe Card
Vegan Pesto White Bean Gnocchi
Silky, herb-forward gnocchi tossed in a bright vegan pesto enriched with pureed white beans for a creamy, dairy-free finish; served warm with a touch of lemon and crunchy walnuts.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil (about 1 tbsp salt per 4 quarts) and have a 1/2-cup measuring cup ready to reserve pasta water.
- Drain and rinse the cannellini beans, then set aside about 2 tablespoons whole beans for garnish if desired; place the rest in a blender or food processor.
- To the blender with the beans add 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1/4 cup reserved water (or plain water if needed), and a pinch of salt; blend until very smooth and creamy, scraping down sides once.
- While the blender runs, combine basil leaves, walnuts, nutritional yeast, garlic, remaining olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes in a food processor and pulse until a slightly coarse pesto forms; scrape down and pulse again to incorporate.
- Add half of the white-bean cream to the pesto and pulse briefly until the mixture is a homogenous, silky green sauce; adjust texture with up to 1/4 cup reserved pasta water if too thick and taste for seasoning.
- Cook the gnocchi in the boiling water according to package directions (usually 2–3 minutes) until they float; before draining, scoop and reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water.
- Return the drained gnocchi to the hot pot off the heat, add the creamy pesto-bean sauce, and gently toss to coat, adding reserved cooking water 1–2 tablespoons at a time to loosen the sauce until it clings smoothly to the gnocchi.
- Serve immediately, garnished with the reserved whole beans and a few chopped walnuts or extra basil leaves; adjust salt, lemon, or red pepper flakes to taste.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 46
- Saturated Fat
- 3
- Sodium
- 600
- Fiber
- 6
- Unsaturated Fat
- 22
- Protein
- 13
- Fat
- 25
- Cholesterol
- 0
- Trans Fat
- 0
- Calories
- 475
- Sugar
- 3