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    Home » Recipe

    Published: Jun 11, 2023 by maxcozzi · This post may contain affiliate links · 260 Comments

    Red Pesto Gnocchi

    If you have never tried homemade potato gnocchi before this vegetarian red pesto gnocchi recipe is a great place to start! The delicious red pesto is made with sun dried tomatoes, walnuts, and parmesan. 

    Red Pesto Gnocchi

    Any fan of tomato is sure to love this dish. The dried tomato pesto brings out all of the rich and sweet qualities of a tomato. They're somewhat spicy, sour, and sweet flavor creates a creamy sauce when ground with walnuts and parmesan cheese.

    Serve this recipe with a quick salad such as this beet greens salad or a mediterranean cucumber salad to round out a fantastic dinner. 

    Key Ingredients

    • Sun Dried Tomatoes
    • Walnuts
    • Parmesan Cheese
    • Olive Oil
    • Potato
    • Fresh Basil

    Instructions

    Variations

    This recipe works just as well with store bought gnocchi if you are looking for a quicker meal. But I do highly recommend trying to make it from scratch. It is actually very simple, and it's soft dumpling-like texture is insanely delicious. 

    Similar to basil pesto, traditional Italian red pesto is made with pine nuts instead of walnuts. However, pine nuts can be very expensive so I will often just stick with walnuts to be economical. If you want to splurge on some pine nuts though, they're salty, creamy flavor will make this something truly special. 

    Top Tip

    I prefer the red pesto sauce to be more coarse for this recipe, but if you want a creamier sauce simply just puree the pesto for a few minutes in the blender or food processor instead of pulsing. 

    Italian Recipes

    Looking for some other italian recipes to try? Check these out: 

    • Creamy Eggplant Pasta with Walnuts
    • Rigatoni Arrabbiata
    • Penne alla Salmone
    Red pesto gnocchi

    Red Pesto Gnocchi

    This red pesto gnocchi recipe uses a very simple homemade gnocchi with a creamy red pesto sauce made with sun dried tomatoes and walnuts.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 45 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

    Nutrition

    Calories: 929kcal | Carbohydrates: 82g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 58g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 19g | Monounsaturated Fat: 26g | Cholesterol: 114mg | Sodium: 1640mg | Potassium: 2962mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 8412IU | Vitamin C: 69mg | Calcium: 672mg | Iron: 13mg
    Calories: 929kcal
    Author: Max Cozzi
    Servings: 2
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    Ingredients

    Gnocchi

    • 1 large baking potato, (cut into large pieces)
    • 1 egg yolk
    • ½ cup all purpose flour, (plus more for dusting)
    • ½ teaspoon salt, (plus for more for the boiling water)

    Red Pesto

    • 1 cup sun dried tomatoes
    • ½ cup walnuts, (or pine nuts)
    • ½ cup parmesan cheese, (grated)
    • ¼ cup olive oil
    • ½ teaspoon salt, (or more to taste)
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • fresh basil leaves, (for garnish)

    Instructions

    Potato Gnocchi

    • Start by making the gnocchi. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and add the potato chunks. Cook for about 10 minutes or until a pairing knife can easily be inserted. Remove the potatoes from pot and add to a bowl and let cool for about 10-15 minutes.
    • Next, mash the potatoes until smooth using a potato ricer or masher. Then fold in the egg yolk, flour, and salt until a smooth dough is created. Depending on the size of the potato you may need a bit more flour.
    • Divide the dough into four balls and roll them into 1" tubes on a lightly floured surface. Then, cut the tubes into 1" pieces.
    • Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, and add the potato gnocchi. Once they float to the surface, about 2-3 minutes, they are done. Remove with a slotted spoon and save the cooking water. Don't crowd the pot, this might need to be done in batches.

    Red Pesto

    • When the gnocchi is done, add the sun dried tomatoes and walnuts to a blender or food processor and pulse until well ground but slightly coarse. Scoop into a large bowl.
    • Add the grated parmesan cheese, olive oil, salt, and black pepper and mix well. This recipe makes more red pesto than you need for a single serving.

    Red Pesto Gnocchi

    • Bring a large fry pan to medium heat, and add 1 cup of the red pesto and 1 cup of the cooking water from the gnocchi. Stir until a creamy sauce is formed and is boiling. Add the reserved gnocchi and continue to cook until the sauce becomes thick and creamy and coats the gnocchi, about 3-4 minutes. Serve with basil leaves.

    Video

    Notes

    This recipe will make more red pesto than needed if making 2 servings. If using store bought gnocchi prepare according to package directions and skip to the red pesto section. 
    Course: dinner, Main Course
    Cuisine: Italian, Mediterranean, pacific northwest
    Keyword: olive oil, parmesan cheese, pasta, sun dried tomato, walnuts
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    Food Safety

    • Cook meat to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
    • Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
    • Wash hands after touching raw meat
    • Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
    • Never leave cooking food unattended
    • Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
    • Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

    See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

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    Max Cozzi, the creator of Redwood Kitchen food blog

    Hi, I'm Max! Welcome to Redwood Kitchen, where you will find tasty and approachable recipes. I am inspired by life in the PNW, from the Mediterranean climate to the asian influenced culinary scene.

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