Quick Pesto Gnocchi with Cherry Tomatoes
Garlic sizzling in olive oil always draws me to the stove, especially when the sharp scent of fresh basil cuts through. Gnocchi can easily turn gummy if you aren’t careful, but pan-frying the tomatoes first creates a light, instant sauce that coats each piece without weighing it down. I love how the tomato skins blister and split, releasing just enough sweet juice to loosen the pesto. It is a quick, reliable meal that relies on good timing rather than complex techniques, putting hot, comforting pasta on the table in under twenty minutes.
Quick Overview
- Preparation Time: 10 minutes
- Cooking Time: 10 minutes
- Difficulty: Easy
- Serves: 2
Ingredients
- 14.1 oz (400g) fresh potato gnocchi
- 5.3 oz (150g) cherry tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons of Genovese pesto (fresh or jarred)
- 1 clove of garlic
- 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- Fine sea salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Grated Parmesan Reggiano, to serve
- Fresh basil leaves, to garnish
Method
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil over a high heat. It should taste like seawater.
- Meanwhile, wash and halve the cherry tomatoes, then finely chop the garlic clove on a clean board.
- Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium-low heat. Add the chopped garlic and fry for about 30 seconds until it softens and smells fragrant, but do not let it colour or turn bitter.
- Tip the halved cherry tomatoes into the pan. Increase the heat to medium and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the skins begin to wrinkle and soften slightly. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Drop the gnocchi into the boiling water. Watch them closely; once they rise and float to the surface (usually 2-3 minutes), they are cooked. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon and transfer them straight into the pan with the tomatoes, letting a little starchy cooking water cling to them.
- Take the pan off the heat, add the Genovese pesto, and gently toss everything together. The residual heat will warm the pesto and melt it into a smooth sauce coating the gnocchi.
- Divide between two warm bowls immediately, then finish with a generous grating of Parmesan Reggiano and a few torn fresh basil leaves.
Where It Can Go Wrong
Burnt Garlic: Garlic burns in seconds over high heat, turning bitter and ruining the delicate basil flavour of the pesto. Keep the heat medium-low when frying it, and if it starts to brown, pull the pan off the heat immediately.
Soggy Gnocchi: Leaving the gnocchi in the boiling water even thirty seconds too long makes them mushy. Have your slotted spoon ready and scoop them out the moment they bob to the surface.
Split Pesto: Heating pesto too much makes the oil separate and the basil turn brown. Always take the pan off the heat before stirring the pesto through the hot gnocchi.
Swaps and Variations
- Add some crunch: Toss in a handful of wild rocket (known as arugula in the US) just before serving for a peppery bite.
- Go green: Stir in some thinly sliced courgette (zucchini to US cooks) with the tomatoes to fry.
- Creamy twist: Add a splash of double cream (heavy cream in the US) to the tomatoes before adding the pesto for a richer sauce.
- Herb swap: If you want to change up the herb profile, try a coriander (cilantro) pesto with lime juice instead of basil.
Serving & Leftovers
Eat this dish straight away while the gnocchi are light and pillowy. If you have leftovers, keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one day. To reheat, warm them gently in a frying pan over a low heat with a splash of water to loosen the sauce. Do not freeze this dish; potato gnocchi lose their structure and become unpleasantly grainy when defrosted.
