Creamy Vegan Pesto Gnocchi

Comforting vegan pesto gnocchi made in 15 minutes. A simple meal of tender gnocchi mixed with a creamy basil and sun-dried tomato sauce.

A side view of a plate of creamy pesto gnocchi with a fork tucked in the back.

Meals like this Lemon Pepper Tofu with Asparagus are a go to during busy weeknights. And now I’m excited to add this Vegan Pesto Gnocchi to my list of meals under 30 minutes.

These pillowy and tender potato gnocchi are coated in a luscious and creamy sauce of basil, sun-dried tomatoes and vegan heavy cream. Then, when the sauce is made, you just stir in the gnocchi. It’s really that simple, making it perfect for an easy and filling weeknight dinner.

Why You’ll Love This Easy Gnocchi Recipe

  • Comes together in just 15 minutes using simple ingredients
  • This version of the recipe is more budget friendly as we use a nut-free pesto sauce without pine nuts
  • The gnocchi is coated in a flavorful, creamy sauce that combines basil rich pesto and sun-dried tomatoes
  • Easy to make homemade comfort food
  • This whole recipe is vegan and nut-free and can be made gluten-free

What Is Gnocchi?

Gnocchi are simple potato dumplings originating from Italy. They are most commonly made by combining potato, flour, and eggs. The resulting dough is cut into small bite size pieces and then boiled like pasta, which results in the perfect pillowy texture. You can then coat them with your favorite sauces for the ultimate entrée or first course.

Potato gnocchi right out of the package.

Key Ingredients and Substitutions

  • Potato Gnocchi: Make sure to read the ingredients of the gnocchi you use especially if you are vegan. Not all gnocchi is eggless, but it should be pretty easy to find vegan gnocchi in your local grocery store.
  • Pesto: Use your favorite pesto. You can use store bought or make it yourself. If you choose store bought, just note that not all pesto is vegan as it is normally made with cheese. I have some brand recommendations below.
  • Plant Based Milk: For the closest cream taste I would opt for unsweetened soy milk or cashew milk.
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil: This helps to thicken the cream when blended.
  • Cornstarch: Another thickening agent that helps to coat the gnocchi in the rich sauce.
  • Sun-Dried Tomatoes: I use sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil. These are more tender and flavorful, which helps add more flavor to the sauce. Feel free to omit if not a fan of tomatoes.
  • White Beans: Optional, but I like that this helps add some additional filling plant-protein to make this more of a complete meal. You can also pair with some baked tofu if desired instead.

How to Make Creamy Vegan Pesto Gnocchi

Start by preparing your sauce. If making a homemade pesto sauce, prepare it before starting your gnocchi. Same thing goes for the vegan heavy cream. To make mine, I combined soy milk, oil and cornstarch in a blender and blended until fully combined and creamy.

Cook your vegan potato gnocchi according to the package. A good way to know that your gnocchi is cooked through is when they begin to float to the top.

As the water for the gnocchi boils, heat up a pan on the stove top and sauté the sun-dried tomatoes and garlic and sauté until fragrant. Add in the beans along with a pinch of salt and sauté to coat. You can then stir in the pesto and heavy cream. Stir to combine and then stir in the cooked gnocchi, coating it entirely in the sauce.

Expert Tips

  • Use your favorite vegan pesto sauce homemade recipe or opt for a store bought version. To make sure it is vegan, just check the ingredients.
  • Don’t overcook the gnocchi. Once it floats to the top, drain the water and add the gnocchi directly to the sauce.
  • Make sure to generously salt the boiling water for the gnocchi the same as you would if you were cooking regular pasta.
  • To prevent the gnocchi from sticking to the bottom of the pot as it cooks, make sure to stir the gnocchi a few times as it cooks in the boiling water.
Close up of a bowl of pesto gnocchi topped with extra parsley and red pepper flakes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is gnocchi vegan?

Not always, so it’s good to check the ingredients if purchasing premade gnocchi. Freshly made gnocchi can often times include eggs to bind the ingredients together.

What brands of pesto are vegan?

Try Trader Joe’s Kale Cashew Basil Pesto, Amore’s Pesto Paste, and Meditalia if looking for dairy-free pesto alternatives. If you can’t find a brand near by, making your own is easy. You can try this Tahini Pesto that’s more budget friendly or use a recipe you already love.

Is gnocchi gluten-free?

Traditionally, gnocchi is made by combining potato, flour and eggs. The flour used is often wheat or semolina based flours which contain wheat and gluten.

How can I make this recipe gluten-free?

You can opt for gluten-free gnocchi alternatives like Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi, Whole Foods Cauliflower Gnocchi or Delallo’s Gluten-free Gnocchi. The sauce that pairs with the gnocchi is already gluten-free.

How to Serve

To help make this meal more filling and protein rich, I have included cannellini beans along with the gnocchi coated in the sauce. You can leave it out and serve the gnocchi with other plant-based protein options like baked tofu or soy curls. Feel free to also stir in spinach or serve along with some broccolini for extra filling veggies.

Storage Tips

Once cooled, store the extra pesto gnocchi in an airtight container and place in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat your gnocchi, place the gnocchi in a microwave safe dish and microwave with a splash of water for about 2 minutes and mix half way through. You can also heat this on the stove top with a splash of water to help loosen up the sauce as it heats.

More Vegan Pasta Recipes To Try

Top down view of a bowl of gnocchi coated in a basil and sun-dried tomato sauce.
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Close up side angle view of a plate of gnocchi and beans coated in a pesto sauce.

Creamy Vegan Pesto Gnocchi

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Catherine Perez
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Stove Top
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

Comforting vegan pesto gnocchi made in 15 minutes. A simple meal of tender gnocchi mixed with a creamy basil and sun-dried tomato sauce.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened soy milk
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • 1, 16 oz package of vegan gnocchi
  • 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil and diced
  • 1, 15 oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1/4 cup of vegan pesto
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  1. Prepare the vegan heavy cream by adding your milk, oil and cornstarch to a blender and blend until fully combined.
  2. Bring a pot of water to a boil and salt the water generously. Add in the gnocchi and allow to cook according to package instructions which generally is between 2-3 minutes or when the gnocchi have floated to the top. Then, drain the gnocchi and set aside.
  3. To a large skillet add the sun-dried tomatoes with their oil along with the garlic. Heat the tomatoes through for about 2 minutes and then add in the drained beans.
  4. Sauté until well coated (about 2-3 minutes) and sprinkle with a small pinch of salt.
  5. Set the heat to low and then add in your pesto and vegan heavy cream that you made earlier.
  6. Stir the sauce to combine and then add in the gnocchi. Continue stirring until the gnocchi is well coated and then serve with extra garnishes like parsley and red pepper flakes if you like some spice.

Notes

Use your favorite vegan pesto sauce homemade recipe or opt for a store bought version. To make sure it is vegan, just check the ingredients.

Don’t overcook the gnocchi. Once it floats to the top, drain the water and add the gnocchi directly to the sauce.

Make sure to generously salt the boiling water for the gnocchi the same as you would if you were cooking regular pasta.

To prevent the gnocchi from sticking to the bottom of the pot as it cooks, make sure to stir the gnocchi a few times as it cooks in the boiling water.

If you tried this recipe or any other recipe on the blog, then let me know what you thought in the comments below! And if you loved it, don’t forget to rate it too. Feel free to follow on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok for the latest nutrition tips and recipe videos.

 Catherine

This post contains affiliate links which means I will make a small commission if you purchase from those links. I only recommend and share products that I know, trust and personally use myself!

One Comment

  1. Phenomenal!! It hit the soul like a pasta Alfredo but didn’t hit the gut like one- super filling but not nap-inducing.

    I made the linked pesto (the extra has been great to have with veggies and bread) and my bean-averse toddler happily ate tons.






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