Vegan Pesto Gnocchi Recipe

    Vegan Pesto Gnocchi in a bowl next to vegan pesto sauce

    When you’re looking for a quick summer dinner, this vegan pesto gnocchi is a fantastic option. Ready in less than 20 minutes, you can have a gourmet-style meal in less time than it takes to drive to and be seated at a restaurant.

    Pesto sauce is traditionally made with pine nuts, olive oil, fresh basil, and parmesan. To create this vegan pesto sauce, you’ll want to swap out the parmesan in favor of a plant-based alternative like Go Veggie.

    If you don’t have pine nuts on hand, you can easily replace them with walnuts or cashews instead. If you use walnuts or cashews, aim for about 1/2 a cup of those nuts.

    Vegan pesto comes together just like traditional pesto sauce, quickly and easily in a food processor. The only patience required for this recipe is for allowing the gnocchi to sear properly in the pan.

    Gnocchi are little Italian dumplings made primarily of potatoes. They’re especially delicious when they’re pan-seared, so giving them a few minutes to brown over the stove really helps take this dish over the top.

    Once the gnocchi are ready, they’re gently tossed in the prepared sauce and this vegan pesto gnocchi is ready to be devoured!


    Cook time: 10 minutes
    Prep time: 5 minutes
    Idle time:



    1. To a food processor, add the vegan pesto ingredients and pulse until the mixture is smooth. Temporarily set aside.
    2. Warm a large pot of water over high heat until the water is boiling. Add in the gnocchi and cook for a few minutes or until the gnocchi floats to the top. Drain the gnocchi.
    3. In a medium pan over medium heat, add the vegan butter and cook until the butter has melted. Add the gnocchi in and cook the gnocchi for a few minutes until it's browned. Do not move or turn over the gnocchi for at least a few minutes; let them properly sear before flipping them over.
    4. Add the pesto sauce and non-dairy milk to the pan and stir everything together. Cook for a couple of minutes until the milk has reduced. Remove from the heat and serve.

    Additional information

    Recipe adapted from thissavoryvegan.com
