Creamy Pesto Gnocchi Bake {30 Minutes!}

This pesto gnocchi bake is the answer to your weeknight meal struggles! With a no-cook sauce, and helpful store-bought shortcuts, this gnocchi bake comes together in under 30 minutes. All you need is a baking dish!

I am generally not a fan of pasta dishes that bake in the sauce, because I feel like the texture of the pasta changes. Gnocchi is an exemption, though! Gnocchi has the perfect amount of starch to thicken up a no-cook sauce, and gets perfectly tender in the process.

This sauce is a classic cream sauce, seasoned with high quality pesto and parmesan cheese, topped with the unexpected crunch of seasoned breadcrumbs on top. If baked pasta like this is your jam, then my spicy sausage rigatoni is definitely worth a try!

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Expert Tip
• Substitutions
• Variations
• Equipment
• Storage
• Creamy Pesto Gnocchi Bake {30 Minutes!}
• 💬 Comments

Ingredients

• Packaged gnocchi: You can generally find prepared gnocchi in either the deli section of your grocery store, or dried with other pastas.
• Heavy cream: When cooking, heavy cream thickens up best to make a thick, luscious sauce.
• Pesto: I recommend using as good a quality store-bought pesto for this sauce. I like to buy the pestos in the refrigerated deli section of the grocery store, as opposed to the jarred variety. They tend to have brighter flavours.
• Parmesan cheese: Freshly grated parmigiano reggiano cheese is best for this recipe.
• Seasoned breadcrumbs
• Olive oil
• Spices: You will need garlic powder, onion powder, red chilli flakes, and salt.
• Bocconcini cheese: Bocconcini cheese is just small balls or pearls of fresh mozzarella cheese. It melts beautifully, and allows for little nuggets of cheese on the top.

A full list of ingredients with measurements is located on the recipe card, below.

Instructions

Add the gnocchi, heavy cream, pesto, parmesan and spices to a 6 x 7.5" baking dish. Stir to combine.

Tear the bocconcini cheese in halves, and arrange on top of the gnocchi.

In a small bowl, combine the seasoned breadcrumbs and olive oil. Mix until the breadcrumbs can come together like wet sand. Sprinkle on top of the gnocchi.

Bake the gnocchi for 15-20 minutes. If you find the breadcrumbs are getting too dark, cover with foil.

Substitutions

• Heavy cream: You can alternatively use a prepared alfredo sauce if you have that on hand.
• Bocconcini: Regular shredded mozzarella works in place of bocconcini.
• Seasoned breadcrumbs: If you have panko breadcrumbs on hand, those will work. If you have plain breadcrumbs on hand, season with salt, pepper and some Italian seasoning or oregano.
• Olive oil: You can use melted butter in place of the olive oil.

Variations

• Florentine: Add in some spinach and sundried tomatoes for a florentine twist.
• Meaty: Crisp up some pancetta or bacon and add it in for a meaty twist.

Equipment

This is what I used to make this recipe - Please be mindful that different equipment and cooking utensils may yield varying results. Most of my favourite equipment can be found on my storefront.

• Baking dish
• Mixing bowl

Storage

You can store leftover gnocchi in an airtight container in the fridge, for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven, covered with foil.

I do not recommend freezing this recipe, as the sauce will likely split.

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