Creamy Pesto Gnocchi with Bacon & Parmesan | Easy Dinner Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What to serve with pesto gnocchi? ›

Pesto gnocchi can be served as a delicious lunch or easy dinner main. We often like to pair it with our garlic bread, but it can also be paired with a simple salad or additional roasted vegetables like green beans, Brussels sprouts, or asparagus spears.

A classic choice for saucing gnocchi is a simple combination of butter and sage, but the possibilities are endless. Simpler sauces like pesto, marinara and vodka are good choices, as are heartier sauces like Bolognese, cheese and cream sauces. Since gnocchi is fairly neutral in flavor, it pairs well with most anything.

Serve the pasta with some crusty bread or freshly baked Rosemary Focaccia with Roasted Garlic to capture any creamy pesto left on your plate. For a side, I suggest staying light and fresh to balance the rich pasta sauce. A bright and crunchy Lemon Parmesan Lettuce Salad is this pasta recipe's perfect match.

Italian Tradition

Pesto is the perfect sauce to enjoy with a dish of trofie (the traditional Ligurian short pasta), lasagna, potato gnocchi or as a topping for a bowl of minestrone. It can be mixed into tomato sauce to enhance the flavor of pasta dishes or used with fish fillets to make them more appetizing.

Add protein: Serve this pesto gnocchi recipe with grilled or roasted chicken, salmon, shrimp, steak, or sausage. This is perfect with a rotisserie chicken and a simple salad for an ultra-quick dinner!

The saying originated from lower-class food rationing and the people's need to maximize what ingredients they had at their disposal. Gnocchi, a substantial, high-calorie dish, was prepared on Thursday in anticipation of Friday, when, according to Catholic tradition, people fasted, abstaining from meat.

The word gnocchi may be derived from the Italian word nocchio, meaning a knot in wood, or from nocca, meaning knuckle. It has been a traditional type of Italian pasta since Roman times. It was introduced by the Roman legions during the expansion of the empire into the countries of the European continent.

In Venice, gnocchi is also known as "macaroni." Made from a base of flour, milk, and eggs cooked and shaped into little discs, they are baked in the oven with butter and cheese. It's an almost identical preparation to Lazio's famous gnocchi alla romana: round, flat discs of cooked and cooled semolina.

Nutritional Value

Believe it or not, regular pasta is actually more carb-heavy than gnocchi, coming in at around 2 times the amount of carbs per serving. Gnocchi is also notorious for having a lot more sodium, with over 200 grams of it per serving. Regular pasta doesn't have nearly as high of a sodium content.

You are unlimited in choices for pairing proteins with pesto pasta. Some great options are chicken, shrimp, pork and beef. What is the secret to perfect pasta? Adding salt to the pasta cooking water and allowing the saucepan to come to the boil will help to ensure perfectly cooked pasta.

What cheese goes well with pesto? ›

What Kind of Cheese Should I Use? I used fresh mozzarella because I love the way it melts, but you can use block or grated mozzarella in its place (that's usually more affordable as well). Other types of cheese that would work great with pesto are: smoked mozzarella, gruyere, swiss, brie, or white cheddar.

This versatile pesto pasta recipe is easy to customize by adding your favorite protein, if you like. Chicken, sausage, and chickpeas are all delicious mix-ins.

Chicken, sausage, and chickpeas are all delicious mix-ins. If you're in need of side dish inspiration, meanwhile, we've got you covered. Here are a few delicious recipes that pair well with pesto pasta: French Baguettes.

You are unlimited in choices for pairing proteins with pesto pasta. Some great options are chicken, shrimp, pork and beef. What is the secret to perfect pasta? Adding salt to the pasta cooking water and allowing the saucepan to come to the boil will help to ensure perfectly cooked pasta.

You can store leftovers for up to 4 days in the fridge in an airtight container. Then to reheat, just pop the gnocchi in the microwave for a few minutes or warm it in a skillet on the stovetop. For longer storage, you can also freeze the pesto gnocchi for up to 3 months in a sealed bag or airtight container.