Homemade 20 Minute Creamy Pesto Gnocchi – Dairy Free
This quick and easy homemade creamy pesto gnocchi dish is the ultimate comfort food- and all dairy free and vegan! Only 8 simple ingredients (including those to make the homemade vegan pesto!) and 20 minutes for my family’s favorite weeknight or date night pasta dish!
The pasta dish for all occasions:
In need of a quick 15-20 minute dinner recipe to feed the family? Or looking for something extra special to serve for date night? This creamy pesto gnocchi does it all.
It’s rich, comforting, packed with fresh flavor, and is somehow all undetectably dairy free and vegan. Not to mention, it only uses 8 simple ingredients (because we’re making our pesto from scratch- don’t worry, that takes 2 minutes tops!) and 20 minutes of your time.
Along with my lentil bolognese and vegan lasagna, I have this dish recently on repeat in my household because it’s just so good.
The epitome of comfort food meets somehow fancy restaurant-quality pasta dish meets “I have no time to think about what I want to eat.” It’s the everything dish that’s there for you at all times!! Now let’s make it!
What you’ll need:
- Homemade vegan pesto: This is made so quickly and easily. You just need 6 simple ingredients: basil, lemon juice, olive oil, sea salt, pine nuts (or walnuts!), and garlic. Everything comes together in a blender or food processor, and you can also add in a dairy free cheese, like vegan parmesan!
- Dairy free milk: This can be oat milk, almond milk, or even cashew cream, coconut milk, or vegan heavy cream!
- Gnocchi: I often make my gnocchi homemade, which would make this dish NOT able to be done in 20 minutes. But you can see my notes below for store bought vegan gnocchi that truly make this dish 20 minutes and done!
Overview: Step-by-Step How to Make Vegan Creamy Pesto Gnocchi:
For the full written instructions and ingredient measurements, see the bottom of this post in the recipe card. You can also hit the “jump to recipe” button at the top of this post! Here, we’ll go over a brief overview of the steps, along with providing visuals for a better understanding of the recipe.
Do I have to make this recipe dairy free and vegan?
I have not tested this recipe other than with vegan ingredients, as I’m vegan. You’re always welcome to experiment to fit your own personal lifestyle, but I only share what I’ve tried- which is always vegan!
Vegan store bought gnocchi brands:
I don’t make homemade gnocchi every time, as I mentioned above. Sometimes, you truly want a quick 15-20 minute dinner, and this is definitely that recipe.
To make it so, though, we’ll use store bought gnocchi.
I really love the brand, Bella Terra, which is also organic. You can also use cauliflower gnocchi or Oro del Sud has both a vegan gnocchi and a gluten free gnocchi.
Substitutions & Variations:
- Nuts: Switch up the nuts in the homemade vegan pesto! You can use walnuts, cashews, or even sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds to keep it nut-free.
- Swap the basil for parsley: Or add it in addition to the basil for more depth of flavor!
- Chop up sun-dried tomatoes: And stir them into the sauce- yum!!
- Not a fan of gnocchi? Swap in your favorite pasta shape in lieu of the gnocchi. I really like parpardelle or bowties!
What to serve with creamy pesto gnocchi:
I really like my 15 minute vegan garlic bread and another veggie, like crispy roasted brussels sprouts or roasted red cabbage.
A vegan caesar salad is also delicious with this!
For a heartier meal, I’ll also add some tofu or cooked lentils.
Want to save this recipe for later? Add it to your favorite recipe board on Pinterest!
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below. This helps others to find the recipes! As always, I absolutely love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there as well!
PrintHomemade 20 Minute Creamy Pesto Gnocchi – Dairy Free
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This quick and easy homemade creamy pesto gnocchi dish is the ultimate comfort food- and all dairy free and vegan! Only 8 simple ingredients (including those to make the homemade vegan pesto!) and 20 minutes for my family’s favorite weeknight or date night pasta dish!
Ingredients
- 1 batch homemade vegan pesto
- 1 cup (240 mL) dairy free milk, cashew cream, coconut milk, or vegan heavy cream
- 1 batch homemade vegan gnocchi or store bought plant based gnocchi
- Grated vegan parmesan cheese, for topping
Instructions
- Prep: Please read all instructions before beginning. If you’re making the homemade gnocchi, it will take longer than 30 minutes, as the potatoes need to cook first. Make sure the homemade gnocchi are shaped and ready to be boiled before beginning. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the gnocchi.
- Make the vegan pesto: Follow the instructions for making the vegan pesto sauce.
- Make the creamy pesto sauce: In a large saucepan, add the vegan pesto and dairy free milk to the pan. Stir to combine, then bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer.
- Cook the gnocchi: Once the water for the gnocchi is boiling, add in the gnocchi- homemade gnocchi will rise to the top, fully cooked, within 3 minutes, and store bought should finish cooking within 5 minutes.
- Stir in the gnocchi: Drain the gnocchi, researching 1/3 cup of pasta water, and add the gnocchi and reserved pasta water to the saucepan. Stir to combine.
- Cook the gnocchi in the sauce: Allow the gnocchi to cook in the sauce for 10-15 minutes. This allows them to better absorb the flavor and allows the garlic in the pesto to fully cook.
- Serve and enjoy: Once cooked, serve the creamy pesto gnocchi and top with grated vegan parmesan (like Violife). Enjoy! Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days in the fridge.
Notes
Gluten free: You can use gluten-free flour to make the gnocchi or a store bought gluten-free gnocchi.
Nut free: Swap in pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds where there are nuts in the pesto. Make sure you use all nut-free dairy free milks and cheeses.