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Vegetarian, Italy

Pesto gnocchi with green beans and potatoes

Pesto gnocchi with green beans and potatoes is an Italian dish for 4 people, ready in 30 minutes, very easy to make, for €2.30 per person. The trick is cooking everything in the same pot, potatoes and beans first, gnocchi last, then tossing with raw pesto loosened with a splash of cooking water.

In Liguria, gnocchi meet pesto, green beans and potatoes, all in the same pot.

Pesto gnocchi with green beans and potatoes
Total time
30 min
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€2.30
Calories per person
610 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Spring, Summer
The kids
They generally like it

This dish balances soft gnocchi, crisp green beans and tender little potato cubes, all coated in a fragrant pesto that never touches heat. Parmesan brings the salt, toasted pine nuts bring the crunch. It's a clean, colorful plate that smells like fresh basil the moment you lift the lid off the pot.

It's the weeknight dinner that saves the evening without any real effort, one pot, thirty minutes, almost no dishes afterward. Kids generally love the softness of the gnocchi and the mild taste of pesto, you can simply skip the pine nuts on their plate. We suggest it from spring onward, once green beans turn good again, through the end of summer.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Potato gnocchi 600 g
  • Pine nuts 20 g
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Green beans 300 g
  • Potatoes 300 g

Dairy

  • Basil pesto 120 g
  • Grated parmesan 40 g

Allergens Gluten, Lactose, Tree nuts

The step by step recipe

  1. Peel the potatoes and cut them into small cubes, trim the green beans and cut them in half.

    Aim for 1 cm cubes, no bigger, so everything cooks at the same rate.

  2. Drop the potatoes into boiling salted water, then add the beans 4 minutes later. 12 min

    The beans are ready when they bend without snapping.

  3. Add the gnocchi to the same pot and scoop them out with a slotted spoon as soon as they float. 3 min

    Save a cup of cooking water, you'll use it to loosen the pesto.

  4. In a large bowl, thin the pesto with 3 spoonfuls of cooking water and toss with the gnocchi, beans and drained potatoes. 1 min

    Never heat the pesto, it loses its color and aroma.

  5. Serve with parmesan and the dry toasted pine nuts. 2 min

    Watch the pine nuts closely, they go from golden to burnt in a second.

Our tips to get it right

  • Cut the potatoes into really even cubes, about one centimeter, otherwise some will stay firm while others fall apart.
  • Always save a bit of cooking water before draining, it's what binds the pesto to the gnocchi without needing cream or extra oil.
  • Toast the pine nuts dry in a hot pan, stirring constantly, they color very fast and burn just as fast.

The variations

  • Swap the pine nuts for chopped walnuts if you don't have any on hand, you keep the crunch with a slightly different flavor.
  • For a richer version, add a handful of halved cherry tomatoes at the same time as the pesto, they bring acidity and color.
  • For kids in a hurry, serve the gnocchi plain with pesto on the side, everyone helps themselves, and it's ready in 15 minutes.

What to serve it with

  • A salad of ripe tomatoes
  • A glass of cold lemonade
  • Extra shaved parmesan

Storage

Keep leftovers in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 2 days, raw pesto doesn't hold up much longer. This dish doesn't freeze well, gnocchi and potatoes turn mushy once thawed. Reheat gently in a pan with a splash of water, never in the microwave at full power, to keep the gnocchi from drying out.

Questions about this dish

Can I use fresh or frozen gnocchi?

Both work well, fresh gnocchi cook in 2 to 3 minutes, frozen ones take about a minute longer. Either way, pull them out as soon as they float to the surface.

Can I make this dish ahead of time?

You can cook the vegetables and gnocchi ahead and store them in the fridge separately from the pesto. Mix everything together right before serving to keep the pesto's color and aroma intact.

Can I replace the pine nuts?

Yes, toasted walnuts or sliced almonds work just as well. Keep in mind almonds and walnuts are also tree nuts, just like pine nuts.

Do I need homemade pesto or is store bought fine?

A good store bought pesto works perfectly for this quick dish, just pick one that lists basil as the first ingredient. Homemade pesto will taste fresher if you have time to make it.

How long does it take to make pesto gnocchi with green beans and potatoes?

Count 30 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “very easy”.

How many calories are in pesto gnocchi with green beans and potatoes?

About 610 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does pesto gnocchi with green beans and potatoes cost?

About €2.30 per serving, or €9.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose, tree nuts. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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