Ready in less than 15 minutes, this pan fried pesto dish is so tasty it deserves to be on restaurant menus!
The rocket and watercress pesto is packed with plenty of garlic and basil, and it’s divine – you could serve it with pasta instead if you like, but I really enjoy it with gnocchi.
Pan frying gnocchi takes it to the next level. The potato dumplings get a crisp, golden layer on the outside while staying beautifully fluffy on the inside – perfect!
Ingredients, Substitutions and Variations
- Butter – use butter for frying the gnocchi. It gives it the perfect golden colour and adds great flavour too. You can switch for oil if you need to, but it won’t be as good.
- Gnocchi – use fresh gnocchi for this recipe.
- Rocket, watercress, basil, garlic, olive oil, pine nuts– these are the ingredients for your pesto. Just to note, rocket is known as arugula in much of the world!
- Peas and feta– I stir in peas to bring a bit of protein and fibre to the dish, and make it more into a meal you can eat on its own. They also bring lots of sweetness which is great. The feta crumbled on top gives a lovely salty hit of flavour! Both are optional, though.
Top Tips
- Stir your gnocchi regularly as it cooks to make sure that you get that golden brown colour consistent.
- You can make your pesto in a food processor, smoothie maker (like I do) or you can make it by hand (though this is much more time consuming!). If you make it by hand, use a large pestle and mortar to bash the ingredients down into a smooth paste.
- This recipe is best eaten and consumed fresh, but leftovers can be kept in the fridge for a day. Reheat thoroughly before serving.
Pan Fried Gnocchi With Rocket and Watercress Pesto
Ingredients
- 40 grams butter
- 1 kilogram fresh gnocchi
- 20 grams rocket
- 20 grams watercress
- 3 cloves garlic
- 10 grams basil
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- 200 grams frozen peas
- 50 grams feta
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the gnocchi and pan fry for 6-7 minutes, stirring regularly, until golden brown.
- Meanwhile, put the rocket and watercress into your food processor with a dash of water. Blitz until smooth, then add the basil, garlic (peeled but not chopped), oil and pine nuts. Blitz again until you have a smooth, creamy pesto.
- When the gnocchi is cooked, add the peas and pesto to the pan. Stir. Add 50ml water to loosen it and bring to a simmer.
- When the peas are cooked (about 2 minutes), the dish is ready. Spoon into bowls and serve with the feta crumbled over the top.
Video
More easy 15 minute dinner recipes
If you enjoy quick meals like this one, you might also like to explore my collection of 15 minute dinner recipes, where you’ll find plenty of simple meals that come together fast but still taste fantastic.
Here are a few reader favourites to try next:
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- Leek and Chorizo Pasta – a rich and comforting pasta dinner that comes together in no time.
- Paneer and Vegetable Wraps – packed with flavour and colourful vegetables, these wraps make a brilliant speedy dinner.
- Mushrooms and Stilton on Toast – creamy, savoury and deeply comforting, perfect for a quick but indulgent meal.
Or browse all of my easy 15 minute dinner recipes here for more fast weeknight ideas.
Restaurant quality food in less than 15 minutes, you will love this recipe