Description
This Creamy Pesto Spinach Gnocchi Bake is a comforting Italian-inspired dish featuring tender gnocchi tossed in a vibrant pesto cream sauce with spinach and a bright lemon-ricotta swirl. It’s an easy yet impressive weeknight meal that’s sure to become a family favorite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 500g (1 lb) Potato Gnocchi: store-bought or homemade
- 200g (7 oz) Fresh Spinach Leaves: roughly chopped
- 150g (½ cup) Basil Pesto: store-bought or homemade
- 200ml (¾ cup) Heavy Cream: for a rich sauce
- 250g (1 cup) Ricotta Cheese: full-fat recommended
- 1 tsp Lemon Zest: from 1 lemon
- 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice: freshly squeezed
- 2 Cloves Garlic: minced
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil: extra virgin
- ½ tsp Salt: plus extra to taste
- ½ tsp Black Pepper: freshly ground
- 50g (½ cup) Parmesan Cheese: grated, halal-certified if needed
- 50g (½ cup) Panko Breadcrumbs: for a crispy topping
- 2 tsp Lemon Zest: for garnish
- Fresh Basil Leaves: torn, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat & Prep: Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F) and grease a baking dish.
- Cook Gnocchi: Boil gnocchi until floating, about 2 minutes; drain.
- Sauté Garlic: Sauté minced garlic in olive oil for 30 seconds.
- Wilt Spinach: Add spinach to skillet and cook until wilted, about 2-3 minutes.
- Make Pesto Sauce: Combine pesto, cream, and spinach; season with pepper.
- Combine & Assemble: Fold gnocchi into sauce and spread into baking dish.
- Prepare Ricotta Swirl: Whisk ricotta, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and olive oil.
- Swirl Ricotta: Drop spoonfuls of ricotta mixture over gnocchi and swirl.
- Add Topping: Sprinkle with Parmesan and panko breadcrumbs.
- Bake: Bake for 20-25 minutes, until browned and bubbly.
- Rest & Garnish: Let rest for 5 minutes; garnish with lemon zest and basil.
Notes
For a more intense pesto flavor, lightly toast pine nuts before making homemade pesto. Feel free to add sun-dried tomatoes, chicken, sausage, or mushrooms for variations.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 500 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg