Crispy Pan Fried Pesto Gnocchi

This pan fried pesto gnocchi is the perfect family-friendly midweek meal. Crispy on the outside, fluffy in the middle with a garlicky spinach and basil pesto - this is comfort food at its finest.

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• Ingredients
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I love gnocchi, but boiling it just makes it stodgy and mushy. A much better alternative is to pan fry it! Pan fried gnocchi crisps up so beautifully in just a small amount of oil, but it still stays soft and fluffy on the inside.

I've paired this gnocchi with a spinach and basil pesto. It only takes about five minutes to make this gluten and nut free pesto, and it's the perfect complement to crispy gnocchi.

Ingredients

• Spinach: Use fresh spinach. Frozen won't work here.
• Basil: A small amount of fresh basil really lifts the flavor this pesto.
• Garlic: Two cloves of garlic will give your pan fried pesto gnocchi a lovely garlicky taste. If you don't like the taste of garlic, you can reduce or omit it.
• Sunflower Seeds: Sunflower seeds replace the pine nuts that are traditionally used in most pesto recipes, making this recipe accessible to allergy sufferers.
• Lemon Juice: Lemon juice brightens your pesto up, giving it a zesty, tangy flavor.
• Salt: Salt enhances all the other flavors.
• Olive Oil: Choose the best quality olive oil you can afford. It's a major component in the pesto sauce, and an extra virgin olive oil will give you the best flavor.
• Gnocchi: You can make your own gnocchi, or go the easy route as I do, and buy it chilled or frozen.

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How To Make Pan Fried Pesto Gnocchi

• Put your spinach, basil, minced garlic, sunflower seeds, lemon juice, olive oil and salt into the bowl of your food processor. Blitz it until you have a smooth pesto.
• Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large non-stick saute pan. Saute the gnocchi until it's browned and crispy on the outside. It should take about 10-15 minutes.
• Add your pesto to the pan with the gnocchi, and turn everything over with a spatula to ensure all the pan fried gnocchi is coated in the pesto.

Frequently Asked Questions About This Recipe

Craving More Easy Vegan Dinner Recipes?

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