Arugula Pesto Gnocchi, plus Burrata and Pancetta

Gnocchi served with a simple and good peppery arugula pesto sauce creamy burrata cheese and crispy pancetta. This recipe is not only quick and easy but is full of good flavour. Suited to those nights when you don't have a lot of time to get dinner on the table!

We love a quick and easy pasta or gnocchi recipe for busy weeknights but we also want them to taste utterly good and this recipe definitely ticks all the boxes.

Arugula pesto is so good as a sauce for gnocchi, emulsify it with some starchy pasta water and it'll help create the most luscious, glossy and good texture.

The whole dish has the solid mix of bitter, salty, cheesy and fresh flavours, and it couldn't be more good.

If gnocchi are not your favourite you could use a short pasta shape instead, such as rigatoni or penne, enjoy!

Ingredient notes and substitutions

• Walnuts – most nuts will work well if you don't have walnuts such as pine nuts, pistachios and almonds.
• Gnocchi – use store-bought gnocchi for ease or have a go at making our homemade gnocchi. Alternatively, you can use a short pasta shape instead.
• Pancetta – you can use pancetta, guanciale or good-quality bacon.

Visual walk-through of the recipe

See our step-by-step photos below to give you a visual representation of the recipe. The full written recipe with our top tips can be found in the recipe card below.

Make the pesto – blitz everything in a food processor to a smooth paste (photos 1 and 2).

Get the pancetta crispy – fry the pancetta in a pan until golden and crispy then set it aside.

Assemble – boil the gnocchi and add it to a bowl with the pesto. Use gnocchi water to emulsify the pesto into a saucy consistency (photos 3 and 4).

Serve – serve the gnocchi in bowls topped with a little burrata and crispy pancetta.

More gnocchi recipes to try

Gnocchi

Gnocchi alla Sorrentina

Gnocchi

Gnocchi Carbonara

Gnocchi

Spicy Sausage Baked Gnocchi

Gnocchi

Pesto Gnocchi

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

Arugula pesto

• 3 cups (45g) arugula (rocket)
• 1/2 cup (50g) walnuts
• 1/3 cup (65ml) olive oil
• 1 garlic clove
• 50 g (scant cup) parmigiano reggiano

Optional pesto ingredient

• Fresh lemon juice (add this to taste if the pesto is bitter)

Everything else

• 1.1 lbs (500g) gnocchi ((store-bought or homemade gnocchi))
• 3.5 oz (100g) pancetta (cut into cubes)
• 1 ball burrata

Method

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it well.

2. Meanwhile, put all ingredients in a food processor and blitz to a smooth paste. Add more olive oil as needed then transfer the pesto to a large mixing bowl and set aside.

3. Heat a pan on a medium heat. Once hot, add the pancetta and fry until golden and crispy. Remove and set aside.

Assemble

1. When everything is prepped, add the gnocchi to the boiling water. When the gnocchi float on the surface transfer them to the bowl with the pesto.

2. Add ¼ cup (60ml) of gnocchi water to the bowl and stir the pesto and gnocchi together until fully coated. You can add more water if the sauce is too thick.

3. Serve the gnocchi in bowls and top with a few spoonfuls of burrata and crispy pancetta.

4. Tip: if the pesto is on the bitter side or too peppery add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Kitchen notes

Prep ahead you can prep the pesto in advance and store it in the fridge for 4-5 days.

Storage the gnocchi are best served immediately but leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.