Oven Roasted Gnocchi with Pesto and Vegetables

My Oven Roasted Gnocchi with Pesto and Vegetables is a must for your Meatless Mondays! Picture this: soft pillowy gnocchi, tossed in harmoniac homemade pesto, and accompanied by a medley of juicy roasted veggies.

The best part – this easy weeknight meal is made in under 30 minutes! All you need for this sheet pan gnocchi is a large sheet pan and parchment paper.

Original Post Date: April  2022 | Updated Post: January 2024

Why this recipe works

• Sheet pan meals are amazing! Not only is clean up a breeze, but the gnocchi gets a nice roast on it and delivers a crunchy texture on the outside and pillowy goodness on the inside.

• This easy dinner takes such little effort. Toss the gnocchi with vegetables and pesto and voila! 

• You can easily make this vegan by using vegan pesto and top with vegan parmesan. 

• Pesto-coated gnocchi pieces and fresh veggies make one vibrant meal!

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Ingredients for Sheet Pan Pesto Gnocchi

• Gnocchi. Use shelf-stable gnocchi versus frozen. You can find shelf-stable gnocchi in the pasta aisle at your local grocery store. 
• Spinach leaves. The spinach gets added in during the last couple of minutes of cooking.
• Baby bell mushrooms.
• Zucchini.
• Broccoli. 
• Cherry tomatoes. Tomatoes add color and natural juices this gnocchi dish. 
• Pesto. You can use a jar of store-bought pesto or use my flavorful pesto sauce, Pesto Made with Avocado Oil . 

How to make

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Add a single layer of gnocchi and vegetables (except the spinach) to the sheet pan.

2. Pour about 1 1/2 tablespoons  of pesto over the gnocchi and vegetables and mix.

3. Place in the oven for 20-22 minutes. When done, remove from the oven and add the spinach to the sheet pan and place back in the oven for 3 minutes, allowing the spinach to wilt.

4. Remove and pour remaining pesto over the gnocchi and vegetables. Let cool for a few minutes and serve as is or with a simple green salad.

5. Store any leftover gnocchi in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days. The gnocchi starts to lose it’s texture on the 2nd day. 

Helpful tips for this gnocchi dish

When making sheet pan meals, it is best not to overcrowd the sheet pan. This will cause the food to steam and not roast which will give you a different end result. If you do not have a large sheet pan, make the gnocchi is 2 batches. 

Serving suggestions for Gnocchi with Pesto

The combination of vegetables that you could use is endless. Fresh vegetables such as yellow bell pepper, red bell pepper, red onion, fresh garlic cloves, shiitakes, carrots and green beans would all be delicious.  

Top with parmesan cheese, pine nuts or fresh basil leaves.

Add in your favorite proteins. I like Italian sausage with gnocchi or you can add chicken sausage or plant-based sausage.

A creamy pesto sauce would be amazing in this sheet pan gnocchi recipe. 

Toss the gnocchi and vegetables in extra virgin olive oil when roasting and then top with a traditional pesto. 

Enjoy this gnocchi as a main dish or as a side dish. 

Recipe inspiration

Whether you are in need of an easy meals for busy weeknights or craving Italian cuisine, this gnocchi recipe is sure to please! I love all things pesto and I love me some gnocchi. For real quick meals, I like to eat Trader Joe’s cauliflower gnocchi or their kale gnocchi. But pan frying frozen gnocchi doesn’t have the texture as the shelf-stable does. I wanted to create a simple recipe that included both delicious and flavor and a beautiful texture. 

Check out more pesto recipes such my Chicken Pesto Lasagna Roll Ups.

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