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This pesto shrimp gnocchi recipe is made in one pan in about 30 minutes and turns store-bought gnocchi into a quick gourmet meal!
Try my Chicken Pesto Pasta or Pesto Pork Tenderloin for more of these tasty flavors.
Ah, my favorite kind of recipe… the kind that takes less than 30 minutes but is good enough to serve company. You don’t need to spend hours in the kitchen to put delicious food on the table!
The sauce is so good. It’s got pesto, cream, extra garlic, lemon juice + zest, and parmesan cheese. The gnocchi cooks right in the sauce to thicken it up to a perfect consistency. (If you want to skip the shrimp, try my Creamy Pesto Gnocchi).
If you love pesto, try my Salmon Pesto Pasta.
What kind of gnocchi to use?
For all my one-pan gnocchi recipes (I’ve been making them since 2017 where it all started with my Creamy Mushroom & Spinach Gnocchi), I use the shelf stable gnocchi that’s found in the dry pasta aisle of most grocery stores. The refrigerated kind will work too. I don’t recommend homemade gnocchi as it’s quite delicate and can fall apart in the sauce; some readers have let me know they tried it with other recipes and had that issue.
Recipe notes & tips:
- The shrimp don’t take long to cook at all, so be careful not to overcook them, or they will go rubbery.
- I suggest making this recipe with 31/40 size shrimp. I’ve successfully made this with slightly larger shrimp as well.
- I used DeLallo pesto for this recipe (I love it, and I’ve worked with them and had some leftover from a shipment they sent. This post is not sponsored, though). Feel free to use whatever your favorite kind of pesto is or even homemade pesto.
- I find that some jarred pesto sauces can already be quite lemony, so if that’s the case with yours, you may want to omit the teaspoon of lemon juice unless you want it to be very lemony (which is fine). I do recommend keeping the lemon zest, though!
- Feel free to sub the chicken broth for dry white wine.
- I use my handy Microplane to zest the lemon. It adds so much freshness to this recipe.
What to serve with this dish:
It’s quite rich, so a light salad would go great. If you really want to go all-out, try garlic knots or breadsticks.
Other amazing one pan gnocchi recipes:
Will you give this pesto shrimp gnocchi recipe a try?
Questions? Let me know in the comments below!
Pesto Shrimp Gnocchi
Ingredients
- 1 pound raw shrimp (thawed & peeled) see note
- 1/4 cup pesto
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice + zest of 1/2 lemon
- 1/4 cup chicken broth or dry white wine
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 1 pound uncooked potato gnocchi
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley chopped, to taste (optional)
Instructions
- If your shrimp are frozen, run them under cool water until they're fully thawed. Peel them and take the tails off.
- Add the pesto, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, chicken broth, and cream to a deep skillet over medium heat. Give it a stir until everything is combined.
- Once the sauce starts to gently bubble, stir in the gnocchi. Cover the pan and cook for 5 minutes. The gnocchi cooks right in the sauce and the starch released thickens it up.
- Give the gnocchi a stir and then stir in the shrimp. Cook for another minute (covered) and then give it a stir and cook for another minute (covered). Let it cook uncovered for another minute or two, stirring often, until the shrimp are fully cooked through.
- Just before serving, stir in the parmesan cheese and season with extra salt & pepper as needed. I sprinkled some chopped parsley over top for some added freshness.
Notes
- I used 31-40/pound size shrimp. Anything from 3/4 pound to 1 pound of shrimp will work. Many stores here (Canada) package the shrimp in 3/4 pound bags.
- If the sauce becomes too thick at any point, add in a splash more cream or chicken broth to thin it out.
- The gnocchi cooks right in the sauce. There is no need to pre-cook the gnocchi.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I’ve made this several times as is and it’s easy and yummy! But, I’ve also made it dairy free by using vegan heavy/whipping cream and it was equally good. I just omitted the broth as it makes it too runny. Tonight I sauteed salmon fillets in olive oil and cooked spaghetti then made the sauce (dairy free this time) from this recipe to serve over it and it was hmmm good! Thanks for a great recipe!
You’re very welcome, Heather!!
What if your Gnocchi is frozen do you still not need to pre-cook? I am assuming yours is dried off the shelf? I use fresh gnocchi purchased frozen. TIA
Hi! I wouldn’t pre-cook it either. Maybe cook it at a slightly lower heat for a little longer if needed.
I made this last night and it was a hit. I considered seasoning and sauteing the shrimp first, but then decided I would make the recipe as written. I’m glad I did. It was delicious. And what made it even more perfect, it was so quick and easy. Will definitely be making this again. 5 stars!
I’m so glad you liked it!
I’ve made this multiple times a year during fall and winter for a couple years and it’s always a hit! I always double up the cream and chicken stock to make it more saucy because I love sauce! Such a good recipe.
Yay!! Thank you!!
This was my first time trying this recipe, but it will NOT be my last! This is an amazing dish, quick and easy with amazing flavor!!
Yay!! So glad you liked it, Michelle!
Natasha this will be the second time I make this recipe! It is so easy and delicious.My husband loves it also! Gnocchi was a first for us and glad we tried it! Very tasty!
That’s awesome!! 😀 Thanks, Saundra!
Love this recipe, make it constantly, my partner is always really excited for it.
Question: is the nutritional information at the bottom of the page for the entire recipe, or are there multiple servings?
Thanks!
That’s awesome!! It’s for 1 serving (1/4 total recipe).
I made the pesto shrimp gnocchi today and it was delicious! I follow you regularly and have tried quite a few of your recipes and have never been disappointed!!
Aww that’s so nice to hear, Diane!! Thank you! 😀
This sounds wonderful, had gnocci and did not know what else to make. Always have shrimp, did not have pesto, but had basil (fresh).
Another quick comment: please some recipes using lavender, I bought this in France, and rarely use it. Thanks.
Hi Angela! I’m glad you enjoyed it. I actually do have a couple lavender recipes on here like these fun lavender lemonade popsicles: https://bit.ly/3SvzPm2
Hi I have a question! How well does this recipe store and reheat? Single person here interested in trying it 🙋🏼♀️ Would salmon or a different protein reheat better than the shrimp?
Hi Sarah! So, I usually like to eat leftover seafood (salmon included) within 2-3 days to be safe. Creamy sauces don’t always reheat all that well, and the gnocchi can keep releasing starch, which can make the sauce a bit gloopy. But I’d say if you’re able to eat the bulk of the leftovers within a couple days it should be fine. I certainly wouldn’t fault you if you didn’t finish all of it haha. 🙂 Reheat slowly over a low heat.