Cheesy Gnocchi with Corn and Pesto Recipe
This Cheesy Gnocchi With Corn and Pesto is a quick and delicious skillet dish featuring crispy seared gnocchi, sweet corn, and vibrant pesto, all topped with melted mozzarella cheese broiled to perfection. It’s a comforting and flavorful recipe perfect for an easy weeknight dinner or a satisfying side dish.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 17 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pound shelf-stable gnocchi
- About 3 cups canned or fresh corn kernels (from two 15-ounce cans or about 4 fresh cobs)
- ½ cup store-bought or homemade pesto, plus more for topping
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 8 ounces grated whole-milk, low-moisture mozzarella
Instructions
- Heat the oil: In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, heat the extra-virgin olive oil until it is sizzling hot, about 2 minutes. Warming the oil properly ensures the gnocchi will crisp up nicely.
- Sear the gnocchi: Add the gnocchi to the hot skillet and leave undisturbed for 4 minutes, allowing the bottoms to become golden and crispy. This step adds texture and enhances the flavor.
- Cook the corn: Stir in the corn kernels and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes until the corn is softened and warmed through. Then, remove the skillet from the heat to prepare for mixing.
- Add pesto and seasoning: Stir in ½ cup of pesto, then season with salt as needed and add several cracks of black pepper to enhance the flavor profile of the dish.
- Prepare to broil: Adjust your oven rack to the position underneath the broiler and set the broiler to high. This step is crucial for melting and browning the cheese topping.
- Add cheese and broil: Evenly sprinkle the grated mozzarella cheese over the gnocchi and corn mixture in the skillet. Place the skillet under the broiler and broil for about 4 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted and slightly charred on top for a delicious finish.
- Serve with pesto: Remove the skillet from the oven, top with additional pesto to taste, then divide the cheesy gnocchi among bowls and serve immediately.
Notes
- You can use either shelf-stable or fresh gnocchi; fresh gnocchi will cook in slightly less time.
- If fresh corn is not available, frozen corn can be substituted; thaw before cooking.
- For a spicier kick, add a pinch of red pepper flakes when stirring in the pesto.
- This dish can be made vegetarian by ensuring the pesto does not contain animal rennet cheese or by making a vegan pesto alternative.
- Use a broiler-safe ovenproof skillet for easy transition from stovetop to oven.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated and gently reheated in a skillet or oven to retain crispiness.
Keywords: gnocchi, cheesy gnocchi, corn gnocchi, pesto gnocchi, Italian comfort food, skillet gnocchi, easy dinner, mozzarella gnocchi
