Gnocchi with Pesto Cream Sauce & Asparagus

This spring Gnocchi with Pesto Cream Sauce & Asparagus is the perfect way to enjoy your favorite springtime flavors! Made with smoky pancetta, bright asparagus, plump gnocchi, and a creamy arugula pistachio pesto, this luxurious dish will be sure to impress your dinner guests!

Author: Cooking with Conks

Meal Type: Peanuts Free

Cuisine: Italian

Difficulty: EASY

Prep. Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 4 Servings

Calories: 775 kcal per serving

Ingredients

2 cups - basil
2 cups - arugula
⅓ cup - pistachios dry roasted & salted
½ cup - parmesan
1 tbsp - lemon juice
¼ tsp - sea salt
Couple turns black pepper
¼ cup - olive oil
1 lb - gnocchi
4 ounces - pancetta
1 - shallot
12 ounces - asparagus
1 cup - heavy cream

Instructions

Cook the gnocchi according to package directions. Al dente is best for this since you’ll be adding the gnocchi to the pan later.
Add the pesto ingredients, except the olive oil, to a large food processor. Blitz everything together until it forms a paste.
While the food processor is running, slowly stream in the olive oil until it’s fully incorporated and the pesto looks wet and slightly thick. This recipe makes about a cup of pesto.
Add the pancetta to a large pan over medium heat. Sauté until the fat has rendered and the pancetta is fully cooked through.
Add the shallot and cook until slightly soft, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the asparagus and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes, or until slightly soft but not mushy.
Add the pesto to the pan and let it heat up and mix with the other ingredients.
Mix in the cream and add the cooked gnocchi. Toss the gnocchi with the sauce until everything is fully coated. Taste the gnocchi and sauce for seasoning.
Garnish the gnocchi with more parmesan and crushed pistachios, if desired.
*We like this dish saucy but you could make it with up to 2 pounds of gnocchi if you want to stretch it farther.

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