Gnocchi tossed in a bright, peppery arugula pesto, finished with creamy burrata and crisp pancetta. This quick and easy dish is packed with flavour and comes together in under 30 minutes—perfect for busy weeknights when you want something satisfying without much fuss.
A simple arugula pesto makes an excellent sauce for gnocchi. Emulsified with a little starchy cooking water, it becomes glossy and silky, coating each dumpling with a lovely peppery flavour. The combination of bitter arugula, salty pancetta and creamy burrata creates a balanced, delicious plate.
If you prefer, swap the gnocchi for a short pasta like rigatoni or penne—either works beautifully with this pesto.
Ingredients
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Walnuts – substitute pine nuts, pistachios or almonds if preferred.
- Gnocchi – store-bought gnocchi saves time, or use homemade if you have it. Short pasta shapes like rigatoni or penne are good alternatives.
- Pancetta – guanciale or good-quality bacon will also work well.
Visual walk-through of the recipe
Step-by-step photos are shown below. The full written recipe is in the recipe card further down.
Make the pesto – blend the ingredients in a food processor until smooth (see photos).
Make the pancetta crispy – fry until golden and crisp, then drain and set aside.
Assemble – cook the gnocchi until they float, transfer them to a bowl with the pesto and add some reserved cooking water to emulsify the sauce.
Serve –portion into bowls and top with spoonfuls of burrata and the crispy pancetta.
More gnocchi recipes to try
Gnocchi
Gnocchi alla Sorrentina
Gnocchi
Gnocchi Carbonara
Gnocchi
Spicy Sausage Baked Gnocchi
Gnocchi
Easy Pesto Gnocchi
If you try this Arugula Pesto Gnocchi with Burrata and Pancetta, please rate the recipe and leave a comment to share how it turned out—I love hearing from readers.
Step By Step Photos Above
Most of our recipes include step-by-step photos, tips for success and sometimes video.
Arugula Pesto Gnocchi with Crispy Pancetta and Burrata
By Emily
Ingredients
Arugula pesto
- 3 cups (45g) arugula (rocket)
- 1/2 cup (50g) walnuts
- 1/3 cup (65ml) olive oil
- 1 garlic clove
- 50 g Parmigiano Reggiano
Optional pesto ingredient
- Fresh lemon juice — add to taste if the pesto is too bitter
Everything else
- 1.1 lbs (500g) gnocchi (store-bought or homemade)
- 3.5 oz (100g) pancetta, cut into cubes
- 1 ball burrata
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and salt it well.
- While waiting for the water, place arugula, walnuts, garlic, cheese and olive oil in a food processor and blend to a smooth paste. Add a little more oil if needed, then transfer the pesto to a large bowl and set aside.
- Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until golden and crisp. Remove and drain on paper towel.
Assemble
- Cook the gnocchi in the boiling water. When they float, scoop them out and add directly to the bowl with the pesto.
- Add about 1/4 cup (60ml) of reserved gnocchi water to the bowl and stir to emulsify the pesto into a silky sauce that coats the gnocchi. Add more cooking water if needed to reach the desired consistency.
- Serve immediately in bowls, topping each portion with a few spoonfuls of burrata and the crispy pancetta.
- Tip: if the pesto tastes too bitter or peppery, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to balance it.
Notes
Storage – the gnocchi are best served fresh; leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- Extra virgin olive oil is used throughout unless noted otherwise.
- All vegetables are medium-sized unless stated.
- Recipes are developed and tested using a fan (convection) oven when baking is required.
- Nutrition is calculated automatically and should be taken as an approximation.
Nutrition
| Carbohydrates: 47g
| Protein: 10g
| Fat: 44g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.