Arugula Pesto Gnocchi with Burrata and Pancetta
Updated Apr 01, 2025, Published Mar 25, 2025
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Gnocchi served with a super simple and delicious peppery arugula pesto sauce, creamy burrata cheese and crispy pancetta. This recipe is not only quick and easy but is full of incredible flavour. Perfect for those nights when you don’t have a lot of time to get dinner on the table!
I love a quick and easy pasta or gnocchi recipe for busy weeknights but I also want them to taste utterly delicious and this recipe definitely ticks all the boxes.
Arugula pesto is so delicious as a sauce for gnocchi, just emulsify it with some starchy pasta water and it’ll help create the most luscious, glossy and delicious texture.
The whole dish has the perfect mix of bitter, salty, cheesy and fresh flavours, and it couldn’t be more delicious.
If gnocchi are not your favourite you could use a short pasta shape instead, such as rigatoni or penne, enjoy!
Ingredients
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Pin ItIngredient notes and substitutions
- Walnuts – most nuts will work well if you don’t have walnuts such as pine nuts, pistachios and almonds.
- Gnocchi – use store-bought gnocchi for ease or have a go at making our homemade gnocchi. Alternatively, you can use a short pasta shape instead.
- Pancetta – you can use pancetta, guanciale or good-quality bacon.
Visual walk-through of the recipe
See our step-by-step photos below to give you a visual representation of the recipe. The full written recipe with our top tips can be found in the recipe card below.
Make the pesto – blitz everything in a food processor to a smooth paste (photos 1 and 2).
Get the pancetta crispy – fry the pancetta in a pan until golden and crispy then set it aside.
Assemble – boil the gnocchi and add it to a bowl with the pesto. Use gnocchi water to emulsify the pesto into a saucy consistency (photos 3 and 4).
Serve – serve the gnocchi in bowls topped with a little burrata and crispy pancetta.
More gnocchi recipes to try
Gnocchi
Gnocchi alla Sorrentina
Gnocchi
Gnocchi Carbonara
Gnocchi
Spicy Sausage Baked Gnocchi
Gnocchi
Easy Pesto Gnocchi
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Step By Step Photos Above
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Arugula Pesto Gnocchi with Crispy Pancetta and Burrata
Ingredients
Arugula pesto
- 3 cups (45g) arugula (rocket)
- 1/2 cup (50g) walnuts
- 1/3 cup (65ml) olive oil
- 1 garlic clove
- 50 g (scant cup) parmigiano reggiano
Optional pesto ingredient
- Fresh lemon juice, add this to taste if the pesto is bitter
Everything else
- 1.1 lbs (500g) gnocchi , (store-bought or homemade gnocchi)
- 3.5 oz (100g) pancetta, cut into cubes
- 1 ball burrata
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it well.
- Meanwhile, put all ingredients in a food processor and blitz to a smooth paste. Add more olive oil as needed then transfer the pesto to a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- Heat a pan on a medium heat. Once hot, add the pancetta and fry until golden and crispy. Remove and set aside.
Assemble
- When everything is prepped, add the gnocchi to the boiling water. When the gnocchi float on the surface transfer them to the bowl with the pesto.
- Add ¼ cup (60ml) of gnocchi water to the bowl and stir the pesto and gnocchi together until fully coated. You can add more water if the sauce is too thick.
- Serve the gnocchi in bowls and top with a few spoonfuls of burrata and crispy pancetta.
- Tip: if the pesto is on the bitter side or too peppery add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Notes
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- I always use extra virgin olive oil in all of my recipes unless stated otherwise
- When I use canned or jarred tomatoes of any kind I always use Cirio or Mutti brands for the best results and flavour.
- All vegetables are medium sized unless stated otherwise
- All recipes are tested and developed using a fan (convection) oven
- Find out more about how nutrition is calculated.
- Check out our must have Italian Pantry Staples.
- You can also find all our Essential Kitchen Tools for Italian Cooking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Looks amazing, guys! You know I’ve never made arugula pesto? I love the idea, now I’ve got to try this. Love the idea of balancing the assertive taste of the arugula with something mild and creamy like burrata.
Thanks so much Frank! The burrata works really well, I hope you enjoy it!