Equipment
Ingredients
Broccoli Pesto
- 200 g broccoli florets, cut into small, even pieces
- 30 g fresh basil, leaves picked and washed
- 1 garlic, peeled
- 40 g pine nuts, lightly toasted
- 50 g vegetarian hard cheese, finely grated
- 80 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 g fine sea salt
Griddled Vegetables
- 200 g zucchini, sliced into 1cm thick rounds
- 150 g red bell pepper, seeded and cut into thick strips
- 100 g asparagus, woody ends trimmed
- 15 ml olive oil
Gnocchi Base
- 500 g potato gnocchi
- 20 g unsalted butter
- 15 ml olive oil
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 615 kcal
- Protein
- 16 g
- Carbohydrates
- 57 g
- Fat
- 43 g
- Fiber
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 7 g
- Sodium
- 1010 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 9 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 24 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Cholesterol
- 19 mg
- Potassium
- 760 mg
- Calcium
- 243 mg
- Iron
- 3.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 64 mg
- Phosphorus
- 227 mg
- Zinc
- 1.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 318 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 108 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 6.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 119 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.16 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.25 mg
- Niacin
- 1.7 mg
- Folate
- 84 mcg
- Water
- 166 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil at 100°C/212°F. Add the broccoli florets and blanch for 3 minutes until bright green and tender-crisp. Transfer immediately using a slotted spoon to a mixing bowl filled with ice water to halt the cooking process, then drain thoroughly.
In a food processor, combine the well-drained blanched broccoli, fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, vegetarian hard cheese, lemon juice, and fine sea salt. Pulse to chop, then stream in 80ml of extra virgin olive oil while the motor runs until a smooth but textured pesto forms.
Preheat a griddle pan to medium-high heat, approximately 200°C/390°F. Toss the sliced zucchini, red bell pepper, and asparagus with 15ml of olive oil. Grill the vegetables for 5 to 7 minutes, turning occasionally, until they develop deep char marks and become tender.
In a large frying pan, heat the butter and the remaining 15ml of olive oil over medium-high heat around 180°C/350°F. Add the potato gnocchi directly to the pan in a single, even layer. Fry undisturbed for 3 minutes until the bottoms are golden, then toss and fry for another 2 to 3 minutes.
Remove the gnocchi pan from the heat. Spoon the fresh broccoli pesto into the hot pan, tossing gently to coat the gnocchi evenly. The residual pan heat will warm the pesto without cooking it further or muting its vibrant color.
Divide the elegantly coated pesto gnocchi among serving bowls. Arrange the hot griddled vegetables attractively over the top of each portion. Serve immediately while hot.
Chef's Notes
- Pan-frying fresh or vacuum-packed potato gnocchi directly in butter and oil, rather than boiling them first, guarantees a deeply satisfying crispy exterior and prevents waterlogged, dense dumplings.
- When blanching the broccoli, salt the water generously like the sea. This seasons the vegetable from the inside out and drastically enhances the foundational flavor of the final pesto.
- For a more economical variation, swap the traditional pine nuts for lightly toasted walnuts or slivered almonds, which pair beautifully with the robust, earthy flavor of the broccoli.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store the pesto and gnocchi in separate airtight containers to maintain the crisp texture of the gnocchi.
Freezer: 1 month — The broccoli pesto freezes exceptionally well. Do not freeze the assembled dish or cooked gnocchi.
Reheating: Gently pan-fry the assembled dish over medium heat with a splash of water to restore moisture, or microwave in 30-second intervals.
Troubleshooting
Gnocchi are gummy on the inside and overly burnt on the outside
Cause: The pan was too hot or the gnocchi were overcrowded, trapping steam
Fix: Lower the heat, add a tiny splash of water to the pan, and cover immediately to briefly steam and cook the interior
Prevention: Cook the gnocchi in batches if necessary and ensure the heat remains at a steady medium-high without the oil smoking
Broccoli pesto is excessively thick, dry, or difficult to blend
Cause: The broccoli was squeezed too dry or absorbed the oil without fully breaking down
Fix: Blend in warm water one tablespoon at a time, or drizzle in extra olive oil, until the desired creamy consistency is reached
Prevention: Leave a small amount of residual moisture on the blanched broccoli florets after draining
Cultural Context
Gnocchi has deep historical roots in Northern Italy, where these comforting potato dumplings are traditionally served with rich, butter-based sauces or hearty meat ragus. This contemporary preparation honors those foundational textures while introducing a vibrant, nutrient-dense twist by substituting a classic basil pesto with a modern, zero-waste broccoli variation.
