This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
Can we make this a weekly dinner??
Because it has all the things I LOVE.
Hello to carbs, cheese, summer vegetables and maybe most importantly, the poached egg. Yes, yes, YES. Poached eggs for the win cause that’s how I like to do Wednesday.
For real though, doesn’t this Simple Summer Tomato Pesto + Grilled Corn Gnocchi (whew!) look like a plate from heaven?? I’m currently in go, go, GO mode right now, as I’m working on a few behind the scenes projects (being semi-documented on snapchat!), not to mention that whole cookbook situation. It’s kind of busy over here, and I love it, but it has left me craving all the things I am most obsessed with. Basically, I want nothing to do with anything that’s even close to sub-par, and everything to do with rewarding myself with all my favorites. Carbs in the form of toast, pasta and gnocchi, cheese and veggies of all kinds, followed up with all my beloved summer fruits.
Oh right, and eggs. All the eggs please too!
So here’s the thing, I have this weird relationship with gnocchi. I go through phases of loving it, and then all the sudden I forget all about it for months on end. It’s such a bummer because gnocchi is a great, fast and easy meal that isn’t really pasta, but can kind of be eaten like one… which I love!
I was cleaning out my pantry the other day because I have some upcoming photo shoots here at the barn (I need to organize SO bad). I came across a box of my favorite DeLallo potato gnocchi. I literally thought, “wow, that sounds so good”. For about a milla second I wasn’t sure just how I wanted to prepare it, but then I glazed over my shoulder and saw the bucket of cherry tomatoes and my question was answered.
A simple summer tomato pesto and grilled sweet corn gnocchi. I mean, could it really get any better? Currently, I’m thinking NOPE.
And then, I did what I guess I do best these days, and I procrastinated…majorly. Instead of cleaning or checking off one of the millions of tasks on my days “to-do” list, I decided it was a good idea to make gnocchi. I did the same thing yesterday, but with pizza and burrata. You now know my favored way to procrastinate and deal with stress. Can’t say it’s all bad.
So I roasted some tomatoes, made a pesto like sauce out of them, grilled some corn, made some cute zucchini ribbons and tossed it all together. I decided the gnocchi needed cheese, so I added a whole bunch of feta. Then I looked at it some more, and yup… I added the poached egg.
YUM.
Procrastination = meal PERFECTION.
So, who’s ready to kick Wednesday in the butt?? Cool, me too!
Summer Tomato Pesto + Grilled Corn Gnocchi.
Ingredients
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes
- 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- kosher salt + pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
- 2/3 cup toasted walnuts
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- 16 ounces potato gnocchi, I like to use DeLallo Brand
- 1 zucchini or yellow summer squash, peeled into ribbons
- 2 ears grilled corn, kernels removed from the cob
- 1 cup fresh basil, roughly torn
- 6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
- 2-3 poached eggs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Add the cherry tomatoes, 2 tablespoons olive oil, the garlic and a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper to a baking dish. Toss well, making sure the tomatoes are coated in olive oil. Roast for 10-15 minutes or until the tomatoes collapse. Remove, and allow the tomatoes to cool slightly.
- Add half of the tomatoes (reserving the remaining tomatoes for tossing with the gnocchi) and both cloves of garlic to a food processor along with the remaining 1/3 cup olive oil and the toasted walnuts. Pulse until mostly smooth. Add the lemon zest, crushed red pepper and parmesan, pulse to combine. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the gnocchi according to package directions. Before you drain the gnocchi scoop out about 1/2 cup pasta water, drain the gnocchi well, and then add it back to the hot pot. To the gnocchi, add the zucchini and give it a good toss. Next add about half of the tomato pesto and toss, adding more pesto if desired (you may not use all of the pesto). Stir in the reserved roasted tomatoes, grilled corn and basil. If needed, thin the gnocchi sauce with the reserved pasta water.
- Divide the hot gnocchi among plates and top with feta cheese and a poached egg. Sprinkle the egg with salt + pepper. EAT!
- PS. I like to break the egg and then toss it with the gnocchi, it creates a carbonara like gnocchi!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
As long as the day ends with summertime gnocchi. Obviously.
This sounds delicious! Anything (non-nut) you’d recommend in place of the toasted walnuts?
Hey Sam,
I would just omit the walnuts, no big deal! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This was SOOO good! Perfect for a a hot summer day!
Thank you so much Catie! xTieghan
So so so good! We added onions, mushrooms and spinach. Will definitely be making again
That is so great to hear! Thank you Hannah! xTieghan
Another winner! The flavors go beautifully well together, and the varying textures of the corn, gnocchi, tomatoes, and a little crunch from the walnuts is awesome…and I don’t even normally like walnuts!
I am really glad you liked this one!! Thank you so much, Jen! xTieghan
Do you think this dish would serve well if I swapped poached eggs or burrata. Trying to still keep it creamy!
Hi Erika,
I would just use some fresh mozzarella for the burrata. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This.was.so.good. I modified just slightly… swapped mozzarella for the feta, grilled the zucchini (and used two large) and added roasted eggplant because I had it. This was SO good. Like summer on a plate. I served it as a casual dinner party and everyone was raving. Most went back for third helpings. I especially liked the ratio of vegetables to pasta.
That is SO amazing Molly! Thank you for trying this out with your guests, I am so glad you all loved it! xTieghan
Delicious! I didn’t want to turn the oven on, so we grilled the cherry tomatoes in a foil-lined basket when we grilled the corn. Worked out great!
Thank you Allie!
This is SO SO delicious! It is a new summer staple for me!!
I am so glad you love this! Thank you!!
This is a great recipe! I have made it a few times. I really like gnocchi with little pieces of sausage so I added chorizo and skipped the poached egg (mostly because I haven’t perfected poaches eggs) and it was so good!
Sounds great! Thank you Natalie!
Incredibly individual friendly site. Astounding information available on couple of clicks
So happy you love it, thank you!!
LET ME JUST TELL ALL OF YOU! This dish is AMAZING!! My hubby made it for me at my request for a date night dinner right after Tieghan posted the recipe, and we devoured our bowls. We had some left and fought over it for lunch the following day (and I am not particularly a “left-over lover”). Our 10 year old wanted a bite, and she took it away from me! She then proceeded to beg her Daddy to make it again – for her birthday, two weeks ago! He did and we were all so happy to have it again! This is truly one of the best dishes I have ever had. My girls both say it is their favorite meal and want it on their birthdays every year (and any other time we can convince Daddy to make it). GO make it- you’ll will be so happy you did!
Thank you soo much Leah! It makes me so happy you and your family is loving this recipe so much! Hope you continue to enjoy, thanks again! ?
Tips on poaching eggs? I’ve never gotten it to work..
Hey Daniele! I use this method and think it works great! Let me know if you have questions. Thanks!
http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-poach-an-egg-easily-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-205661
Just made this and had to come and tell you how wonderfully delicious this is! Another winner. thank you!! Left out the cheese and egg and didn’t feel like it was missing anything.
Ah! Thank you!! So happy you liked it!
You had me at poached egg!
This was really good, one of the better things I’ve made recently. The poached egg was a nice touch, and I’m stoked about the leftover tomato pesto to eat later.
YES! I am so happy this went well for you, Jeff! (: