Cauliflower Gnocchi with Simple Homemade Pesto | 30 Minute Dinner Idea
Trader Joes Cauliflower gnocchi with pesto and shrimp is a light and refreshing summer dinner idea ready in under 30 minutes! This healthy shrimp gnocchi pesto recipe is made with only clean ingredients and pairs perfectly with your favorite summer wine. Swap out shrimp for chicken or leave it out completely for a flavorful vegetarian dinner.
I’d been seeing this cauliflower gnocchi from Trader Joes ALL over Instagram. Like, literally, ALL over Instagram.
So naturally, I had to see what all the fuss was about and bought two bags. YALL, this stuff is incredible. Like I want to hide the bag from Michael incredible.
My only words of advice when it comes to the gnocchi is to ignore the instructions on the bag and prepare it the right way.
How to cook trader joes cauliflower the right way:
- Pour the gnocchi into a bowl and microwave for ~30 seconds or until they are no longer stuck together.
- Spray the gnocchi, not the pan, with olive oil or avocado oil spray. Coat evenly.
- Get your sautee pan nice and hot and pour the cauliflower gnocchi into your pan.
- Cook for 2-3 mins on each side until crispy.
If you’re looking to air fry the gnocchi, head to this blog post where I teach you all the tips and tricks for the perfect, crispy air fryer cauliflower gnocchi!
I used my Five Minute Pea Pesto Recipe from last week to make an easy dinner recipe in under 30 minutes because who has more time than 30 minutes for dinner?
Unless we’re whipping up something like honey garlic chicken in the crockpot that is.
Ok, back to the shrimp gnocchi pesto dinner.
So it’s made with… cauliflower? YEP. Cauliflower, cassava flour, potato starch, extra virgin olive oil + sea salt.
The gnocchi can feel a little heavy which is why I chose to pair it with a fresh white wine from Vinho Verde. They’re young wines released 3-6 months after harvest with vibrant, citrus fruit notes. AKA perfect for pairing with a fresh, pea pesto.
I wanted to keep the green theme going so I tossed it with some sauteed spinach and peas. Not to mention spinach and peas are packed with vitamins and nutrients.
I opted for shrimp with this recipe because, as I mentioned before, gnocchi can feel pretty heavy in the stomach and shrimp is loaded with protein without leaving you feeling stuffed.
Ingredients For Shrimp Pesto and Cauliflower Gnocchi Recipe:
- Five Minute Pea Pesto
- Shrimp
- Peas
- Spinach
- Trader Joes Cauliflower Gnocchi
- Parmesan
- Olive Oil
You Will Also Need:
How To Make Shrimp Gnocchi Pesto in 30 Minutes!
- Prepare pea pesto either fresh or ahead of time and keep in your refrigerator or freezer.
- Prepare cauliflower gnocchi as directed below or in the air fryer.
- Pour the gnocchi into a bowl and microwave for ~30 seconds or until they are no longer stuck together.
- Spray the gnocchi, not the pan, with olive oil or avocado oil spray. Coat evenly.
- Get your sautee pan nice and hot and pour the cauliflower gnocchi into your pan.
- Cook for 2-3 mins on each side until crispy.
- In a separate pan, sauté 2 cups of spinach with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Once the spinach is cooked down, add shrimp to your pan and cook until pink.
- Prepare peas in your microwave or on the stovetop. Add them to the spinach mixture once cooked.
- Add 1/3 cup pesto to your gnocchi once it is almost finished cooking. (about 2-3 minutes left)
- Stir in spinach, shrimp and peas with the gnocchi/pesto mixture. Serve and top with parmesan or cheese of choice!
More Pesto Recipes to Try:
I hope you all enjoy this cauliflower gnocchi and shrimp recipe as much as we did.Â
PIN ME FOR LATER!
Cauliflower Gnocchi with Pesto and Shrimp | 30 Minute Dinner Idea
Ingredients
- 1 Bag Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocci
- 1/3 Cup 5 Minute Pea Pesto
- 30 Baby Shrimp
- 2 Cups Spinach
- 1/2 Cup Peas
- Fresh Grated Parmesan Optional for topping
- 1/2 – 1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Instructions
- Prepare pea pesto either fresh or ahead of time and keep in your refrigerator or freezer.
- Prepare cauliflower gnocchi as directed above in the blog post, not the bag. 🙂
- In a separate pan, sauté 2 cups of spinach with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Once spinach is cooked down, add shrimp to your pan and cook until pink.
- Prepare peas in your microwave or on the stovetop. Add them to the spinach mixture once cooked.
- Add 1/3 cup pesto to your gnocchi once it is almost finished cooking. (about 2-3 minutes left)
- Stir in spinach, shrimp and peas with the gnocchi/pesto mixture. Serve and top with parmesan or cheese of choice!
