Air fryer gnocchi with tender zucchini in a quick and easy red pepper pesto sauce is a flavor-packed, 20-minute meal.
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Don't you just love crispy, pillowy gnocchi? Well, it turns out that gnocchi cooks up like a dream in the air fryer! You can serve air fryer gnocchi on its own as an appetizer or side dish, but here, we're adding veggies and tossing it with an easy red pepper pesto for a veggie-packed dinner that your family is going to love!
While the gnocchi, zucchini, and onion cook up in the air fryer, you make the super quick red pepper pesto sauce in the blender. When the gnocchi finishes cooking, toss it all together and serve hot.
You can add other veggies to this recipe, if you like, like cauliflower, mushrooms, or mix in some thawed, frozen spinach just before serving.
✓ Ingredients and Substitutions
- gnocchi - You can use shelf stable, homemade, or refrigerator gnocchi, and alternative gnocchi is also fine, such as cauliflower or sweet potato. Just keep an eye, because cooking time might vary a little bit.
- veggies - I'm cooking the gnocchi with onion and zucchini, but you can use other veggies, like cauliflower or mushrooms. I would roast or steam other veggies separately, since their cooking times can vary. Zucchini and onion cook about the same as gnocchi. You can also stir in thawed, frozen veggies, like spinach, broccoli, or cauliflower, just before serving.
- vegan parmesan - You can use vegan parmesan shreds or the granulated, shakey kind of vegan parm.
The ingredients below are for the red pepper pesto sauce. If you don't want to use the red pepper pesto, other pesto recipes will also work well, like arugula pesto or oil-free avocado pesto. Or, you can use my vegan rose sauce or even heat up a jar of your favorite pasta sauce and use that. This recipe is flexible!
- roasted red peppers - You can use jarred or an equivalent amount of homemade. I'm using jarred for ease.
- nuts or seeds - For the pesto, you need some nuts or seeds, like cashews, walnuts, almonds, pine nuts, or pumpkin seeds. Use what you have!
- red wine vinegar - Adds tang. You can use lemon juice or balsamic vinegar, if you prefer.
- nutritional yeast - Makes the pesto thick and creamy! You can omit for a less thick result.
🔪 How to Make Air Fryer Gnocchi
Add all of the gnocchi ingredients to a large mixing bowl and toss well to coat. If you are using spray oil, toss everything together, then spray with oil, and toss again.
Transfer to your air fryer basket, and cook at 400° F for 15 to 20 minutes, shaking the basket well every 5 minutes. Cook until the gnocchi and veggies are crisped up to preference.
Meanwhile, make the pesto. Combine all of the sauce ingredients in your food processor and run it until you have an even mixture. You can go for a chunkier pesto, like I did, or keep running until it's smooth and creamy. If you want this pesto to be totally smooth, make it in your blender instead of the food processor. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and more red wine vinegar, if needed.
When the gnocchi and veggies are ready, transfer them back to the mixing bowl, toss with the pesto, and serve immediately with a sprinkle of vegan parmesan. You can also sprinkle on some more crushed red pepper, if you want a little bit more heat.
💡 Helpful Tips
- The gnocchi is ready when it's a little bit golden on the outside, but don't wait for it to get browned, or it will be too crunchy.
- Different air fryers can vary in cooking time, so keep an eye on your food! If you are using a smaller air fryer, like ~3 quarts, you might need to cook the gnocchi and veggies separately. For larger air fryers, like the ones built into some ovens, you will need to cook longer.
- Get the gnocchi and veggies into the air fryer first, then make the pesto. That's your quickest route to dinner!
- Shaking the basket a few times during cooking will allow everything in the air fryer to crisp up evenly.
🫙 Storage Directions
Leftovers will keep for three to five days in the refrigerator. Warm in the microwave or on the stovetop. You may need to add a splash of water, if the sauce dries out while heating on the stovetop.
💬 Frequently Asked Questions
Shelf-stable, refrigerated, or homemade gnocchi will work in this recipe.
You can! As long as you use gluten-free gnocchi, your air fryer gnocchi is gluten-free.
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Gnocchi
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Air Fryer Gnocchi and Vegetables
- 8 ounces gnocchi shelf stable, homemade, or refrigerator
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 small zucchini sliced into half moons, about ¼" thick
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or use spray oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 3 tablespoons vegan parmesan shreds or shaky parmesan is fine
For the Pesto
- 6 ounce jar roasted red peppers drained
- ½ cup packed fresh basil leaves and stems
- ¼ cup cashews walnuts, almonds, or pine nuts Use pumpkin seeds for nut-free.
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 to 2 cloves garlic depending on size
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar or more, to taste
- 1 ½ teaspoons nutritional yeast optional
Instructions
Make the air fryer gnocchi.
- Add all of the gnocchi ingredients to a large mixing bowl and toss well to coat. If you are using spray oil, toss everything together, then spray with oil, and toss again.
- Transfer to your air fryer basket, and cook at 400° F for 15 to 20 minutes, shaking the basket well every 5 minutes. Cook until the gnocchi and veggies are crisped up to preference. The total cooking time will depend on the gnocchi you're using and your air fryer. You may need a little more or less time, depending on conditions in your kitchen. The gnocchi is ready when it's a little bit golden on the outside, but don't wait for it to get browned, or it will be too crunchy.
Meanwhile, make the red pepper pesto.
- Combine all of the sauce ingredients in your food processor and run it until you have an even mixture. You can go for a chunkier pesto, like I did, or keep running until it's smooth and creamy. If you want this pesto to be totally smooth, make it in your blender instead of the food processor. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and more red wine vinegar, if needed.
- When the gnocchi and veggies are ready, transfer them back to the mixing bowl, toss with the pesto, and serve immediately with a sprinkle of vegan parmesan. You can also sprinkle on some more crushed red pepper, if you want a little bit more heat.
Got a question? Tried this recipe? Leave a reply!