If you’ve ever wanted to make a dish that genuinely impresses people, the kind where someone takes a bite and then looks at you differently, Parisian gnocchi is that dish. And I say this as someone who wants you to make it tonight, not just save it to a Pinterest board you’ll never open again. These are light, pillowy, golden-edged little puffs made from choux pastry dough rather than potato, which means they’re easier to pull off than they sound, and they have a richness that regular gnocchi just can’t touch. Pair them with a bright, vibrant pea pesto, and you’ve got something that looks like it came out of a bistro kitchen in Paris and actually came out of your kitchen on a weeknight.

Why You’ll Love This Parisian Gnocchi

What makes this recipe work is the contrast. The gnocchi themselves are rich, buttery, and deeply savoury, Dijon mustard, parmesan, fresh herbs all folded in. The pea pesto underneath is bright and green and zippy with lemon, which cuts through all that richness beautifully. It’s the kind of balance that makes a dish feel considered without requiring a culinary degree to achieve it.

The other thing I love about this recipe is that the gnocchi can be par-cooked ahead of time. You boil them, toss them in olive oil, and refrigerate until you’re ready to finish in the pan. That makes this an excellent dinner party recipe, almost all the work is done in advance, and the final step takes about five minutes. Impressive is a good look, especially when it’s mostly hands-off.

Ingredients

Here’s everything you need for both components.

For the Parisian Gnocchi

• 1 cup water
• ½ cup butter
• ½ teaspoon salt, plus more for the cooking water
• 1¼ cups flour
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• ⅓ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
• 3 eggs
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
• Olive oil

For the Pea Pesto

• 1 ½ cups frozen peas
• 1 clove garlic
• ½ cup basil leaves
• ½ up parsley leaves
• ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup walnut pieces
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup olive oil
• Zest of 1 lemon

Tips for the Best Parisian Gnocchi

Cook the Dough Until It’s Smooth and Glossy

The step where you stir the dough over heat is not optional fussiness, it’s the most important part of the whole recipe. You’re cooking off excess moisture, which is what gives the gnocchi their structure. Keep going until the dough pulls cleanly away from the sides and bottom of the pot and looks smooth and shiny. Then cook it for two more minutes. It will feel like overkill. It is not overkill.

Add the Eggs One at a Time

The stand mixer does the work here, but you need to let each egg fully incorporate before adding the next. If you rush and add them all at once, the dough gets slippery and won’t come together properly. Patience on this step pays off in the texture.

Use the Right Piping Tip

A 1A round piping tip gives you clean, consistent gnocchi. If you don’t have one, a freezer bag with a ½-inch hole cut in the corner works just fine. The goal is an opening large enough that the dough comes out in a steady rope that you can cut into 1-inch pieces cleanly.

Let the Batter Rest

Resting the batter for about 20 minutes before piping gives it a chance to relax, which makes it easier to work with and results in gnocchi that hold their shape better when boiled.

Don’t Walk Away From the Pot

Once the gnocchi float to the surface, you’ve got two minutes. Set a timer. Fish them out with a slotted spoon as soon as those two minutes are up and drain them well before they go onto the oiled baking sheet.

Make It Ahead

Par-cooked gnocchi can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated until you’re ready to finish them in the pan. This can be done a day ahead, which makes this recipe ideal for entertaining.

Make the Pesto in Advance Too

The pea pesto keeps well in the fridge for a couple of days. It will lose a little of its bright green colour over time, but the flavour stays great. A squeeze of extra lemon juice when you pull it out will perk it right back up.

How to Make Parisian Gnocchi with Pea Pesto

Step 1: Prep Your Equipment

Fit your stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Brush a large baking sheet generously with olive oil and set it aside.

Step 2: Make the Choux Dough

Add the water, butter, and salt to a medium pot and set it over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring until the butter has fully melted.

Once simmering, add all the flour at once and stir continuously with a wooden spoon. The dough will start to come together and pull away from the sides and bottom of the pot. Keep stirring until it looks smooth and glossy, then keep going for two more minutes. Yes, really.

Step 3: Add the Cheese, Mustard, and Eggs

Transfer the hot dough to the bowl of your stand mixer. Add the Dijon mustard and parmesan. Beat on medium-low.

Add the eggs one at a time, letting each one fully incorporate before adding the next. Once all three eggs are in and the dough looks smooth and well-combined, add the chopped chives and parsley and mix to combine.

Step 4: Rest the Batter

Transfer the gnocchi batter to a piping bag fitted with a 1A tip (or a freezer bag with a ½-inch opening cut). Let the batter rest at room temperature for about 20 minutes.

Step 5: Boil the Gnocchi

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt it generously.

Hold the piping bag over the boiling water and squeeze out the dough in 1-inch lengths, cutting them off with a sharp paring knife. Work quickly, you want to cut off as many as possible in about a minute. Cook them until they float to the surface, then cook for two more minutes. Use a slotted spoon to fish them out, let them drain, and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with a little olive oil. Continue with the remaining batter.

At this point, you can cover the gnocchi with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to finish.

Step 6: Make the Pea Pesto

Add the peas to a pot of boiling water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes until bright green. Drain and allow to cool. 

Add the peas, garlic, basil, parsley, parmesan, walnuts, olive oil, lemon zest and salt into a small food processor. Puree until everything is well combined, scraping down the sides as necessary.

Step 7: Pan-Fry the Gnocchi

Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Add about one third of the gnocchi at a time and toss to warm through. If you want a crispier exterior, and you want a crispier exterior, leave them alone for a minute or two before tossing. Cook the remaining gnocchi in batches.

Step 8: Plate and Serve

Spoon the pea pesto onto your plates and serve the gnocchi right on top.

Looking for more recipes like this? Try these:

• Chorizo Skillet Gnocchi, another great use for gnocchi, this time with bold, smoky flavour
• Gnocchi Antipasti Salad, a lighter, summery take on gnocchi
• Herb and Ginger Green Sauce, if you love a herby green sauce situation as much as I do
• Creamy Polenta with Mushrooms, same cozy, starchy comfort food energy
• Pasta Carbonara, another dish that sounds fancier than it is

External References

• What Is Choux Pastry? (Kitchenaid), a great breakdown of the science behind the dough if you want to understand what you’re doing and why
• The Food Lab’s Guide to Emulsions (Kitchen Hub Live), helpful if you want to understand how fat and liquid come together in cooking

Frequently Asked Questions

Parisian Gnocchi with Pea Pesto Recipe

Parisian Gnocchi with Pea Pesto

Print Recipe

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• Author: Andrea Buckett

Ingredients

• 1 cup of water

• 1/2 cup butter

• 1/2 teaspoon salt + more for the cooking water

• 1 1/4 cups flour

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• 1/3 cup finely grated, parmesan cheese

• 3 eggs

• 1 tablespoon, finely chopped chives

• 1 tablespoon, finely chopped parsley

• Olive oil

Pea Pesto

• 1 1/2 cups frozen peas

• 1 clove garlic

• 1/2 cup basil leaves

• 1/2 up parsley leaves

• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

• 1/4 cup walnut pieces

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• Zest of 1 lemon

Instructions

Fit a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and brush a large baking sheet with olive oil

1. Add the water, butter and salt to a medium pot. Set over medium heat. Bring the water to a simmer. Once the butter has melted, add the flour all at once. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon until the dough begins to pull away from the sides and bottom of the pot. Continue to cook and stir until the tacky dough becomes smooth and glossy. Once the dough looks like this, continue to cook, constantly stirring for another 2 minutes.

2. Transfer the hot dough to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the mustard and cheese. Beat on medium low. Begin to add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until the first egg is fully incorporated into the dough before adding the second. Once the second egg is fully incorporated, add the third egg and mix to combine. Once the final egg has been incorporated, add the herbs and mix to combine. 

3. Transfer the gnocchi batter to a piping bag fitted with a 1A piping tip. Alternatively, use a freezer bag and cut a ½-inch opening. Let the mixture rest at room temperature for about 20 minutes. 

4. In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water generously.

5. Hold the bag over the boiling water and squeeze out the dough into about 1-inch lengths, cutting them off with a sharp paring knife. Cut off as many as possible in about a minute. Cook the gnocchi until they float to the surface. Once they float to the surface, cook them for two minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the gnocchi, allowing it to drain, then placing it on the prepared baking sheet. Continue cooking the remainder of the gnocchi batter in this way. Drizzle with a little more olive oil. At this point the gnocchi can be covered with plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator until ready to continue cooking.

6. To finish cooking. Heat a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add some olive oil

7. Add about one third of the gnocchi and toss in the oil to warm through. Feel free to cook it longer to get a crispier exterior. 

 

Serve the gnocchi over a bed of pea pesto (recipe below) 

 

1. Add the peas to a pot of boiling water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes until bright green. Drain and allow to cool. 

2. Add the peas, garlic, basil, parsley, parmesan, walnuts, olive oil, lemon zest and salt into a small food processor. Puree until everything is well combined, scraping down the sides as necessary.