Healthy Pesto Gnocchi with Meatballs
If you’re craving something cozy, saucy, and vibrant—but still packed with protein and fiber—this Healthy Pesto Gnocchi and Meatballs will be your new go-to. It’s loaded with tender chicken or turkey meatballs, protein-rich cottage cheese, hearty beans, and satisfying cauliflower gnocchi, all tossed in a creamy (yet cream-free) pesto sauce. It’s exactly the kind of dinner that feels indulgent but secretly is gut healthy.
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 1 lb ground chicken or turkey
- ¼ cup grated parmesan
- ⅓ cup basil pesto
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
For the Sauce
- ⅔ cup cottage cheese
- ⅓ cup milk or more, see Note 1
- ¾ cup basil pesto
Everything Else
- 2 tablespoon olive oil divided
- 3 zucchini
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 (12) oz bag Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi
- (1) 15 oz can butter beans drained and rinsed
- 4 oz stracciatella or burrata filling optional, for garnish
- ¼ cup basil pesto optional, for garnish
- Fresh basil leaves optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Make the meatballs: In a medium bowl, combine the ground chicken or turkey, parmesan, pesto, and kosher salt. Mix well. Roll into 1–2 tablespoon-sized meatballs (you should have about 25–30 total).
- Prep the zucchini: Slice the zucchini lengthwise, then into ½-inch thick half-moons.
- Cook the meatballs and zucchini: Heat a large skillet over medium heat with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the meatballs and let them brown undisturbed for about 3 minutes. Flip them, then push them to one side of the pan. Add the zucchini and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the empty side. Season with salt. Cook for 1–2 minutes, then stir everything together. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for another 5–6 minutes, until the meatballs are browned and the zucchini is tender.
- Blend the sauce: In a blender, food processor, or jar that fits an immersion blender, combine the cottage cheese, milk, and pesto. Blend until smooth. Add more milk if needed to thin to your desired consistency. Set aside.
- Add the gnocchi and beans: To the pan with the meatballs and zucchini, add the frozen cauliflower gnocchi and the butter beans. Stir to combine. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure any frozen gnocchi pieces make their way down to the pan, until the gnocchi begin to soften and the beans are warmed.
- Stir in the sauce: Pour the blended pesto sauce into the pan and stir until everything is evenly coated. Continue cooking for another few minutes, until the sauce is warmed through and the gnocchi are fully cooked.
- Garnish and serve: Remove from heat. If using, dollop spoonfuls of stracciatella over the top in various spots, then spoon extra pesto next to the stracciatella. Scatter fresh basil leaves to finish. Serve warm.
Video
Notes
Note 1: Each cottage cheese brand has a different consistency. Depending on the cottage cheese you use, you may want more milk to thin the sauce more. Blend first and then decide for yourself! Add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time, stirring in between, until you reach the desired consistency.