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Artichoke-Lemon Pesto on Gnocchi and Shrimp

If it looks like there's a lot of pesto caked onto those gnocchi, that's because there is.

I ended up with a spare jar of artichoke hearts recently, and Pinterest pointed me to this pesto recipe as a solution. If we didn't love spinach-avocado pesto quite so much, I'd say this recipe would become a new favorite. But when life hands you lemons and artichoke, this is a delicious way to use them.

The lemon I got was gigantic. In fact, I almost broke into it a few times over the course of the week, thinking it was a navel orange. Somehow it didn't occur to me that maybe I should only put half of it in this pesto; I was just excited about how much juice was coming out of this thing. As a result, our dinner was VERY lemony. I'd fix that next time.

As a side note to this recipe, this is my favorite way of preparing shrimp. I got it from Ina Garten and I rarely do it any other way - it's easy and delicious. Olive oil, salt, pepper, bake at 400 for 10 minutes. Perfection.


The Recipe: 
8 oz artichoke hearts, drained (I used marinated, but there was LOTS of flavor - plain would have been fine)
3 cloves garlic
1 small lemon, zested and juiced
1/2 c parsley
1/2 c olive oil
1/2 c walnut pieces
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 lb shrimp
2 17-oz packages gnocchi

  • Pulse all ingredients besides shrimp and gnocchi in food processor until desired consistency.
  • Cook gnocchi according to package instructions.
  • Place shrimp in single layer on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.
  • Toss pesto, gnocchi, and shrimp together and serve.

The Verdict:
Overall grade: B+
Overall reason: I like other pestos better, but this is a delicious change of pace.
Time to prepare: 30 minutes
Husband quote: (Me, slowing down): "I forgot how heavy gnocchi i--" (Jess, immediately): "I'll help you finish it!"


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