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Genoese Pesto Making & Gnocchi Lunch

Make your own pesto, then sit down to a proper Ligurian gnocchi lunch

Quick facts:

From 75€ per person
About 2 hours
Small group
In English
Monterosso old town

What is it about?

Make your own Genoese pesto, then do the most Ligurian thing of all: sit down and eat it. This experience pairs a hands-on pesto session with a relaxed gnocchi lunch, so you do not just learn the recipe, you enjoy it the way it is meant to be enjoyed, at the table, with no rush.

Step into a real Ligurian kitchen and, guided step by step, discover how to choose and work the finest ingredients, fragrant fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic, Parmigiano and good extra-virgin olive oil, using the traditional marble mortar. It is not just a recipe, it is an old, simple, honest gesture that tells the story of this territory.

When your pesto is ready comes the moment everyone waits for: you sit down at the table and enjoy it the way tradition intends, over a plate of gnocchi dressed with the very sauce you made with your own hands.

It all unfolds in a convivial atmosphere, among smiles, conversation and good food, just like at home. A real experience to live and savour to the last bite, so you take home not only a flavour, but a memory.

You leave with a technique you can easily repeat, and the kind of long, unhurried Ligurian lunch that stays with you long after your trip.

Why choose this experience

Make Genoese pesto by hand with a traditional marble mortar and pestle
Then sit down to a proper gnocchi lunch dressed with your own pesto
Fresh, local ingredients selected for an authentic result
A real moment of Ligurian home cooking, not a demonstration
Small groups, convivial and relaxed, just like at home
A technique you can easily recreate at home

What's included

All ingredients and equipment
Guided pesto making with a marble mortar and pestle
A sit-down gnocchi lunch dressed with the pesto you made
A selection of local products
A glass of Ligurian wine

Practical information

Duration: approximately 2 hours
Language: English
Group size: small group
Location: 5TerrEx Experience Hub, Via XX Settembre 27, Monterosso al Mare
No previous cooking experience required

Ideal for food lovers, couples and families who want a hands-on pesto session followed by a proper Ligurian meal, whether staying in the Cinque Terre or visiting for the day from nearby towns between Genoa and Pisa

Combine your experience

Combine your experience Prefer a shorter session without the full meal? See our Authentic Pesto Cooking Class & Wine Tasting. Want to bake too? Try the Ligurian Focaccia & Pesto Class.

FAQ

What will I make and eat? You make Genoese pesto by hand, then sit down to a gnocchi lunch dressed with your own pesto, served with local products and wine.
How is this different from the pesto cooking class? The cooking class is a shorter session that ends with an aperitivo tasting. This experience includes a full sit-down gnocchi lunch.
How long does it last? About two hours.
Do I need cooking experience? No, none at all. It is hands-on and beginner-friendly.
Is it suitable for families? Yes, it is a relaxed, convivial lunch that families enjoy.
Where is it held? At our Experience Hub in the old town of Monterosso al Mare, Via XX Settembre 27.