• Rachel Vanni for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards.

Tasty and effortless, store-bought gnocchi offers a much-needed shortcut for busy weeknight dinners. You can bypass boiling a pot of water for the gnocchi, and instead simply give them a quick sear over high heat, which creates perfectly crispy edges. Toss the crispy gnocchi with lots of sweet, fresh corn kernels, prepared pesto and a hefty sprinkle of grated cheese, and broil until the cheese gets bubbly, gooey and slightly charred in spots. The molten cheese brings all the ingredients together, but a high ratio of corn to dumpling and the bright basil in the pesto keep this dish light enough for summer.

Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound shelf-stable gnocchi
• About 3 cups canned or fresh corn kernels (from two 15-ounce cans or about 4 fresh cobs)
• ½ cup store-bought or homemade pesto, plus more for topping
• Salt and pepper
• 8 ounces grated whole-milk, low-moisture mozzarella

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

1. Step 1
   In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil until sizzling hot, about 2 minutes. Add the gnocchi and sear, undisturbed, for 4 minutes, until crispy underneath.
2. Step 2
   Add the corn and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes, until softened. Remove from the heat.
3. Step 3
   Stir in the pesto. Season with salt as needed, and add a few cracks of black pepper.
4. Step 4
   Place an oven rack underneath the broiler. Set the broiler to high.
5. Step 5
   Top the gnocchi and corn with the cheese. Place the skillet underneath the broiler and broil for about 4 minutes, until the cheese is completely melted and slightly charred on top.
6. Step 6
   Top with more pesto and divide among bowls.