Pumpkin Gnocchi with Sage Butter Sauce

Pumpkin Gnocchi tastes like a fancy restaurant dinner but it’s a recipe you can easily make yourself at home. Learn how to make delicious homemade pumpkin gnocchi with a sage butter sauce for a cozy fall dinner that your family will love.

I love to make homemade gnocchi because it’s not difficult and, like pasta, it can be served in so many different ways. Not to mention homemade is so much better than the packaged kind you can buy at the store.

During the fall, I like to use pumpkin or other kinds of squash, like butternut squash, to make pillowy soft gnocchi. Of course, the best sauce to serve it with is sage butter which just makes the whole dish taste like the best fall comfort food.

I’m sharing my best tips for tender gnocchi that’s never gummy, tough, or too chewy. This recipe is similar to my traditional potato gnocchi with the addition of pumpkin puree which adds a little flavor and a nice color. Once you try it, you’ll only want it homemade from now on.

Ingredients

• Pumpkin or other winter squash like butternut squash
• Potatoes – best to use russet or Yukon gold
• Large egg yolk
• Freshly grated parmesan cheese – always better than packaged
• Salt
• Nutmeg
• Flour – all purpose or 00

Recipe Steps

Slice the pumpkin (or other squash) and cut the slices in half. Place them on a prepared cookie sheet and roast them at 380°F (180°C) for 30 minutes or until they are very tender.

Cool the roasted pumpkin and then remove the skin and mash the flesh with either a fork or potato masher.

Next, boil the potatoes until they are tender. Let them cool until they are warm and then mash them. Combine the pumpkin puree with the warm mashed potatoes in a large bowl.

Add the egg yolk, cheese, salt, and nutmeg and mix to combine.

Add the flour a little at a time until the dough starts to come together. Once the dough forms, transfer it to a lightly floured surface. Add the rest of the flour and gently knead the dough to form a soft dough. The dough will be a little sticky.

Form the dough into a disc or rectangle and then pull off pieces to form dough balls (it helps to flour your hands). Place the formed gnocchi on a floured surface and dust them with a little flour. Let the gnocchi rest while you get the water boiling to cook them.

Boil a large pot of water and add a little salt. Once it’s boiling, add the gnocchi. Cook them until they float to the surface of the water and then scoop them out. Depending on the size of your pot, you may need to boil them in batches.

Sage Butter Sauce

To make the sauce, just place butter and fresh sage leaves in a large pan or skillet. Heat and once the butter is melted add the boiled gnocchi and cook them in the sauce for about 15 seconds.

Serve the pumpkin gnocchi with grated Parmesan cheese.

Recipe Notes

You can make this recipe with pumpkin, but I think butternut squash works better because it has less moisture.

If you use pumpkin, I recommend roasting one. Sugar pumpkins (also called pie pumpkins or sweet pumpkins) are best for cooking. They are smaller and have a much better texture and flavor than the ones that are meant for carving.

If your squash puree has a lot of moisture, you will need to add more mashed potatoes to the recipe to absorb the excess moisture. Don’t use more flour – it will make your gnocchi dense and tough.

Canned pumpkin puree is going to have more moisture than pumpkin you roast and mash yourself. If you use it, you will probably need to add more mashed potatoes to compensate for the excess moisture.

Whatever kind of winter squash you use, if you have extra puree you can freeze it to use later in a recipe.

Recipe FAQ

Homemade pumpkin gnocchi tossed in the simple sage butter sauce is the perfect dinner for a chilly fall day. You will love how delicious this dish is – Buon Appetito!

More Gnocchi Recipes

• Soft Ricotta Gnocchi
• Baked Creamy Cheesy White Sauce Gnocchi
• Cheesy Tomato Baked Gnocchi