Sweet Potato Pumpkin Gnocchi

Traditionally made from a careful combination of potatoes and flour, gnocchi are melt-in-your-mouth pillows of carbs. But, in the spirit of fall — and adding pumpkin to everything — I wanted to try giving gnocchi a seasonal twist. These Sweet Potato Pumpkin Gnocchi are simple, nutritious and, when tossed with olive oil and crispy sage, are a decadent autumn meal.


Sweet Potato Pumpkin Gnocchi

Recipe by Sarah Bond, DTR

Ingredients

  • 3 sweet potatoes
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Pinch of pepper
  • 1½ to 3 cups all-purpose flour (plus more, as needed)
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 6 whole sage leaves
  • 1 clove garlic, minced

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Prick sweet potatoes with a fork, place either right on the oven rack or a pan. Bake sweet potatoes for 45 minutes, until fork tender.
  2. Remove sweet potatoes from oven, let cool slightly and remove skin. Puree sweet potato using a potato ricer, a wire mesh sieve or a potato masher. In a large bowl, stir sweet potato puree, pumpkin puree, egg, salt and pepper.
  3. Add 1½ cup flour and mix only until flour is hydrated. If dough is still very sticky, add more flour, a few spoonfuls at a time, until dough can be formed into a loose ball. The combination should still be moist — the goal is to use as little flour as possible while achieving a good consistency.
  4. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
  5. Transfer dough onto a floured surface and knead a few times. Portion dough into fist-sized balls. Roll each out to about 1-inch-thick ropes. Cut the ropes into 1-inch-long pieces.
  6. Gently press one side of each gnocchi over the tines of a fork to create the classic ribbed appearance.
  7. Gently drop each gnocchi into the boiling water. When the gnocchi floats to the top, it is done! Remove with a slotted spoon and set on a dry paper towel, face-up.
  8. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add sage leaves and minced garlic. Cook a few minutes, until the sage is crispy. Remove pan from heat and add the gnocchi, tossing to coat with sage leaves, oil and garlic.
  9. Garnish gnocchi with feta, parmesan or goat cheese, if desired.

Cooking Notes

  • When purchasing pumpkin puree, look for a variety that is not liquidy and does not include additional sugars or spices.
  • Or, make you own pumpkin puree using a small or medium-sized pie pumpkin! Remove the pumpkin's top and scrape out the seeds. Cut pumpkin into pieces. Place pieces face-down on a baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 1 to 2 hours, until soft. Remove from oven, let cool slightly and remove skin. Puree in food processor or blender. Store puree in refrigerator for several days, or freeze for later use.
Sarah Bond
Sarah Bond, DTR, is owner and author of Live Eat Learn, a blog focused on healthy foods and lifestyles with an emphasis on scientifically-supported health and nutrition information.