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Pumpkin Gnocchi

Pumpkin gnocchi made with blotted-dry pumpkin and ricotta for light, pillowy results, then pan-seared in nutty brown butter with crispy sage. Each fork-pressed 1-inch pillow cooks quickly—boil until they float and finish in browned butter for a golden exterior.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For pumpkin gnocchi
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree Blot extremely dry before mixing.
  • 1 cup ricotta Drained and blotted extremely dry.
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup parmesan Finely grated.
  • 1.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 1.25 cup all-purpose flour Start with less; add more as needed to form a soft, slightly sticky dough.
For brown butter sauce
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 10 fresh sage leaves
  • 3 tbsp toasted walnuts
  • 1 parmesan Extra for serving, dusted generously.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Make the pumpkin gnocchi dough
  1. Blot the pumpkin puree and ricotta extremely dry, then combine them with the egg, parmesan, salt, nutmeg, and enough all-purpose flour to form a soft, slightly sticky dough.
  2. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into ropes and cut into 1-inch pillows.
  3. Press each pillow lightly with a fork for texture and set them on a sheet pan as you work.
Boil and finish the gnocchi
  1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a gentle boil and cook the gnocchi until they float, 2-3 minutes.
  2. While the gnocchi boil, melt the butter in a cast iron skillet and cook at medium heat until it turns golden brown with nutty aroma.
  3. Add sage leaves to the brown butter and fry until crispy, then remove or keep them in the butter as desired.
  4. Toss the drained gnocchi in the brown butter until lightly coated and glossy.
  5. Serve immediately topped with crispy sage, toasted walnuts, and extra parmesan dusted over the entire surface.

Notes

Pro tip: the key to tender gnocchi is blotting—remove as much moisture as possible from the pumpkin and ricotta before mixing. Store leftover gnocchi in the refrigerator up to 2 days; reheat in a skillet with a little butter to re-crisp. Freezing is not recommended because the texture can get gummy after thawing. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat ricotta and slightly reduce parmesan by 1/4 cup, but keep the dough moisture-controlled the same way.