Butternut Squash Gnocchi Recipe - Chisel & Fork (2024)

With just a few ingredients, you can make homemade butternut squash gnocchi that is tossed in a delicious brown butter sage sauce. Talk about fall comfort food.

I'm a fan of gnocchi - from gnocchi carbonara to baked ricotta gnocchi.

There are two things during the fall that I'm all about - butternut squash and gnocchi. Well I'm about homemade gnocchi year round but I figured why not combine the two!

RecipeTin Eats actually inspired me with her pumpkin gnocchi. Homemade gnocchi is one of those things that is surprisingly easy, it just takes some time to make. To me it is totally worth it though when compared to store-bought. Plus when you make it at home, you can create something like this butternut squash and sage gnocchi.

I've used homemade gnocchi many times when friends/family have come over. It's a great recipe to impress your guests! So if you're like me and craving some butternut squash this time of year, you can never go wrong with butternut squash gnocchi.

Ingredient Notes

• Butternut squash - adds sweet and earthy undertones with hints of nuttiness to the gnocchi.
• Egg - important in binding the gnocchi together.
• Ricotta - helps act as a binder and also keeps the gnocchi light and pillowy.
• All-purpose flour - you want to add just enough so the dough comes together.
• Unsalted butter - by browning the butter, you add a nutty flavor which complements the gnocchi and makes for a great sauce.
• Sage - when I think of fall, sage is the herb that comes to mind and is enhanced by cooking in the butter.

Ingredient Swaps

As with any recipe you can swap out some of the ingredients. Some variations include:

• While I use butternut squash, pumpkin or sweet potatoes are good substitutes.
• Ricotta cheese is great for gnocchi, but cottage cheese or even goat cheese are good substitutes.
• I'm a fan of sage as the prominent herb flavor, but rosemary or thyme work great as well.
• While not a substitute, if I want some protein, pancetta is my go-to.

Step-by-Step Photos

First, roast the butternut squash at 425°F in the oven for 45-50 minutes or until tender. Cool it down and then scoop out the flesh and mash with a potato masher. You can also puree in a food processor.

Place in a bowl with the ricotta, egg, Parmesan, salt and nutmeg. Mix until combined and then add flour ½ cup at a time, until just mixed.

Now mix until you can form a ball. The dough should be sticky still. Cut into 4-6 equal pieces.

Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll and stretch into a rope that is about 1 inch thick. Cut 1 inch wide pieces and transfer to a baking sheet with some flour so they don't stick.

Boil the gnocchi until they float and then transfer to a large skillet over medium-high heat with some oil. Pan-fry for 2 minutes to get it crispy. Remove from the skillet.

Add the butter and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and sage, cooking for 30 seconds before adding in the gnocchi.

FAQs

Benefits of Butternut Squash

Like many vegetables, butternut squash comes with a ton ofbenefits, including:

• High in nutrients but low in calories
• Rich in vitamins and minerals
• Contains disease-fighting antioxidants

Side Dish Options

This gnocchi is rich and filling, so I prefer to have some veggies. Some options include:

• Roasted Cauliflower
• Parmesan Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• Roasted Broccoli

Pro Tips/Recipe Notes

• Add just enough flour. Let me be clear. While most times, you need 2 cups of flour for this recipe, there are times you need slightly more or slightly less. Every butternut squash is different in moisture content which is what controls the amount of flour you use. Use either a wooden spoon or your hands to mix in the flour until just incorporated and where the dough forms a loaf. It should be a soft dough.
• Don't overmix. Just like anything with flour, if your overmix or knead too much, you'll get a tougher gnocchi. It won't be soft and pillowy. You want to mix until it just comes together.
• Don't make them perfect. Gnocchi doesn't have to be perfect shapes or have ridges. Mine never look exactly the same but they taste great! Also you can skip the ridges. It's time consuming and not worth the effort.
• Sprinkle with flour when cutting and transporting. Gnocchi can get sticky if there isn't flour sprinkled on it. As I'm rolling out the dough to cut and then cut into gnocchi and then transfer to a sheet, I sprinkle with flour to make sure it doesn't stick. Learn from me as I didn't do this in the past.
• Boil until they float. When cooking gnocchi, boil it until they float and then remove and add to a sauce.

Other Gnocchi Recipes

If you’ve tried this butternut squash gnocchi recipeor any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow meonFacebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.

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