This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure.
This pumpkin gnocchi with brown butter sauce is a great alternative to traditional gnocchi and is perfect during the fall. The rich, nutty flavor of the brown butter sauce complements the slightly sweet and savory gnocchi. Even better, you can prepare the gnocchi ahead of time and then boil when ready to serve.
I'm a sucker for good homemade gnocchi, like my sweet potato gnocchi with pesto. Gnocchi is one of these dishes I've always wanted to make at home but just never took the plunge. I honestly thought it was way more complicated than it is.
I just always bought the ready-made gnocchi, which isn't bad. But having made multiple variations over the years made me want to give gnocchi with pumpkin a try.
It honestly was much simpler that I thought it would be. It just takes a little time so if you're looking for a quick 20-30 minute meal I might try something else.
The brown butter sauce with oregano is the perfect complement to the gnocchi. You could mix it up with the herbs and use sage instead. I had to add my own touch so added some pancetta, which is never a bad addition to a pasta recipe.
When using pumpkin, this gnocchi as well as pumpkin lava cake, baked pumpkin donuts, pumpkin oatmeal muffins and pumpkin chocolate chip pancakes are my go-to recipes.
Jump to:
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Homemade gnocchi - Homemade gnocchi is made with fresh ingredients, giving you control over the quality of the potatoes, pumpkin, flour and other components. Plus, they just taste better!
- Sneak in veggies for kids - A great way to sneak in veggies for kids, making it a delicious and healthy meal option.
- Versatile - You can elevate this gnocchi with various sauces, ranging from a simple oregano butter sauce to a rich cream sauce or even a tomato-based one, giving you the flexibility to enjoy it in different ways.
Ingredient Notes
- Russet potato - These starchy potatoes help create a light and fluffy gnocchi texture. Make sure to microwave until tender, then mash them while warm for easier incorporation into the dough.
- Pumpkin puree - The star of the show. Adds moisture and sweetness to the gnocchi. Be cautious of the water content in the puree. Too much will make the dough sticky, so drain excess moisture if needed.
- All-purpose flour - Essential for binding the potato and pumpkin mixture. Add it gradually to avoid over-flouring, which can result in dense gnocchi. A little bit is also used to thicken the sauce.
- Egg - Important in binding the gnocchi together.
- Parmesan cheese - Grated Parmesan adds a savory, umami element to the dish, both mixed into the dough or sprinkled on top before serving.
- Salt and black pepper - Enhances the flavor.
- Olive oil - Cooks the pancetta and pan-fries the gnocchi.
- Pancetta - Crispy pancetta adds a savory, salty crunch to contrast the softness of the gnocchi. It also infuses the dish with a rich, meaty flavor.
- Unsalted butter - Adds richness and helps brown the gnocchi after boiling. It also pairs well with the fresh oregano for a simple but flavorful sauce.
- Oregano - Adds a herbal note that complements the richness of the butter and pancetta.
- Garlic - Infuses the sauce with an aromatic flavor.
- Milk - Helps create a creamy sauce to coat the gnocchi.
- Reserved pasta water - Adds starch to the sauce, helping it thicken and cling to the gnocchi. It also adjusts the consistency of the sauce without watering down the flavor.
Ingredient Swaps
As with any recipe you can swap out some of the ingredients. Some variations include:
- While I use pumpkin, butternut squash or sweet potatoes are good substitutes.
- If you want to go gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend instead of all-purpose flour.
- I'm a fan of oregano as the prominent herb flavor, but rosemary or sage work great as well.
- Instead of pancetta, try bacon or prosciutto for some added protein.
- Heavy cream can be used in place of milk to add flavor to the sauce.
How to Make Pumpkin Gnocchi
Please note full ingredient list and instructions can be found in recipe card below.
Step 1: Poke holes in the potato, wrap in a paper towel, and microwave for 5-6 minutes until soft. Let cool for 5 minutes, then scoop out the flesh and mash with pumpkin purée in a large bowl.
Steps 2-3: Add flour, egg, ½ cup Parmesan, salt and pepper. Stir until just combined. On a floured surface, knead the dough, adding 1 tablespoon of flour at a time if too wet.
Step 4: Roll dough into 1-inch thick ropes, cut into ½ to 1-inch pieces, and place on a floured baking sheet. Boil gnocchi for 3-4 minutes until they float. Drain, reserving ¼ cup of water.
Step 5-6: Cook pancetta in 1 tablespoon oil until crisp, then set aside.In a skillet, heat 2 tablespoon olive oil. Add gnocchi and cook for 3 minutes per side until browned. Remove.
Steps 7-8: In the same pan, brown the butter, then add oregano and garlic for 30 seconds. Whisk in flour to form a roux, then slowly add milk and reserved water. Toss gnocchi with sauce, pancetta, and remaining Parmesan.
Recipe FAQs
Yes you can. Just use the same amount of sweet potato which is 1 lb. You could even try butternut or acorn squash as well.
Yes, you can substitute all-purpose flour with gluten-free flour. The texture may vary slightly, so adjust the flour gradually as needed.
Yes, after cutting the gnocchi and placing it on a baking sheet, freeze for an hour before transferring it to a bag.
When you’re ready to cook, it may take a bit longer to float, but it will still cook quickly.
Add the butter to the skillet over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, it will foam up and then subside.
This is when you watch carefully as lightly browned specks will start to form at the bottom of the pan. You will know the butter is ready when there is a nutty aroma. I suggest watching this video if you are still concerned.
My preferred method is placing the leftover gnocchi in a skillet with a splash of water or milk. Cook on medium-low until heated through.
With this dish, avoid using the microwave as it can cause the sauce to separate.
Side Dish Options
This pumpkin gnocchi with brown butter sauce is rich and filling, so I prefer to have some veggies. Some options include:
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Add just enough flour. Let me be clear. While most times, you need 1 ½ cups of flour for this recipe, there are times you need slightly more or slightly less. 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 the gnocchi, boil it until they float and then remove and add to a sauce.
Other Recommended Gnocchi Recipes
If you’ve tried this pumpkin gnocchi with brown butter sauce or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Pumpkin Gnocchi with Brown Butter Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 medium russet potato (1 cup mashed)
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ lb pancetta, diced
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ¼ cup fresh oregano leaves, roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon whole milk
- ¼ reserved pasta water
Instructions
- Poke holes in your potato. Wrap in a paper towel and microwave on high for 5-6 minutes or until soft. Remove and let cool for 5 minutes. Spoon the potato out of the skin and into a large bowl. (Make sure there is no skin!)
- Add the pumpkin puree to the potato and mash together until smooth. Add the egg, flour, ½ cup Parmesan, salt and pepper. Stir until just combined. If dough seems too wet, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time until you can form the dough into a ball. (It should be sticky)
- Generously flour a work service. Cut the dough into four equal pieces. Working with one piece of a dough at a time, roll the dough into a rope until it's about 1 inch thick. Cut the rope in 1 inch pieces and place on a floured baking sheet. Repeat until you have all the pieces cut.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the gnocchi. Cook for about 3 to 4 minutes, or until they float to the top. Drain cooked gnocchi into colander.
- While gnocchi is boiling, bring 1 tablespoon olive oil in sauce pan to medium heat and cook pancetta until crisp. It should take 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat and add the gnocchi in a single layer. Cook for about 3 minutes until golden brown on bottom. Turn gnocchi and cook for an additional 3 minutes until golden brown. Remove from skillet and set aside.
- In same skillet, bring heat to medium and add butter, cooking for about 3 minutes or until browned. Stir in the oregano and garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Whisk in flour, cooking for 30 seconds then add milk and reserved pasta water. Add the gnocchi and toss in the remaining Parmesan and pancetta.
Notes
- Add just enough flour. Let me be clear. While most times, you need 1 ½ cups of flour for this recipe, there are times you need slightly more or slightly less. 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 the gnocchi, boil it until they float and then remove and add to a sauce.
Amy says
So delicious!