These comforting pumpkin gnocchi are a joy to make and even more satisfying to eat, either pan-fried until golden or gently boiled, then finished with a drizzle of homemade brown butter, a sprinkle of roasted pumpkin seeds, toasted walnuts, and crisp, aromatic sage leaves.
If you’re a gnocchi lover like me, you’ll know how hard it is to find store-bought gluten-free pumpkin gnocchi (unless you’re lucky enough to live in Italy!). While it may take a bit more time to make them from scratch, the result is well worth the effort. Preparation is key, as you can make the dough ahead of time, shape the gnocchi, and simply cook them just before serving with brown butter and toppings or your favourite sauce.
Is Gnocchi a Pasta?
Although gnocchi are often listed under the “Pasta” category in cookbooks and restaurant menus, they’re actually closer to dumplings. Traditionally made with potatoes but easily adapted with pureed vegetables like pumpkin for a seasonal twist.
Which Pumpkins Are Best for Gnocchi?
I love using Butternut pumpkin for its naturally sweet flavour and great value as it has fewer seeds and less stringy flesh, making preparation easier.
Hokkaido pumpkin (also known as Red Kuri squash) is another excellent choice, especially if you want gnocchi with a deeper orange colour and slightly nuttier taste.
Tips for Perfect Pumpkin Gnocchi
- Choose the right potatoes: Use floury potatoes or those meant for mashing. Their drier texture makes them ideal for light, fluffy gnocchi.
- Steam the pumpkin: Avoid boiling, as it adds too much moisture. Steaming keeps the pumpkin’s texture dry and smooth. You can also roast it, but I prefer steaming since roasted pumpkin can develop charred bits that affect the silky consistency I like in gnocchi.
- Adjust the flour: Pumpkin holds more moisture than potatoes therefore the dough will need extra flour. Add it gradually until the dough is soft but not sticky.
- Cool before mixing: Allow the cooked pumpkin and potatoes to cool slightly before adding flour. Warm ingredients absorb too much, resulting in dense or dry gnocchi.
- Keep a bowl of extra flour handy: Lightly dust your work surface and gnocchi (I recommend sweet rice flour for its lightness) to prevent sticking as you shape them.
- Make-ahead tip: If preparing in advance, arrange uncooked gnocchi in a single layer and cover them with a clean, dry tea towel lightly dusted with flour. In cooler weather, they can rest at room temperature for several hours before cooking.
GOOD TO KNOW!
The word gnocchi is actually plural – one single piece is called a gnocco. In Italian, “gnocchi” simply means “lumps,” referring to their soft, pillowy shape. So technically, you’d say one gnocco, many gnocchi! Although honestly, whoever eats just one?
How to Shape Gnocchi
Using a fork:
Lightly flour each gnocco (the singular of gnocchi) and press it gently against the back of a fork. Slide it down while applying light pressure with your thumb or finger to create ridges and a slight curve.
Using a gnocchi board:
A gnocchi board is a small, ridged wooden board designed to give each gnocco its signature grooves. These lines not only add a traditional look but also help the butter or sauce cling better. Use the same rolling motion as with a fork – some boards even include a small dowel to guide the shape.
Cutting simply:
For a quicker method, cut the dough into even squares or rectangles without adding ridges. This creates a more uniform look and works especially well for pan-fried gnocchi, giving them a crisp exterior. However, keep in mind that without ridges, sauces and butter won’t cling as well, resulting in a less moist bite.
How to Freeze Gnocchi
Arrange uncooked gnocchi in a single layer on a tray and freeze until solid. Once frozen, transfer them to an airtight container or freezer bag. This prevents the gnocchi from sticking together and makes portioning easier later.
Cooking from frozen:
Boil frozen gnocchi straight from the freezer, as there’s no need to thaw them first. For pan-fried gnocchi, either boil them briefly before frying or let them thaw slightly so they cook evenly and develop a crisp, golden crust.
What’s the Best Way to Eat Pumpkin Gnocchi?
If you’re serving pumpkin gnocchi with brown butter, sage, roasted pumpkin, and walnuts, I recommend pan-frying them. This gives the gnocchi a soft, pillowy centre with a beautifully crisp exterior that perfectly complements the rich, nutty sauce.
For a lighter version, simply boil the gnocchi for a few minutes. They’ll stay tender and delicate, and since the brown butter is so full of flavour, just a small drizzle is enough to season them beautifully.
What is Brown Butter?
Brown butter, also known as Beurre Noisette (translated in French as hazelnut butter), is clarified butter that has been cooked down until it reaches a brown colour with a nutty and caramelised aroma and taste. This butter is used to elevate the flavour of pastas, meats and vegetables. It is even used to make cookies, specifically chocolate chip cookies.
By following the steps to make brown butter, it is a useful ingredient to have prepared ahead of time to spread across many meals. Although butter is calorific and decadent, a little goes a long way due to its intense flavour.
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Gnocchi
Equipment
- Cast iron pan for the pan-fried method
- Deep stove-top pot for the boiling method
- Potato ricer, or or regular potato masher
Ingredients
GLUTEN-FREE POTATO GNOCCHI
- 600 g floury potatoes, unpeeled & whole
- 800 g pumpkin, cut into chunks, weighed after rind removed
- 2 eggs, at room temperature, organic if possible
- 300 g store-bought or homemade gluten-free flour
- 2 tbsp sweet rice flour/glutinous rice flour
- 2 tsp ground nutmeg or fresh nutmeg, grated
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp white pepper
- 4 tbsp sweet rice flour/glutinous rice flour, to dust and roll in
BROWN BUTTER
- 50-60 g unsalted butter
ADDITIONAL TOPPINGS
- 4 tbsp pumpkin seeds
- 20 walnuts
- 20 fresh sage leaves
- 1 pinch of salt, to season all three toppings
- 1 pinch of white sugar, to season the fried sage
Serving
- 30 g Parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
Preparing the gnocchi dough
- Steam the unpeeled, whole potatoes for 20-25 mins, or until they can be easily pierced.
- Add the pumpkin pieces to steam for 15 mins, or until soft. If space permits, add the pumpkin towards the end of steaming the potatoes.
- Remove the potatoes from the steamer and peel off the potato skins. Set aside to cool down.
- Transfer the cooked pumpkin to a plate to cool down.
- Once both vegetables have cooled down, place them in a potato ricer to press or mash them with a traditional masher in a large bowl.
- Make a well in the centre and crack the eggs in.
- Combine the sweet rice flour, nutmeg, salt and white pepper in a small bowl.
- Add the sweet flour mixture and 1/3 of the gluten-free plain flour to the eggs, working outwards to mix well. Continue mixing and adding the remaining flour a third at a time until the dough comes together, but doesn't stick to the fingers.
- Knead the dough with floured hands to ensure that all the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
Assembling the gnocchi
- Portion the dough into several balls and start rolling each one into long logs about 2.5 cm in diameter. Lightly dust the dough and counters often with flour to prevent the dough from sticking.
- Start cutting each log into 1.5 cm pieces. It is important to keep each piece accurate in size so that they cook evenly. Use one gnoccho as a guide when cutting each portion.
- If using a gnocchi press, lightly sprinkle some sweet rice flour on the gnoccho and press and guide it gently down the gnocchi press. Practice makes perfect, but don’t worry if you aren’t happy with the result, as you can re-roll the gnoccho and start over.
- If using a fork, press and roll the gnoccho with the back of a fork.
- Place all the assembled gnocchi onto a large tray or countertop and dust them lightly with the sweet rice flour.
- Once all of the gnocchi have been formed, they can be cooked straight away or left for an hour or so at room temperature, covered with a dry tea towel. They can also be stored in the refrigerator for several hours or frozen for another occasion.
BROWN BUTTER
- While the gnocchi is resting, prepare the brown butter by adding the butter to a small saucepan and allowing it to melt gently over medium-low heat, swirling the saucepan occasionally.
- The milk solids will start to appear and bubble noisily on the surface of the butter. Keep swirling the saucepan.
- Once the surface bubbles stop foaming noisily and calm down, use a heatproof spatula or spoon to stir away any remaining bubbles in the butter.
- As it quietly simmers, the butter will start to turn into a soft golden brown colour and smell nutty. At this stage, to avoid overbrowning the butter, remove it immediately from the heat directly to a bowl of iced cold water and plunge the saucepan in it to stop the butter from cooking further.
- Once the butter starts to cool down, any brown milk solids will settle to the bottom of the saucepan.
- Strain the cool butter into a glass bottle or jar to use later in this recipe.
- Any leftovers can be chilled for several weeks for other dishes.
Preparing the additional toppings (pumpkin seeds, walnuts & sage leaves)
- Fry the pumpkin seeds over low heat in a dry pan, stirring often. Remove when the seeds start to smell nutty and make popping sounds. The pumpkin seeds should appear slightly golden and crackled. Sprinkle with some salt and set aside
- To prepare the walnuts, add 1/2 tablespoon of brown butter to a pan over medium-low heat, followed by the walnuts. Fry for 3 minutes, or until they smell toasted. Sprinkle with some salt and set aside.
- Blot any excess moisture from the whole sage leaves and add them to the frying pan over medium-low heat, pouring in some extra brown butter if needed. Fry until crisp and aromatic for about 3 mins. Towards the end of frying, add a pinch of salt and sugar. Remove and set aside.
Pan-frying the gnocchi
- Heat a large cast-iron pan to medium-low and add some of the earlier prepared brown butter.
- Add a batch of pumpkin gnocchi and fry the gnocchi on all sides for 8 mins or until they appear crisp and slightly golden.
Boiling the gnocchi
- Heat up a large, deep pot with water and some salt. Cover and bring to a boil.
- Lower the heat from boiling to a steady simmer and add 10 to 12 gnocchi at a time, so they don’t overcrowd the pot.
- They should rise and float to the surface in less than 2 minutes. Immediately remove them.
Serving
- Portion the pan-fried gnocchi into serving bowls and drizzle your desired amount of brown butter over them, followed by the additional toppings of pumpkin seeds, walnuts and sage leaves.
- Do the same step when preparing boiled gnocchi.
- Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese in a separate bowl.
Reheating
- Reheat the gnocchi for a few minutes in the microwave or 10 mins in a moderate oven.
Notes
- Keeps for 2 days chilled, raw or cooked
- Assembled, raw gnocchi is suitable for freezing
