Description
Soft, pillowy pumpkin gnocchi tossed in a nutty brown butter sauce with crispy sage leaves. This quick and easy fall recipe comes together in about 30 minutes and uses simple ingredients for a restaurant-quality meal at home.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (245g) pumpkin puree (100% pure, not pie filling)
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten (room temperature)
- 1 ½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (optional but recommended)
- 4 tablespoons (56g) unsalted butter
- 10–12 fresh sage leaves
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup (25g) grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin puree, beaten egg, salt, and nutmeg. Stir until smooth.
- Add flour and mix with a fork or your hands until a shaggy dough forms. Do not overmix.
- Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead 5-6 times until it holds together. Dough should be soft and slightly tacky but not sticky.
- Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ¾-inch thick rope. Cut into 1-inch pieces.
- Optional: Create ridges by pressing each piece against the back of a fork tines with your thumb, rolling slightly. Place shaped gnocchi on a floured baking sheet.
- Drop gnocchi into boiling water in batches. Cook until they float (about 2-3 minutes), then let cook 30 seconds more. Remove with a slotted spoon.
- While gnocchi cook, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sage leaves and cook, swirling constantly, until butter turns deep golden brown and smells nutty (2-3 minutes). Watch closely to avoid burning.
- Remove skillet from heat. Add cooked gnocchi and toss gently to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Add a splash of pasta water if sauce is too thick.
- Divide among bowls, top with crispy sage leaves and grated Parmesan. Serve immediately.
Notes
Don’t overwork the dough to keep gnocchi tender. Use a light-colored skillet to monitor browning of butter. Test one gnocchi before cooking the whole batch. Reserve pasta water to adjust sauce consistency. Brown butter can burn quickly—stay focused. Nutmeg adds warmth but use sparingly.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1/4
- Calories: 380
- Sodium: 420
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 11
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 10
Keywords: pumpkin gnocchi, brown butter sage sauce, fall recipe, easy gnocchi, homemade gnocchi, pumpkin recipe, savory pumpkin, weeknight dinner