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Perfect Brown Butter Pumpkin Gnocchi with Sage

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Pan-seared pumpkin gnocchi in a nutty brown butter and sage sauce, with a delicate golden crust and pillowy interior. A cozy, elegant fall dish that comes together in under an hour.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup roasted pumpkin puree (not canned pumpkin pie filling; 100% pure pumpkin or homemade)
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten (room temperature)
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • Pinch of black pepper
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 10–12 fresh sage leaves
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Optional: extra Parmesan, crushed red pepper flakes, toasted pumpkin seeds

Instructions

  1. Roast the pumpkin (if using fresh): Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut a sugar pie pumpkin in half, scoop out seeds and strings, place cut-side down on a baking sheet. Roast 35-45 minutes until fork-tender. Cool, scoop out flesh, and puree until smooth. Measure 1 cup.
  2. Make the gnocchi dough: In a large bowl, combine pumpkin puree, beaten egg, salt, nutmeg, and pepper. Stir until smooth. Add flour ¼ cup at a time, stirring gently, until a soft, slightly sticky ball forms. Turn onto a floured surface and knead gently 8-10 times. Cover with a towel and rest 10 minutes.
  3. Shape the gnocchi: Divide dough into 4 pieces. Roll each into a ¾-inch thick rope. Cut into 1-inch pieces. Roll each piece down the tines of a fork to create ridges. Place on a floured baking sheet in a single layer.
  4. Cook the gnocchi: Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Drop gnocchi in gently (work in batches). Cook until they float, about 2-3 minutes, then let them bob 30 seconds. Scoop out with a slotted spoon.
  5. Make the brown butter sage sauce: While gnocchi cook, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Swirl occasionally. Butter will foam, then subside, and brown specks will form (3-4 minutes). Immediately add sage leaves; sizzle 30 seconds.
  6. Pan-sear the gnocchi: Add cooked gnocchi to the skillet. Cook undisturbed 2 minutes until golden crust forms. Gently flip and cook 1-2 minutes more. Sprinkle with Parmesan, toss gently, and remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

Don’t overwork the dough; tough gnocchi results from too much handling. Test one gnocchi before cooking the whole batch. Brown butter happens fast—have sage leaves ready. Save some pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed. For gluten-free, use a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum. For vegan, use a flax egg, vegan butter, and nutritional yeast.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin gnocchi, brown butter sage, fall pasta, homemade gnocchi, vegetarian dinner

Find it online: https://bakebeam.com/perfect-brown-butter-pumpkin-gnocchi-with-sage/