Description

This festive homemade orange sweet potato gnocchi is pillowy, vibrant, and perfect for Halloween or cozy autumn dinners. Tossed in a rich sage butter sauce, it’s a crowd-pleaser that’s surprisingly easy to make and packed with fall flavor.

Ingredients

Scale

2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1.1 lbs / 500g), baked and cooled
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (180g), plus extra for dusting (or gluten-free flour)
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon black pepper (optional)
1/4 cup unsalted butter (60g), cut into pieces (or plant-based butter)
8–12 fresh sage leaves, whole
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced (optional)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese, to serve (optional, or vegan cheese)
Chopped toasted walnuts or pecans, for garnish (optional)
Extra sage leaves, fried for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Wash and dry sweet potatoes, pierce with a fork, wrap in foil, and bake on a sheet for 40–50 minutes until tender. Let cool for 10 minutes.
Peel cooled sweet potatoes and mash thoroughly or blend in a food processor until smooth. You need about 1 1/4 cups (300g) of puree.
In a large bowl, combine sweet potato puree, egg, salt, nutmeg, and black pepper. Gradually add flour, mixing with hands until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. Add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time if too sticky.
Dust countertop with flour. Divide dough into 4 pieces and roll each into a rope about 3/4 inch thick. Cut into 1-inch pieces.
Optional: Roll each piece over the tines of a fork to create ridges.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil. Drop in gnocchi in batches, stirring gently. Cook until they float (2–3 minutes). Remove with a slotted spoon and drain well.
In a nonstick skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add sage leaves and garlic. Cook until butter foams and sage is crispy, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Toss drained gnocchi in sage butter sauce. Serve hot, garnished with Parmesan, toasted nuts, and extra fried sage if desired.

Notes

For gluten-free, use a blend like Cup4Cup or Bob’s Red Mill. For vegan, use flaxseed egg and plant-based butter/cheese. Test one gnocchi before boiling the whole batch to check dough consistency. Overbaking sweet potatoes is better than underbaking. Gnocchi can be shaped ahead and frozen. Sauté boiled gnocchi in sage butter for extra crispiness.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Category: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

Serving Size: About 10 gnocchi pieces with sauce
Calories: 275
Sugar: 7
Sodium: 400
Fat: 8
Saturated Fat: 5
Carbohydrates: 45
Fiber: 4
Protein: 6

Keywords: sweet potato gnocchi, Halloween pasta, sage butter, autumn recipe, vegetarian gnocchi, easy gnocchi, festive dinner, homemade pasta