This Sweet Potato Gnocchi is cheesy, creamy and super easy to make- perfect for anyone who's making their own gnocchi for the first time. It is a great recipe to try out on a weekend when you're in the mood for a good pasta, but don't want to indulge. It truly is a restaurant worthy dish you need to try out!
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Why This Recipe Works
- This has to be one of my favorite gnocchi recipes of all time, and for many good reasons.
- Not only is the sweet potato mixture super easy to make, but the recipe calls for just a few simple ingredients.
- Plus, this Sweet Potato Gnocchi is super customizable too! You can totally add your favorite sauce to it to jazz it up.
🥘 Ingredients
For the complete list of ingredients with measurements and instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
📖 Substitutions & Variations
- A little garlic and a sprinkle of black pepper, Parmesan, or ricotta right before serving can make this dish extra delicious.
- Fresh herbs and a pinch of Kosher salt bring out all the cozy, savory flavors in the sweet potato gnocchi—highly recommend!
🔪 How To Make Sweet Potato Gnocchi
Once you have all your ingredients ready, here's how to make the homemade sweet potato gnocchi from scratch.
Step One: Wash sweet potatoes and cut into finger-thick circles. Bake the potatoes in the oven or steam them. you will need about 50 minutes. The slices should pierce easily with a fork.
Step Two: Peel the potatoes from their skins. Mash the potato slices with a fork in a large bowl.
Step Three: Add salt, pepper, egg, grated cheese. Pour in flour. Knead into a soft, tender dough.
Step Four: Roll out a piece of dough into a finger-thick rope on a lightly floured surface.
Step Five: Cut into 1-inch lengths using a sharp knife and shape with a fork or gnocchi board. We used a metal vegetable slicing holder - it's very handy.
Step Six: Boil water in a saucepan, add salt. Add uncooked gnocchi to the salted water and cook until the gnocchi floats. Drain in a colander or use a slotted spoon to transfer to a plate. For the sauce, heat the olive oil in a large skillet with the spices and pour over the gnocchi. Cook over medium high heat until slightly golden brown. Sprinkle over the thyme leaves and serve.
👩🍳 Expert Tips
Making this sweet potato gnocchi might seem easy, but here are a few extra tips and tricks you might want to have handy to nail the recipe.
- If you're making homemade gnocchi for the first time, I would recommend using a potato ricer to work with the potato flesh.
- I used all purpose flour for this gnocchi recipe, but you can also use wheat flour if you want to try out a healthier variant.
- Remember to cook the sweet potatoes all the way through- regardless of whether you're baking them in a sheet pan or boiling them in a large pot.
- Traditional gnocchi is usually served in a sage butter sauce, and if you've got some fresh sage, you can totally do that with this homemade sweet potato gnocchi too.
- Butternut squash can also be a great addition to this gnocchi recipe.
💭 FAQs
To avoid a sticky gnocchi dough, I would recommend keeping two simple steps in mind. First, make sure you're working with cooled potatoes.
Give the sweet potatoes a bit of time to cool down after they're out of the boiling salted water, and then peel them and rice them. Also, add more flour if necessary. You can also melt butter and add some of it to the gnocchi mixture if you want to.
You sure can! I've used olive oil for this homemade gnocchi recipe, but you can use dairy free butter, and skip adding the egg while making gnocchi.
If you have any leftovers, you can actually store them for later in a airtight container. I would not recommend refrigerating or freezing fresh gnocchi though.
🧂Serving Suggestions
These are my favorite side dishes to serve with Sweet Potato Gnocchi:
- Garlic Bread: Serve warm garlic bread or garlic knots on the side. The garlic-infused butter and crispy texture of the bread pair perfectly with the soft and pillowy gnocchi.
- Green Salad: A fresh green salad with mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, and a light vinaigrette dressing adds a refreshing contrast to the richness of the gnocchi.
- Roasted Vegetables: Roast a medley of vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, carrots, and cauliflower. The caramelized flavors of the roasted vegetables complement the sweetness of the sweet potato gnocchi.
- Air Fryer Chicken Tenders or Sausage: Serve chicken breasts or sausages alongside the gnocchi for added protein. The savory flavors of the meat complement the hearty texture of the gnocchi.
- Creamy Sauce: Top the sweet potato gnocchi with a creamy sauce such as Alfredo or Gorgonzola cream sauce. The richness of the sauce enhances the flavors of the gnocchi and adds a luxurious touch to the dish.
🍽 Related Recipes
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Sweet Potato Gnocchi
Ingredients
- 1 Sweet Potato Large
- 1 Egg
- 1-2 ounces Cheese
- 1 cup Flour plus a little for topping
- 3 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 2-3 Sprigs Thyme
- ½ teaspoon Pepper Blend
- 1 teaspoon Coriander
- 1 Bay Leaf
- Pinch Salt & Pepper
Instructions
- Once you have all your ingredients ready, here's how to make the homemade sweet potato gnocchi from scratch.
- Wash sweet potatoes and cut into finger-thick circles. Bake the potatoes in the oven or steam them. you will need about 50 minutes. The slices should pierce easily with a fork.
- Peel the potatoes from their skins. Mash the potato slices with a fork in a large bowl.
- Add salt, pepper, egg, grated cheese. Pour in flour. Knead into a soft, tender dough.
- Roll out a piece of dough into a finger-thick rope on a lightly floured surface.
- Cut into 1-inch lengths using a sharp knife and shape with a fork or gnocchi board. We used a metal vegetable slicing holder - it's very handy.
- Boil water in a saucepan, add salt. Add uncooked gnocchi to the salted water and cook until the gnocchi floats. Drain in a colander or use a slotted spoon to transfer to a plate.
- For the sauce, heat the olive oil in a large skillet with the spices and pour over the gnocchi. Cook over medium high heat until slightly golden brown. Sprinkle over the thyme leaves and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
More Recipes to Try
If you enjoyed this sweet potato recipe, and are inspired to try some more healthy recipes, here are a few good ideas to try out.
These Sweet Potato Gnocchi are soft, cheesy, and surprisingly easy to make! I love how the sweet potato adds a cozy twist to the classic gnocchi. Sometimes I finish them in a sage butter sauce for extra flavor. Let me know if you give them a try!