You’ll never believe how easy it is to make sweet potato gnocchi from scratch! All you need to do is cook the sweet potatoes then mix them with the remaining ingredients and drop them into boiling water until they are light and fluffy.
The sauce is super easy to make too yet super delicious and all you need is butter, that’s it!
Serve this gnocchi as a starter, main course or side dish it’s so versatile and sure to impress your friends and family. You can find all the tips on making the gnocchi, sauce and how to serve it below!
WHAT YOU’LL NEED FOR THIS RECIPE
Sweet potatoes: Sweet potatoes come in all shapes in sizes some can be quite large so depending on the size you might only need one. Make sure you know the weight of the sweet potatoes before starting, you should have around 1 lb (0.45kg).
Ricotta: Use full-fat ricotta for the best creamy flavor but make sure to drain it thoroughly to remove any excess liquid. You can do this by passing it through a mesh sieve or cheesecloth.
White pepper: I love using white pepper in this recipe it gives such a wonderful flavor without being overpowering. If you don’t have it though, regular black pepper will work just fine.
Sage and thyme: You must use fresh sage so you can fry them into delicious little crispy bites. I also love to use fresh thyme because it’s so fresh and fragrant but you can use dried instead.
How to Make Sweet Potato Gnocchi
1. Pierce the sweet potatoes all over using a knife or fork and bake in a hot oven (400f/200C) for around 1 hour or in a microwave.
2. Allow them to cool a bit then remove the skin.
3. Drain ricotta to remove excess water either through a cheesecloth or mesh sieve.
4. Mash the cooled sweet potato in a large bowl.
5. Add thyme and parmesan, white pepper, 1 egg yolk.
6. Add the drained ricotta to the mixture and mix everything together until smooth.
7. Add the flour until well incorporated.
8. If the mixture feels too wet you can add a little more flour 1/4 cup at a time until it’s thick and doesn’t stick to your hands.
9. Make the crispy sage by frying in oil then let them drain on kitchen paper.
10. Make the brown butter in a small saucepan and keep warm.
11. Fill a piping bag with the sweet potato mixture and cut an opening at the tip.
12. Squeeze the mixture out over salted boiling water at about 2-inch sized pieces.
13. Once the gnocchi float to the top they’re ready, remove with a slotted spoon and serve on plates.
14. Pour over the brown butter sauce and top with crispy sage, serve.
Tips on making the brown butter sauce
Browned butter is just cooked down so the milk solids caramelize and get a wonderful nutty taste. To make it you cook butter on medium low heat in medium pot, stir occasionally and keep an eye on it as if can go from perfect to burnt quite quickly.
You want the color to be a nice golden color but you can cook until pretty dark and it’s still delicious. As soon as it turns golden brown remove it from the heat to stop it from burning. Browned butter has a great depth of flavor that can enhance almost any dish!
Pro tips for making this recipe
- If you don’t want to serve with brown butter then try using a splash of walnut oil instead!
- When frying the sage be careful not to burn it, it only needs a few seconds in the oil. Fry 3-4 leaves at a time, then transfer to a paper towel to dry off.
- If you’re in a rush then definitely use the microwave to cook the sweet potato, alternatively you can follow my recipe for Instant pot sweet potatoes which is super quick!
- This dish is WONDERFUL with toasted pine nuts or walnuts. The crunch really adds to the overall dish and makes it a full meal in my opinion.
Frequently asked questions
How is sweet potato gnocchi different from regular gnocchi?
Apart from the difference in potatoes, this sweet potato gnocchi is made with ricotta which makes them super light and delicious. Unlike regular gnocchi, these are made by mixing the batter in a bowl and cutting even pieces out of a piping bag which is super easy and saves a lot of time kneading the dough.
Can I make it in advance?
Absolutely, you can make the gnocchi batter and even fill a piping bag in advance and store it in the fridge for 1-2 days in advance. Then all you need to do is boil the gnocchi and make the brown butter sauce.
What can I serve it with?
I love nothing more than brown butter and sage with a little grating of parmesan cheese it’s a super light yet comforting meal and perfect for special occasions. If you want to serve this gnocchi as a side dish then they would go great with grilled or roasted meats and fish such as steak, chicken or salmon. If you’re serving them as a main course then a nice fresh and light side salad would work great, check out my Caprese Salad or Cucumber Salad for ideas.
Can I freeze them?
To freeze the sweet potato gnocchi I recommend cutting the gnocchi from the piping bag onto a baking sheet. Freeze them in an even layer before cooking, once frozen you can transfer them to a ziplock bag or similar to save room. You can boil the gnocchi straight from frozen until they float to the surface then toss in the brown butter sauce or sauce of choice.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this sweet potato gnocchi recipe then don’t forget to leave a rating and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Sweet Potato Gnocchi
Ingredients
- 1 lb sweet potato
- 1 tbsp thyme fresh
- ⅓ cup parmesan cheese
- ¼ tsp white pepper
- 1 cup ricotta drained
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour divided
For the Sauce:
- ½ cup butter
- pinch salt to taste
- 1 sprig fried sage
- pinch pepper
- 1/2 cup olive oil
Instructions
For the Gnocchi:
- Pierce sweet potatoes with a knife or fork a few times. Roast for about an hour at 400F degrees or microwave until fork tender, about 8-10 minutes.
- Drain ricotta by squeezing in a with cheese cloth or pressing it in a sieve.
- Let them cool and remove the skins.
- Chop up the fresh thyme. Mash sweet potatoes in a bowl. Add thyme, parmesan, white pepper, ricotta, 1 egg yolk mix until smooth.
- Add 2 cups of flour and mix until incorporated.
- If the mixture to too wet add ¼ cup more flour until a desired consistency is reached.
- Transfer dough to a a piping bag and cut the tip off so there's a 3/4 inch opening.
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
- Squeeze gnocchi over the water and cut about 2 inch pieces at a time.
- Cook in the boiling water until they float.
For the Assembly:
- In a small saucepan, heat olive oil. Drop a few sage leaves into the oil. Flip over after about 2-4 seconds. Transfer to a paper towel.
- Add butter in a small pot and heat over medium to medium-low heat stirring occasionally until it darkens to a golden color. Be careful of splatters.
- Pour on browned butter over gnocchi. Sprinkle on salt, pepper, parmesan and fried sage leaves.
Notes
- You can make the gnocchi mixture a day ahead, transfer to a piping bag and store in the fridge. Boil before serving.
- If you don't want to serve with brown butter then try using a splash of walnut oil instead!
- When frying the sage be careful not to burn it, it only needs a few seconds in the oil. Fry 3-4 leaves at a time, then transfer to a paper towel to dry off.
- This dish is WONDERFUL with toasted pine nuts or walnuts. The crunch really adds to the overall dish and makes it a full meal in my opinion.
- The gnocchi can be frozen before boiling.
Nutrition
Amazing! Looks great!