Pillowy-soft, homemade sweet potato gnocchi is drizzled with pumpkin brown butter & topped with crispy sage. It's autumn on a plate!

Just like Keith’s famous potato gnocchi recipe, this dish quickly became one of my favorites. Keith learned to make homemade gnocchi from it from an Italian “Nona” he worked with years ago, and he can create it from memory. This authentic Sweet Potato Gnocchi has and subtly sweet, earthy flavor. Topped with Pumpkin Brown Butter Gnocchi Sauce, it screams fall.
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Ingredients
for the gnocchi:
- Sweet potatoes
- All Purpose Flour: for the dough, make sure to have extra for kneading
- Salt
- 1 Egg + 1 egg yolk
- Chopped garlic: fresh garlic works best
- Parmesan cheese: freshly grated parmesan is best
for the gnocchi sauce:
- Butter: salted butter works best for this recipe
- Canned Pumpkin
- Milk or Cream: choose whole milk or cream for a richer sauce, reduced fat milk for a lighter sauce
- Sage leaves: use fresh sage leaves for crispy sage topping
see recipe card for quantities

Why we love this recipe
I can’t believe that I have a partner who makes gnocchi from scratch! I spent years pouring over cookbooks and fumbling around in the kitchen, attempting to teach myself skills I needed to get by. With Keith, cooking is instinctual. He cooks the way I aspire to design: with purpose, gut and passion. That's why his pasta recipes (Pasta Pomodoro, Linguine alle Vongole) are so darn good.
How to make Sweet Potato Gnocchi
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Cut potatoes in half and place cut side down on baking sheet, brushed with oil. Bake for 20-30 minutes (until potatoes are tender).
- Remove from oven and allow to cool enough to be able to handle and scoop potato from skin. Place in large mixing bowl.
- Smash potatoes using a potato masher or potato ricer.
- Add garlic, parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, egg and egg yolk and combine.
- Add flour to mix a little at a time and mix until mixture forms a workable dough.
- Take a large meatball-sized piece of dough and roll on floured surface into a large rope about ¼ in diameter. Cut rope into ½ inch pieces and form into crescents with your fingers ( this step of the shape is optional)
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and drop pasta into water and cook until gnocchi floats.
- Remove from water and place in bowl.

How to make Pumpkin Brown Butter (Gnocchi Sauce)
- In a large sauté pan, melt salted butter over medium heat, being careful to adjust heat as needed to brown butter, not burn.
- Rough chop sage leaves. Place in butter and cook for 2-3 minutes over low heat.
- Add gnocchi (or your favorite pasta) and cook until slightly browned about 3 minutes.
- Add canned pumpkin and mix, then add milk and mix until well combined. Add salt to taste (approx 1 tsp).
How to make Crispy Sage
Rough chop sage leaves. Place in butter and cook for 2-3 minutes over low heat.

Variations
- Traditional: prefer a more traditional gnocchi sauce? Try our 15 Minute Tomato Sauce or Meatless Mushroom Ragù
- Meat Lovers: add some of our Homemade Meatballs for a heartier meal.
- Texture: add toasted pine nuts, slivered almonds, or pomegranate seeds for crunch.
Like this recipe? Try our Gnocchi with Pink Sauce!
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Sweet Potato Gnocchi recipe
Pillowy-soft, homemade sweet potato gnocchi drizzled with pumpkin brown butter & crispy sage is what fall is all about.
- Total Time: 45 mins
- Yield: 4 portions 1x
Ingredients
For the Gnocchi:
- 3 sweet potatoes
- 2 C flour, plus extra for kneading
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 egg and 1 egg yolk
- ½ tsp chopped garlic
- ¼ C parmesan cheese
For the sauce:
- 6 Tbsp salted butter
- ½ C canned pumpkin
- ½ C milk or cream
- 5-6 sage leaves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Cut potatoes in half and place cut side down on baking sheet brushed with oil and bake for 20-30 minutes until potatoes are tender.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool enough to be able to handle and scoop potato from skin and place in large mixing bowl.
- Smash potatoes using a potato masher.
- Add garlic, parm cheese, 1 teaspoon salt and egg and yolk and combine.
- Add flour to mix a little at a time and mix until mixture forms a workable dough.
- Take a large meatball-sized piece of dough and roll on floured surface into a large rope about ¼ in diameter. Cut rope into ½ inch pieces and form into crescents with your fingers ( this step of the shape is optional)
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and drop pasta into water and cook until gnocchi floats.
- Remove from water and place in bowl.
To make sauce:
- In a large sauté pan, melt butter over medium heat until melted, being careful to adjust heat as needed to brown butter, not burn.
- Rough chop sage leaves. Place in butter and cook for 2-3 minutes over low heat.
- Add gnocchi and cook until slightly browned about 3 minutes.
- Add pumpkin and mix, then add milk and mix until well combined, add salt to taste (approx 1 tsp).
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Category: Entrée
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ½ C
- Calories: 546
- Sugar: 7.1 g
- Sodium: 1471 mg
- Fat: 22.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 72.7 g
- Protein: 14.2 g
- Cholesterol: 144 mg
Keywords: gnocchi, pumpkin, brown butter, fall, pasta, sweet potato, vegetarian, homemade
Kali says
Looks so tasty! Have to try this:-) Kali, http://www.idimin.berlin/
Jackie says
thanks so much Kali!! Yay!!
Angelica says
Making gnocchi from scratch made me feel like an advanced cook – and I am not! Very easy to make and the end-result was delicious. The wine pairing was incredible, with the acidity and crispiness of the wine brightening up the flavors of the dish.
★★★★★
Jackie says
Thanks Angelica! We are thrilled that you liked it!!
Matt @ RoughEats says
Ooh, I love gnocchi. Never had sweet potato gnocchi before, I think I will have to give it a go!
Jackie says
thanks Matt! This is a good one, we promise!!