If there’s anything more comforting than a bowl of pasta, it’s our Sweet Potato Gnocchi with the most decadent butter and cream sauce imaginable! Not only are these the most delicious gnocchi we’ve ever made, but they are also a breeze to make! Paired with a creamy sauce, this dish makes both a perfect weekday dinner and an impressive dish to enjoy with friends and family. Trust us, a plate of these lovely Sweet Potato Gnocchi won’t leave anything to be desired!
Ever been disappointed by shop-bought gnocchi that ended up stodgy and gloopy after boiling, but the inside was still floury when you bit into one? That’s certainly how I perceived gnocchi for the first 25 years of my life. The good news is that if you make your own gnocchi, you are in for a huge surprise! A home-made gnocchi dish has nothing in common with the ones from the packet.
Light and fluffy, almost melt in the mouth when boiled, home-made gnocchi are silky smooth and absorb the flavours of the sauce very well. If you then choose to pan-fry your gnocchi (which is an absolutely the right thing to do!) you end up with little ‘crispy-on-the-outside-soft-on-the-inside’ droplets that set your bowl of pasta on fire with all the added texture!
We went all out with our Sweet Potato Gnocchi recipe: we boiled them, we fried them, we covered them in a buttery creamy sauce and added some veg because well… you know… Just joking, we love vegetables here at Somebody Feed Seb. And fresh green vegetables are a perfect accompaniment for otherwise rich an indulgent dish!
What are Gnocchi?
Strangely, potato gnocchi are considered to be a type of pasta, but for most of us gnocchi is more of a dumpling. Dating back to Ancient Rome, Gnocchi were made with flour or semolina only. Potatoes were introduced much later, when they first arrived in Europe in the 16th century.
As often the case with national-heritage dishes, there are many variations that are different not only from region to region but also from family to family. In modern Italy, gnocchi are most often made with starchy potatoes, semolina, egg and sometimes added ricotta for richness.
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Step-by-Step Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Garlic & Herb Sauce:
Step 1: Prepare the Garlicky Kale:
Heat a large non-stick frying pan with a knob of butter. Add the kale and garlic and fry on medium heat for about 5 minutes until kale starts to soften. Once cooked, place the garlicky kale in a bowl and set aside for later. Keep the pan for frying the gnocchi.
Step 2: Make the Sweet Potato Gnocchi:
Pierce 1 large or 2 small sweet potatoes (approx 300g) and place them in a bowl. Clingfilm and cook in a microwave for 7-10 minutes until tender.
Scoop the flesh out of the potatoes into a large mixing bowl. You should end up with approx. 190g of sweet potato flesh. Mash with a fork until smooth and no large lumps are present.
Add the flour, cream cheese, parmesan, nutmeg and salt. Mix just enough to combine and bring together into a log.
Roll out the dough into long sausages, approx 1.5-2cm thick. With a sharp knife or a dough scraper cut into 1.5-2 cm wide pieces. If you wish, at this stage you can shape them using a gnocchi board. Alternatively, keep them as they are and proceed to the next step. Place all the shaped/unshaped gnocchi on a well-floured board.
Step 3: Boil the Gnocchi:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop the gnocchi in the water. Gently shake the pan, holding it by the handles to make sure the gnocchi don’t stick to the bottom.
Boil until the gnocchi floats to the top, them immediately take them out of the water with a slotted spoon and spread them out on a lightly greased large plate or a board.
Step 4: Fry the Gnocchi & Make the Sauce:
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil and 40g of butter in a reserved frying pan that you used for kale (IMPORTANT: make sure it’s a non-stick pan).
Once the butter is hot and foaming, add the gnocchi (DON’T overcrowd the pan, you may need to work in batches or use a couple of large pans and DON’T skimp on the butter). As soon as the gnocchi hit the pan, shake to cover with butter to make sure they don’t stick to the pan or each other.
Fry on medium-high heat turning them carefully with a spatula until the gnocchi are brown and crispy on the outside.
Add the kale and fry for 30 seconds, to warm through. Then take off the heat immediately.
Pour in the cream and add the parmesan. Stir gently to coat and your sweet potato gnocchi is ready to serve!
Seb has made a very bold statement about his dish! It is now officially his favourite gnocchi dish ever!
If you like pasta (who doesn’t?), have a look at our other recipes that we feel you may like:
- Lentil Meatballs with Spaghetti (Vegan)
- Quick & Easy Veggie Pesto Pasta
- Vegetarian Pasta Puttanesca | An Easy Weekday Pasta Recipe
If you’d like to make other pastas from scratch, we have an article on how to get you started with three pasta doughs and ten shapes that you can make with and without pasta machine.
Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Creamy Butter Sauce
Equipment
- Gnocchi Board (optional)
Ingredients
For Sweet Potato Gnocchi:
- 300 g sweet potato (raw weight) approx 190g of cooked flesh
- 100 g cream cheese
- 15 g parmesan finely grated
- 100 g plain white flour plus extra for dusting
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For Sauce & Other Ingredients:
- 100 g kale stalks removed
- 1 large garlic clove finely chopped
- 40 g butter
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 50 ml double cream
- 20 g parmesan finely grated
Instructions
Prepare the Kale:
- Heat a large non-stick frying pan with a knob of butter. Add the kale and garlic and fry on medium heat for about 5 minutes until kale starts to soften. Once cooked, place the garlicky kale in a bowl and set aside for later. Keep the pan for frying the gnocchi.
Make the Gnocchi:
- Pierce 1 large or 2 small sweet potatoes (approx 300g) and place them in a bowl. Clingfilm and cook in a microwave for 7-10 minutes until tender.
- Scoop the flesh out of the potatoes into a large mixing bowl. You should end up with approx. 190g of sweet potato flesh. Mash with a fork until smooth and no large lumps are present.
- Add the flour, cream cheese, parmesan, nutmeg and salt. Mix just enough to combine and bring together into a log.
- Roll out the dough into long sausages, approx 1.5-2cm thick. With a sharp knife or a dough scraper cut into 1.5-2 cm wide pieces. If you wish, at this stage you can shape them using a gnocchi board. Alternatively, keep them as they are and proceed to the next step. Place all the shaped/unshaped gnocchi on a well floured board.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop the gnocchi in the water. Cover with the lid. Gently shake the pan, holding it by the handles to make sure the gnocchi don't stick to the bottom.
- Boil until the gnocchi floats to the top, them immediately take them out of water with a slotted spoon and spread them out on a lightly greased large plate or a board.
Fry the Gnocchi & Make the Sauce:
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil and 40g of butter in a reserved frying pan that you used for kale (IMPORTANT: make sure it's a non-stick pan).
- Once the butter is hot and foaming, add the gnocchi (don't overcrowd the pan, you may need to work in batches or use a couple of large pans). As soon as the gnocchi hit the pan, shake to cover with butter to make sure they don't stick to the pan or each other.
- Fry on medium-high heat turning them carefully with a spatula until the gnocchi are brown and crispy on the outside (approx 5 min.)
- Add the kale and fry for 30 seconds, to warm through. Then take off the heat immediately.
- Pour in the cream and add the parmesan. Stir gently to coat and your sweet potato gnocchi is ready to serve.
Nutrition
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