Roasted Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Brown Butter Sage Sauce, a delicious midweek dinner full of autumnal flavours. The gnocchi are soft and pillowy and packed with rich flavour, while the sauce is wonderfully aromatic. Serve them with plenty of grated parmesan cheese for a delicious family-friendly dinner that everyone will love.
Traditionally made with regular potatoes, gnocchi has been a staple food in Italy for a very long time. It's an easy comfort food that goes a long way when you want something delicious without breaking the bank.
And these sweet potato gnocchi, although they are a modern twist on the classic gnocchi recipe, are as comforting and easy to make. Paired with a lovely brown butter sage sauce that highlights its natural sweetness, my gnocchi is absolutely delicious!
I used roasted sweet potatoes for my recipe, and although boiled sweet potatoes could work too, I find that roasting concentrates their natural sweetness and removes some of the excess moisture.
Having said that, sweet potatoes still have a lot more moisture than regular potatoes, and knowing how much flour to add can be quite frustrating. The answer isn't quite straightforward I'm afraid, and it does depend on the moisture content as well as type of flour.
No flour is ever the same, some is denser than others, plus the egg sizes can vary greatly too, so I would say start with less flour and add more as you go until you have a dough that is soft, still slightly tacky and easy to work with.
I also have a ricotta gnocchi recipe on my blog, which I paired with a lovely tomato sauce, but they can definitely be paired with butter sage sauce too.
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Note!
Go to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions!
Ingredients overview
The gnocchi
- sweet potatoes - I used 5 medium-sized sweet potatoes, and they weighted 440 g after roasting and peeling
- flour - I only had regular plain flour, traditionally gnocchi are made with 00 flour or semolina flour, but I find that the regular flour works really well too
- egg - go for a smaller sized egg for this recipe, as larger ones will require extra flour
- parmesan - adds a good kick to the gnocchi
The sauce
- butter - I used salted butter for this recipe, you can also use unsalted butter, but I would add a pinch of salt to it
- fresh sage leaves - dried sage doesn't have the same aroma, I strongly recommend using fresh ones if you can
- parmesan - for serving, the more, the better
Step-by-step photos and instructions
- to make the gnocchi, sift the flour on the work surface, make a well in the middle and add the egg
- use a fork to beat it well, gradually pulling in flour as you go
- add the mashed sweet potatoes and grated parmesan, and mix well to get a smooth dough that is soft and just lightly tacky, but easy to work with
- lightly flour the work surface and divide the dough into several portions
- roll each portion into a long rope, then cut it into bite-sized pieces
- roll each piece over the back of a fork or a gnocchi board to create ridges
- in a frying pan set over a low to medium heat, add the butter and allow it to melt
- add the sage leaves and leave it to cook until it turns golden and the sauce smells nutty
- meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to the boil
- working in batches, add the gnocchi to the pot and boil them until they float to the surface
- use a slotted spoon to remove the gnocchi from the pot and transfer them to the pan of sauce
- gently toss to coat them in the sauce, and cook for 1-2 minutes
- serve with plenty of grated parmesan
Expert tips
Don't rely on an exact amount of flour, as mentioned before every recipe is different because the amount of moisture in sweet potatoes can vary greatly as well as the density of the flour.
Start with less flour, and keep adding to the dough until it feels soft, just slightly tacky, but easy to work with and it does not stick to the work surface.
Dust the work surface with flour as you keep working the dough to prevent it from sticking. Wash your hands often and dry them well if they get too sticky while you work the dough.
Too much flour can result it chewy gnocchi, so stop adding flour once the dough feels soft.
It is important to cook the gnocchi in batches to avoid sticking together. You can freeze uncooked gnocchi, just arrange them on a tray in an even layer, and freeze until solid. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
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Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Brown Butter Sage Sauce
Ingredients
- 5 medium-sized sweet potatoes ( after roasting and peeling the sweet potatoes weighted 440 g or 1 lb)
- 300 g plain flour (2 ½ cups)
- 50 g grated parmesan (½ cup)
- 1 small egg
For the sauce
- 50 g butter (3 ½ tablespoons)
- 12 fresh sage leaves
- 50 g grated parmesan (½ cup)
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Instructions
- Add the sweet potatoes to the air fryer and air fry at 200 degrees Celsius (390 Fahrenheit) for 35-40 minutes or until the fresh is soft.
- Alternatively, roast them in the oven at the same temperature, cooking time can be longer, so check them after 40 minutes.
- Once cooked, allow them to cool down completely, then peel and mash them well.
- Sift the flour on5o the work surface, make a well in the middle and crack in the egg.
- Use a fork to beat the egg well, pulling in flour from the sides as you beat.
- Add the mashed sweet potatoes and grated cheese, and knead everything well until you get a dough that is smooth and elastic, and just very slightly tacky.
- Dust the work surface with more flour and divide the dough into several portions.
- Shape each portion into a long rope of 2 cm/ 1 inch thickness, then cut each rope into bite-sized pieces.
- Roll each piece over the back of a fork or a gnocchi board to create ridges.
- Bring a pot of salted water to the boil, and working in batches, add the gnocchi.
- Cook them for 2-3 minutes or until they float to the surface.
- Once they float, cook for a further 1 minute then remove them using a splotted spoon.
- To make the sauce, melt the butter in large frying pan set over a low to medium heat.
- Add the sage leaves and cook until the butter is golden and smells nutty.
- Add the gnocchi to the sauce, and toss gently to coat.
- Cook for 1-2 minutes, then serve with plenty of grated parmesan.
Video
Notes
- Don't rely on an exact amount of flour, every recipe is different because the amount of moisture in sweet potatoes can vary greatly as well as the density of the flour.
- Start with less flour, and keep adding to the dough until it feels soft, just slightly tacky, but easy to work with and it does not stick to the work surface.
- Wash your hands often and dry them well if they get too sticky while you work the dough.
- Too much flour can result it chewy gnocchi, so stop adding flour once the dough feels soft.
- It is important to cook the gnocchi in batches to avoid sticking together.
- You can freeze uncooked gnocchi, just arrange them on a tray in an even layer, and freeze until solid. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
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