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Keeping things cozy and delicious today with this Pumpkin Cauliflower Gnocchi with Nutty Browned Butter and Whipped Ricotta. Making gnocchi at home is easy with this recipe using mashed cauliflower, pumpkin puree, flour, parmesan and eggs. It’s light, pillowy, and tossed in a delicious nutty hazelnut and sage brown butter sauce. This gnocchi is the perfect fall comfort food!
Starting Monday off with gnocchi might seem a little indulgent, but in the fall, anything goes, and it’s all about the cozy recipes. Plus, this gnocchi is really just like eating a plate full of colorful vegetables…because the two main ingredients are cauliflower and pumpkin. So you see? A plate full of vegetables with a side of whipped ricotta cheese…and nutty sage brown butter sauce too. Best kind of Monday (health) food.
Watch Me Make This Gnocchi on Instagram:
OK. That might be a stretch but just go with me on this. Every last ounce of this homemade pumpkin gnocchi recipe is mouth-watering delicious and you need it in your life.
Today…
All the details you need to know…
First, this gnocchi recipe is easier than you think and worth any extra time spent in the kitchen. Trust me on this.
Second, to sum this up real quick, you’re basically mixing pumpkin puree with steamed and mashed cauliflower, flour, parmesan, and eggs. Yes, this gnocchi has just 5 ingredients. And while it takes some hands-on time, it’s really fairly simple to make. For whatever reason, gnocchi gets a bad rap for being difficult. But it’s actually simple and always so much better when made at home. At least in my opinion.
The soft dough comes together in no time. Once you’ve mashed the cauliflower, just mix everything else in. Then it’s time to shape the gnocchi.
When it comes to forming the gnocchi, I keep it very, very simple. I like to roll the gnocchi dough into a long rope and then just cut that rope into pieces. And that’s it. No fancy tools, no fancy rolling method. Just keeping it simple.
Once you’ve rolled and shaped the gnocchi they can be covered and kept in the refrigerator for a day or so. Then just boil them off before you’re ready to eat.
Here’s what I have to say about this fall recipe.
You do not taste the cauliflower, but you do indeed taste the pumpkin. So, this isn’t anything like Trader Joe’s Cauliflower gnocchi, though that was where I drew inspiration from. Nope, this is a very unique gnocchi that feels lighter and airier (is that a word?) than most.
It’s different, but GOOD.
Now, for that sauce.
It’s a nutty hazelnut and sage browned butter sauce. It’s truly the best sauce you’ll ever toss your gnocchi with.
Browned butter, garlic, sage, nutmeg, and hazelnuts. 5 ingredients, but when put together they create a rich, warming butter sauce that pairs so well with the pumpkiny flavors in the gnocchi.
You could stop here and the recipe would be great….
But it’s ME, and you all know I like to add in that “extra special” finishing touch to all of my recipes.
Enter the whipped ricotta cheese. Not necessarily needed, but 100% DELICIOUS. If you’re new to whipped ricotta, it’s just what it sounds like, ricotta cheese that has been whipped in the food processor. It’s so creamy, light, and airy, and it makes for the BEST base for pasta of any kind. I first tested this out with my broccoli pesto pasta, but you know what?
I’m pretty sure it’s actually better with this pumpkin gnocchi. Maybe it depends on your mood, but seeing as I’m currently embracing all things fall, this recipe is at the top of my list, and the whipped ricotta is what seals the deal.
When the warm, nutty, buttery, gnocchi is spooned over the light, creamy whipped ricotta, the cheese melts into a sauce, mixing with the butter and gnocchi.
Oh my…SO GOOD!
To recap this fall pumpkin cauliflower gnocchi is…
…extra soft and pillowy.
…has hints of sweet pumpkin throughout.
…is made healthier with the addition of mashed cauliflower.
…tossed in an addicting hazelnut and sage butter sauce.
…spooned over whipped ricotta cheese.
…and topped with crispy, fried sage.
Every last bite is mouth-watering. I’d go on to say more, but really that’s all you need to know. Make this tonight, this weekend, just sometime this fall. It’s one of the best autumn pasta dishes you can enjoy.
Tip? Pour yourself a glass of wine or make your favorite cocktail and cozy up by the fire with a bowl full of pumpkin gnocchi and your favorite fall TV show.
Perfect night.
If you make this fall pumpkin cauliflower gnocchi with nutty browned butter and whipped ricotta, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Pumpkin Cauliflower Gnocchi with Nutty Browned Butter and Whipped Ricotta.
Servings: 6 6
Calories Per Serving: 735 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2-2 cups cauliflower florets
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1 egg
- 2 1/2 - 3 cups all-purpose flour, use more as needed (or use GF flour blend)
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese, whipped in the food processor, if desired
Hazelnut Browned Butter Sauce
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, lightly smashed
- 12 fresh sage leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/4 cup raw chopped hazelnuts (optional)
- kosher salt and black pepper
Instructions
- 1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add cauliflower florets and cook until tender, 10 minutes. Drain well.2. Add the cauliflower to a food processor, pulse until smooth (or simply mash well with a fork). Measure out about 1 cup mashed cauliflower and transfer to a large bowl. Add the pumpkin, 2 1/2 cups flour, the parmesan, egg, and salt. Stir the mixture until just combined. If the dough seems wet, add a tablespoon of flour at a time, until it can be formed into a ball. The dough should be sticky.3. Generously flour a clean counter and scrape the dough out onto it. Cut the dough into four equal pieces. Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll the dough into a rope about 1 inch thick and cut into bite-size pieces. Repeat this process with the other pieces of dough. Place the gnocchi on a baking sheet that has been dusted with flour. At this point, the gnocchi can be kept covered in the fridge for up to 1 day, and then boiled just before you are ready to eat. Or boiled right away.5. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the gnocchi until they float to the top and are cooked through, about 3-4 minutes. Remove the gnocchi using a slotted spoon or spider strainer. Reserve about a cup of the gnocchi cooking water. 6. To make the sauce. Heat the butter, garlic, sage, and hazelnuts, if using, in a large skillet over medium heat and cook butter until it begins to brown, about 3-4 minutes. Remove the garlic and sage from the skillet. Add the nutmeg, 1/4 cup of the reserved gnocchi cooking water, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Drop the gnocchi into the sauce, gently tossing to combine. If the sauce thickens up, add a splash more of cooking water to thin it a bit.7. Spread the ricotta cheese into the bottom of each individual serving bowl. Spoon the gnocchi and sauce over the ricotta. Top with sage. Scoop the gnocchi up with the ricotta and the sauce. EAT and ENJOY.
Notes
To Freeze: Prepare the gnocchi through step 3. Freeze on a parchment like baking sheet for 1-2 hours. Transfer the gnocchi to a freezer bag or freezer safe container for up to 4 months. To cook, boil from frozen for 5-7 minutes, until the gnocchi float.
To Make Gluten Free: Use an equal amount of your favorite gluten free flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour. I recommend Cup4Cup gluten free flour.
This post was originally published on October 7, 2019
this was delicious and fairly easy! The whipped ricotta was a perfect addition!
Thank you so much Chelsea! xTieghan
This was amazing! Added bonus, I made these with my 4 year old. He loved the whole fun time and gobbled then up!
Thank you so much Jackie! xTieghan
Going to make this for a dinner party! Could I make the dough the night before and refrigerate it until the next day?
Hi Kelsey! Yes, that works really well! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan ???
October 13, 2019 at 10:15 PM – Hi there! I am sorry, there is no gram measurement of flour for this recipe. Can you please clarify what it is you are asking? Thank you! xTieghan
If using the metric ingredient list for Pumpkin Cauliflower Gnocchi with Nutty Browned Butter and Whipped Ricotta it shows 687.5 g all-purpose flour. Did I miss read it? Some of the comments show 3 cups of flour being ~360 grams.
Hi! Again, we do not have metric measurements and I am not comfortable converting this as I don’t know the proper conversions. I’d recommend using an online calculator. I am sorry I could not be of more help to you. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan ???
Just made this tonight and it was DELICIOUS! I made the gnocchi a day ahead of time and kept them in the fridge, then cooked them and made the sauce day-of. I do have to say the whipped ricotta gives the presentation that extra *umph* and should not be skipped! 🙂 My husband is a picky eater who doesn’t like pumpkin (or cauliflower) and he liked this! It went on the “make again” list, so you know it’s good. I loved the sage-browned butter sauce and highly recommend this recipe!
That is so great to hear Kayla! Thank you so much for trying this! xTieghan
Mine came out super dense!! Any tips? Felt like I had to keep adding four because it was so sticky and wet.
Hi Gina! I am sorry you had trouble. Was there anything you did differently at all? Any ingredients different? Method of cooking this? How much cauliflower puree did you use? Any info will be helpful to help me problem solve and figure out what might be happening for you. It’s hard to know without knowing any details. Hope I can help you! xTieghan
This looks delicious- however I have one question. I try to follow a reduced carbohydrate diet (diabetes runs in the family), so I oftentimes will cook with almond flour. I’ve had success in my use of this for several recipes, but am wondering as to whether this would be successful here. What do you think?
Hi Elizabeth! I have never made this with almond flour so I can’t really say how it will turn out. If you do try it, I recommend Cup4Cup flour + almond flour. Please let me know if you have any other questions and how it turns out. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
This was a big hit! I made it with the GF flour you recommended – cup4cup – which worked really well. I also omitted the hazelnuts (forgot to buy!) and ricotta bc we’re pretty low-dairy. The recipe was easy and tasted delicious. I sliced the dough into 1/8ths to make it easier to roll out.
I am so happy to hear that Meredith! Thank you! xTieghan
Hey! This recipe looks lush. How many people des it serve?
Hi Lucy! This serves about 6 people. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan ???
Trying this week, how many servings is this though? That’s the one bit of info missing from these amazing recipes
This was a big fail for me. The gnocchi was very hard to roll out, despite adding the max or more amount of flour called for. The gnocchi cooked up very gummy as well. I’m not sure where I went wrong!
Hi Amanda! I am sorry you had trouble. Was there anything you did differently at all? Any ingredients different? Method of cooking? Any info will be helpful to help me problem solve and figure out what might be happening for you. It’s hard to know without knowing any details. Did you happen to watch my video? Maybe that might help? xTieghan
Could I replace the pumpkin purée with pumpkin pie filling? Thanks!!
Hi Hillary, pumpkin pie filling comes flavored with spices, so I do not recommend using that in this recipe. It will leave you with a sweet gnocchi. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan ???
Will you be making a correction to the gram measurement on flour? Made as posted which resulted in very floury pasta.
Hi there! I am sorry, there is no gram measurement of flour for this recipe. Can you please clarify what it is you are asking? Thank you! xTieghan
Made this, Delicious! Way to ring in fall. Loved it.
Thank you so much Shauna! xTieghan
So last night I made my little pumpkin gnocchi pillows and will cook them up for dinner after work tonight! In anticipation of loving this recipe and making it again, do you think it will work if I froze the extra puréed cooked cauliflower that I had? Didn’t have enough pumpkin to make another batch of gnocchi last night so I popped it in the freezer! Yes/no?
Hi JoAnn! Yes, I think freezing the extra cauliflower is genius and that it will be great used in the recipe later on. Just thaw and use as directed. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan ???