This brown butter sage pumpkin gnocchi is soft, pillowy, and easier than you’d think. The dough is just pumpkin, ricotta, Parmesan, an egg yolk, and flour. There are no potatoes to boil, mash, or rice.

Once the little dumplings are cooked, you toss them in nutty brown butter with crispy sage and toasted pecans. A touch of maple syrup and a pinch of red pepper flakes balance it all out. It’s a cozy fall dinner that tastes like it came from a nice restaurant.

Making gnocchi sounds fancy, but this dough comes together in one bowl and you cut it with a regular knife. Kids love helping with the rolling. Make a double batch and freeze half for a busy night.

Why This Pumpkin Gnocchi Works

Ricotta gnocchi are much more forgiving than potato gnocchi. You don’t need special tools, and the dough doesn’t get gummy as easily. The ricotta keeps them light and tender, while the pumpkin adds color and a gentle, earthy sweetness.

The key step is blotting the pumpkin. Canned pumpkin holds a lot of water. Pressing it between paper towels pulls out that extra moisture, so you need less flour. Less flour means softer gnocchi.

Brown butter is the sauce. As butter cooks, the milk solids toast and turn golden, giving it a nutty smell and flavor. Frying the sage and pecans right in that butter makes them crisp and adds crunch to every bite.

Ingredients and Easy Swaps

• Pumpkin puree (¾ cup). Use plain canned pumpkin. Roasted butternut squash puree also works.
• Whole milk ricotta (1 cup). Whole milk gives the best texture. If it looks wet, drain it in a strainer for 15 minutes.
• Egg yolk, Parmesan, salt, and nutmeg. The yolk binds the dough. Parmesan adds a salty, savory flavor. Nutmeg brings out the pumpkin.
• All purpose flour (1¾ cups, plus more for dusting). Add only as much as you need for a soft dough.
• Butter (6 tablespoons) and fresh sage (12 leaves). Use unsalted butter if you want more control over salt. Fresh sage is a must here. Dried sage won’t crisp up.
• Garlic, pecans, and maple syrup. Walnuts or hazelnuts can stand in for pecans. Leave the nuts out for a nut free version.
• Black pepper and red pepper flakes. Just a pinch of flakes for gentle warmth.

How to Make It at a Glance

1. Blot the pumpkin puree between paper towels to remove extra water.
2. Stir the pumpkin, ricotta, egg yolk, Parmesan, salt, and nutmeg together. Add the flour and mix just until a soft dough forms.
3. Cut the dough into 6 pieces, roll each into a ¾ inch rope, and cut into 1 inch pieces.
4. Brown the butter with the sage and pecans, add the garlic, then stir in the maple syrup and peppers.
5. Boil the gnocchi in two batches until they float, plus 1 to 2 minutes.
6. Toss them in the skillet with a splash of pasta water and serve with extra Parmesan.

Tips for the Best Brown Butter Sage Pumpkin Gnocchi

• Use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Pie filling already has sugar and spices in it.
• Freeze uncooked gnocchi on the baking sheet until firm, then move them to a freezer bag. Cook them straight from frozen and add 1 to 2 minutes.
• Short on time? Use 1 pound of store bought potato gnocchi with the same brown butter sage sauce.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Overworking the dough. Stir only until it comes together. Too much mixing makes gnocchi tough and chewy.
• Adding too much flour. The dough should feel like soft play dough. A little sticky is fine. Use flour on your hands and counter instead.
• Burning the butter. Brown butter can go from golden to burnt fast. Stay at the stove, swirl the pan, and pull it off the heat as soon as it smells nutty.
• Crowding the pot. Cook in two batches so the water stays at a boil and the gnocchi don’t stick together.

What to Serve With It

This gnocchi is rich, so pair it with something fresh. An arugula salad with lemon and shaved Parmesan is a great match. Roasted Brussels sprouts or green beans work well too. If you want more protein, serve it next to roast chicken or crumbled Italian sausage.

Storage and Reheating

Uncooked gnocchi freeze best. Cooked leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, warm them in a skillet with a little butter over medium heat until hot and lightly crisp on the edges. The microwave works, but they’ll be softer.

FAQ

Can I use fresh pumpkin?
Yes. Roast it until soft, puree it until smooth, and blot it well. Fresh pumpkin is often wetter than canned.

Do I need a gnocchi board?
No. Plain cut pillows work great and hold the sauce just fine. You can roll them over the back of a fork for ridges if you like.

How do I know when the gnocchi are done?
They float to the top when they’re almost ready. Give them 1 to 2 more minutes after that, then scoop them out.

Can I make the dough ahead?
It’s best to shape the gnocchi right away. The dough gets wetter as it sits. Shape them, then refrigerate on a floured sheet for a few hours or freeze them.

Craving more pumpkin? Try our Pumpkin Mac and Cheese, or make a meatless night of it with our Stuffed Delicata Squash Boats. For more ideas, see all of our cozy fall pasta recipes.

Brown Butter Sage Pumpkin Gnocchi

Recipe by Derek Jacobson

Servings

4

servings

Cook Mode

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Ingredients

• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree

• 1 cup whole-milk ricotta

• 1 large egg yolk

• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

• 6 tablespoons butter

• 12 fresh sage leaves

• 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced

• 1/3 cup chopped pecans

• 1 teaspoon maple syrup

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

• Pinch of red pepper flakes

Directions

• Spread the pumpkin puree on a double layer of paper towels and blot the top with more towels. Pulling out extra water keeps the dough from getting sticky.
• In a large bowl, stir the pumpkin, ricotta, egg yolk, Parmesan, salt and nutmeg until smooth. Add the flour and stir with a spatula just until a soft dough forms. It should feel like soft play dough. Add 2 to 3 more tablespoons of flour if it is very sticky.
• Turn the dough onto a floured counter and cut it into 6 pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 3/4 inch thick, then cut the rope into 1-inch pieces. Set them on a floured baking sheet so they don’t touch.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. While it heats, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sage leaves and pecans and cook, swirling the pan, for 3 to 4 minutes, until the butter smells nutty and turns golden brown and the sage is crisp. Add the garlic for the last 30 seconds. Turn off the heat and stir in the maple syrup, black pepper and red pepper flakes.
• Drop the gnocchi into the boiling water in two batches. Once they float, cook 1 to 2 minutes more. Scoop them straight into the skillet with a slotted spoon, along with a splash of the pasta water.
• Toss gently over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, until the gnocchi are coated and glossy. Serve right away with extra Parmesan.

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