Creamy and delicious, pumpkin gnocchi made with spinach, pine nuts and a brown butter sauce is perfect for celebrating the holiday season. It’s very healthy and easy to make as well!
This month is pumpkin everything month. I always try to make something with this colorful and flavourful vegetable as its very healthy and one of my favorites, so this year I decided to try making pumkpin gnocchi. Gnocchi is basically little dumplings made with potato. Traditionally they are made with white potato but I decided to change things a bit, and make them healthier by using yam instead. I served them with a delicious brown butter sauce, wilted baby spinach and pine nuts, and the results were spectacular.
I served the gnocchi on it’s own as a formal dinner entree. The next day, I had the leftovers with a salad for lunch. So yummy either way and you can freeze the gnocchi as well for thawing and eating at a later date.
Making pumpkin gnocchi
Gnocchi seems like a very sophisticated dish but it’s surprisingly easy to make. It just takes one bowl, a clean cutting surface and an hour or so. The results are impressive and delicious and well worth the effort. The perfect meal to celebrate pumpkin spice season!
Instructions
Step 1: Make the gnocchi
● Begin by measuring out and combining the ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Gently stir them together until combined. Be sure to not overmix the dough. That will make your gnocchi hard and dense. You want them to be light, so mix until just mixed.
● Once the dough is formed, place it on a well floured clean surface.The dough will be quite sticky so have a bowl of flour on hand to keep it from sticking too much.
● Next, pat out the dough to flatten slightly. Gently roll out the dough until about 1/2 inch thick.
● Cut the dough into strips and then into one inch pieces. I use a floured pastry cutter which makes the job alot easier. Keep some flour handy to coat the cutter to insure the dough doesn’t stick to it. Tip: it helps to score the dough before cutting.
● Place the completed gnocchi on a well floured plate or baking tray. Make sure none of them are touching as they will stick together. Press down with a fork to create the traditional pattern.
Step 2: Cooking the gnocchi
● Boil the gnocchi by dropping them individually into a medium large pot of boiling water. Once they float to the top, about 20-30 seconds, remove with a slotted spoon and place in a colander to drain. Repeat until all the gnocchi are cooked.
● After the gnocchi is boiled, heat a non stck frying pan over medium high heat. Add a little oil and fill a with pan the gnocchi.
● Fry the gnocchi without stirring them, gently shake the pan instead, from time to time, until the bottoms is browned. Then give the pan a quick stir fry and place gnocchis in a large mixing bowl. Repeat until all the gnocchis are fried. Once fried, place in a large bowl and set aside.
Step 3: Making the Brown Butter Sauce
● Begin by roasting the pine nuts. Roast in a pan for a minute or two. Remove from pan and set aside.
● In the same pan, add a little olive oil. Add a few sage leave, and a large smashed and minced garlic clove. Brown them in the little oil until sage leaves are slightly crisp. Remove them and add the vegan butter and seasonings to the pan. Stir until slightly brown. Once done, pour over the gnocchi in the large mixing bowl.
● The final step is frying the spinach. I just pan fried the spinach in the remainders of the sauce. This only takes a few seconds. When barely wilted, add the gnocchi and stir fry until everything is well heated, about 30 seconds to a minute.
Step 4: Serving the gnocchi
To serve the gnocchi, place on individual plates and top with pine nuts. Serve them with vegan parmesan and freshly ground pepper if you like. They are best served fresh and warm. Enjoy!
More Festive Fall Favorites
Fall is a great time to veganize and enjoy your seasonal favorites. As the weather cools, eating lots of colourful seasonal products and a wholly plant based diet is the kind and healthy choice. Here are some of my favorites:
Baked Spaghetti Squash with Cashew Cheese
Cauliflower and Banana Skin Curry
A whole foods vegan diet is healthy, kind to animals, and kind to the planet. It is also delicious and affordable. If you like this recipe, please share! ~Una
Pumpkin Gnocchi with Spinach,Pine Nuts and Brown Butter Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 medium large yam Peeled, boiled and mashed
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 chia egg 1 tablespoon chia seed mixed with 3 tablespoons water, let sit for 15 minutes and stir.
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 3/4 cups spelt flour more as needed
- 1 teaspoon stevia seasoning or commercial salt free blend
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter
- A few sage leaves
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon Spelt flour
- 1 tablespoon coconut cream
- 1/2 cup starchy water leftover from boiling the gnocchi
- 2 teaspoons olive oil for frying
- 2 packed cups raw baby spinach
- 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts for garnish
- 1/4 cup vegan parmesan for garnish
- Fresh ground pepper optional
Instructions
- Peel and boil the yam until tender. Drain and mash yams well.
- Combine the mashed yam with the pumpkin puree in a large mixing bowl. Add the chia egg and stir until well mixed. Add the flour and stevia seasoning. Mix well but don’t overmix.
- Turn dough onto a well floured surface and form into a loaf shape.
- Cut off 3/4 cup of the dough and gently pull, pinch and pat down until it forms a rope shape, about 13 inches in length. You can also gently roll it. Cut into bite sized pieces.
- Press each gnocchi with a fork to create a line pattern on top. Place finished gnocchi pieces on well floured plates or baking sheets (this recipe fills 4 plates or two large baking sheets).
- Bring a medium large pot of water to boil. Add the gnocchi, carefully, one at a time, to the water. Work in batches and don't overcrowd the pot.
- When the gnocchis rise to the top of the pot, about 20-30 seconds, immediately remove them with a slotted spoon. Place them in a colander to drain. Once all the gnocchis are cooked, reserve the boiling water and set aside.
- Frying gnocchi: Add 2 teaspoon of olive oil to a large nonstick skillet. Add enough gnocchi to fill the pan.Pan fry the gnocchi, gently shaking it but not stirring, so one side will be lightly crispy and browned and the other side, still soft. Once cooked place in a large mixing bowl. Repeat until all the gnocchis are cooked. Place fried gnocci in a large bowl and set aside.
- Toast the pine nuts in a dry non stick pan for a minute or less until slightly browned. Set aside.
- In the same pan, over medium heat add the vegan butter, sage leaves, and minced garlic. Let the garlic and sage cook for a few minutes over low heat. When the sage leaves are starting to get crispy, remove from the pan. Let butter brown slightly.
- Add the flour to the pan, and stir well. Add the coconut cream and stir well. Add the starchy water slowly while stirring. When well heated, pour over the gnocchi. If there are any lumps, you can strain it through a sieve.
- Pan fry the spinach in the same pan for a few seconds until slightly wilted. Add the gnocchi and stir fry for a few more seconds until it's heated. Remove from heat.
- Toss immediately with the toasted pine nuts. Serve with freshly ground pepper and vegan parmesan cheese.
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