Pasta Week continues! Yesterday I showed you how I made whole wheat fettuccine with my KitchenAid Stand Mixer. Today I'm going to show you how to make sweet potato gnocchi. And for gnocchi, you don't need any special equipment--only a fork and a knife! This is a pasta I've made before and while it does take a little time, it's pretty doable.
Most sweet potato gnocchi calls for potatoes that are steamed, boiled, or microwaved. I bake my sweet potatoes instead. Why? Because baking the potato brings out its natural sweetness, so you can cut down on the sugar.
Your main goal with gnocchi should be to add as little flour as possible. To help you achieve this, you need to let both the ricotta cheese and the mashed sweet potato sit in a fine mesh sieve for a bit--about two hours is good. This will allow some of the moisture to drain off.
Combine the sweet potato and ricotta in a medium bowl.
Add parmesan cheese, brown sugar (just a pinch!), and salt. Stir that all together.
Now you stir in the flour. Add it 2 tablespoons at a time. Remember, the less flour you add, the better! You want a dough that can be worked with, but if it's a little bit sticky, that's okay.
Turn out the dough onto a floured surface. I roll it around in the flour a little bit so it's easier to work with--like I said, it's going to be a little sticky.
Now divide the dough into 3 equal pieces. Roll them in a little more flour if they're sticky.
Shape each piece into a rope by rolling and stretching with the palms of your hands. When you finish, it should be about 20-inches long. Again, you can roll the dough in flour so it doesn't stick. I tend not to worry about the flour on the outside of the dough; my main goal is to not incorporate too much into the dough.
Now use a knife to cut your dough into 1-inch pieces. You can be done at this point, or you can add an extra step…
…by rolling each gnocchi on a fork. Put a little flour on your thumb and press gently into the center of the gnocchi, rocking it back and forth. Shaping the gnocchi like this is a pain, but it helps sauce stick.
Set aside your finished gnocchi on a floured surface.
Boil the gnocchi in a pot of salted water a handful or two at a time. When the gnocchi is finished, it will float to the top of the pot--this takes 3-5 minutes. Remove the gnocchi with a slotted spoon. Drain well.
When all the gnocchi is done boiling, saute it in a little butter or oil. I like adding fresh herbs too--rosemary or sage are both fantastic with sweet potato gnocchi. Cook until the gnocchi is nicely browned.
Want a printable version of this recipe? No problem! Here it is:
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ c. mashed roasted sweet potato drained in fine mesh sieve for about 2 hours
- 6 oz. ricotta cheese drained in fine mesh sieve for about 2 hours
- ½ c. shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp. salt
- brown sugar
- about 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour + more for rolling and shaping gnocchi
Instructions
- Combine sweet potato and ricotta in a large bowl. Add parmesan cheese, salt, and brown sugar. Stir until well-combined. Fold in flour, 2 tablespoons at a time, until a dough is formed. Try to incorporate as little flour as possible--the dough should be slightly sticky, but not so sticky that you can't work with it.
- Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Divide into 3 pieces. Using your palms, roll and stretch each piece into a 20-inch rope. Add more flour as needed.
- Use a knife to cut each rope into 20 one-inch pieces. If you like, you can shape gnocchi using the tines of a fork; place gnocchi on fork and gently press the center with your thumb, rocking back and forth.
- Boil finished gnocchi one or two handfuls at a time in a large pot of salted water for 3-5 minutes, until tender. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a baking sheet to cool.
- Saute gnocchi in a tablespoon of butter or olive oil over medium-high heat until heated through and starting to brown, about 6 minutes. You can also add minced fresh herbs (like sage or rosemary), garlic or caramelized onions.
Hollyanne says
Do you peel the sweet potato after baking? Can't wait to try this!
Kiersten says
Yes, you peel it--I'm not a fan of sweet potato skin! I just added a note to the recipe. Thanks!
Brian @ A Thought For Food says
Darling, this looks absolutely amazing. I've made gnocchi once and it was quite tasty, but I haven't made it since. Thanks for the inspiration!
Sommer@ASpicyPerspective says
Cute and delicious! I always assign my kids as gnocchi rollers. 🙂
Kiersten says
This is why I need to have kids. So I can make them work in the kitchen.
Oh wait, I mean, so I can love and cherish them! That's what I meant!
Shelly says
Have you ever tried making a large batch and freezing the gnocchi before you boil it? If you have frozen it, at what point would you do it and would you thaw them before you cook them or just pop them in boiling water straight from the freezer?
I can't wait to make this recipe!
Kiersten says
I haven't frozen gnocchi before, but I tried it with this batch. I've read some people saying that you should freeze before boiling and other people saying you should freeze after. I did after. We'll see how they turn out!
katie says
Ok, I'll admit it... I've only tried making gnocchi once and it was a complete disaster. I think I might need to try your recipe! 😉
Kiersten says
It's definitely something that takes practice! I bet if you do it again, they'll turn out better.
Susan says
I'm interested in the freezing question too. Another question: could you use winter squash instead of sweet potatoes?
Kiersten says
I've never frozen gnocchi before, but I'm experimenting with this batch--I haven't reheated them yet, so I can't say how they turn out. I boiled them and then froze them, although some people freeze them before boiling. And yes, winter squash works too!
Samantha says
All I need is a fork and a knife. I'm sold.
Ashley - Baker by Nature says
Oooooo I want to make these so bad! They're so cute, and we're overwhelmed with all the sweet potatoes currently residing on our counter top.
Clay says
Any substitution suggestions for a vegan version? Nutritional Yeast maybe?
Kiersten says
Because gnocchi is a little bit fussy, I think I'd add nutritional yeast after sauteing the gnocchi, as a seasoning. You could try using soft tofu instead of the ricotta or omit it altogether, upping the amount of sweet potatoes. If you give it a try, let me know how it turns out!
Jackie @ The Beeroness says
Gnocchi is one of my Last Meal On Earth foods. Love this.
Diane (createdbydiane) says
So pretty and undoubtedly delicious, I will be putting these on my list to make!
JulieD says
wow, looks amazing!! I want some with brown butter!!!
Tricia Nightowlmama says
that looks so easy and I bet so tasty i really need to make these for a holiday dish they'd be great
Alison @ Ingredients, Inc. says
wow this rocks! YES please! I have never made gnocchi but now I am going to give it a shot
Cassie says
Now I want gnocchi for dinner so much. This looks beyond amazing!!
Shirley says
I love that you use a baked sweet potato. It sounds so flavorful, as opposed to some bland potato gnocchi I've had before. Gnocchi is one thing I haven't tackled. I feel like I've never prepared in advance and there isn't enough time for dinner. One of these days I have to set aside a few hours and do it!
Kiersten says
I think it's a good weekend meal. Not so much the kind of thing you want to make after work!
Russell van Kraayenburg says
Yes please! I've never made gnocchi - even though I've always really wanted to - but I think I'm going to start with this one!
CJ @ Morsels of Life says
Gnocchi is one of those things I've always been a bit afraid to make, but your recipe doesn't look too complicated. 🙂
Kiersten says
It definitely takes time to do, but it's one of those things that's worth it in the end!
Natalie says
I love gnocchi! I've only ever made the sweet potato version which I like better than the regular version anyway, but I never knew the trick about draining it - I'll have to try that next time!
Kiersten says
I try to get everything as dry as possible before starting! Otherwise, I end up having to add too much flour and then the gnocchi are heavy.
Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen says
Wonderful tips, the last time I made sweet potato gnocchi they came out a bit soggy so I need to give them another try!
Mumseword says
sorry to ask a silly question, how do we add the herb/garlic? Do you mean Saute all together?
Kiersten says
You can saute it all together or with the herbs, you can add them at the end. Either way!
Carolyn says
What a great step by step tutorial. And the end result looks delicious!
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
Perfect! I like sweet potatoes, a lot more than potatoes.
Lisa | With Style and Grace says
I have always wanted to make gnocchi! Love that you made these with sweet potatoes, my favorite!
Katie (The Muffin Myth) says
Mmmmm. These look great. It's been a while since I made gnocci, but I brought a gnocci board back from Italy this summer and it needs to be tried out! BTW, I have tried freezing gnocci before and have never been happy with how they thawed. I've always boiled (gently) from frozen, but they never are quite the same as before they went in the freezer. I thought next time I'd try just pan frying them rather than boiling and see if they hold up better that way. Let me know how it goes with boiling them before you freeze, maybe that's the trick.
Kiersten says
I am jealous of your gnocchi board! Gnocchi made with those look so much nicer than the ones using a fork. 🙂 I wonder if it's the potatoes that make gnocchi hard to freeze and reheat? I know the texture of frozen potatoes can sometimes be a bit off. Maybe gnocchi made with sweet potatoes or squash wouldn't have that issue?