Best Sweet Potato Gnocchi Recipe (2024)

Looking for a way to switch up pasta night? Level up your favorite gnocchi recipes by swapping out classic russet potatoes for the super spud. If you’ve never made pasta at home before, no sweat—it’s much easier to make than you may think. Prepare your gnocchi dough the night before, then prepare and cook the next day when you’re ready to eat! We provided a recipe for a sweet-savory maple bacon sauce here, but you’ve got plenty of pairing options when it comes to this sweet potato gnocchi. Here’s how to make it the best it can be:

How to make sweet potato gnocchi:
To make sweet potato gnocchi, you first need cooked sweet potatoes. You can do it one of two ways: either baked for 1 hour or microwaved for 5-10 minutes until knife-tender and creamy. Let it cool off for 10 to 20 minutes, then peel and mash.

The maple syrup and ricotta in this gnocchi dough are both technically optional, but why would you skip out on flavor when you can carpe diem? Due to varying sweet potato sizes and moisture levels, it's important to gauge the texture of your dough and add flour accordingly: you want your final dough to be soft and super pliable, but not sticky to the touch. A resting period in the fridge is highly recommended, as is using enough bench flour during the rolling and shaping process.

Sauce & serving ideas for sweet potato gnocchi:
You can serve your gnocchi boiled or seared, either in a caramelized sauce of bacon fat, butter, maple syrup, and bourbon or in a simple cacio e pepe finish like in this potato gnocchi recipe. I also served my bowl with some fried parsley, but beware, it is a dangerous affair: even when dabbed dry, the parsley leaves caused intensively explosive splattering. To keep things on the safe side, I'd recommend just some chopped fresh herbs of your choice, unless you really want to give yourself something to cry about.

Storage.
This recipe yields about 60 gnocchi pieces. If you can't eat it all in one go, freeze them in a single layer on a flour sheet tray. Once hardened, transfer to a resealable container and store in the freezer until you're ready for your next meal.

If you've made this recipe, drop a comment down below and let us know how you liked it!

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Yields:
4 - 6 serving(s)
Total Time:
2 hrs 15 mins
Cal/Serv:
562

Ingredients

For the gnocchi

  • 1 lb.

    sweet potatoes (2 medium)

  • 1/4 c.

    ricotta

  • 2 tbsp.

    maple syrup

  • 1/2 tsp.

    kosher salt

  • 1/2 tsp.

    sweet paprika

  • 1/4 tsp.

    freshly ground black pepper

  • Pinch freshly grated nutmeg

  • 1

    large egg

  • 1/2 c.

    whole wheat flour

  • 1 1/2 c.

    all-purpose flour, plus more as needed

For the maple bacon sauce

  • 2

    slices thick-cut bacon, diced

  • 2 tbsp.

    butter

  • 1/4 c.

    maple syrup

  • 1 tbsp.

    bourbon

  • 1/2 tsp.

    smoked paprika, plus more for serving

  • Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving

  • Chopped fresh herbs

Directions

    1. Step1Wash and dry sweet potatoes, then pierce all over with a fork. Cook until tender and creamy by oven or microwave.Let cool slightly.
    2. Step2When potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut in half and scoop out insides. Discard skins. Run potatoes through a ricer or mash well with a fork.
    3. Step3In a large bowl, combine riced potatoes, ricotta, maple, salt, paprika, pepper, nutmeg, and egg until smooth. Fold in whole wheat flour and gradually add all-purpose flour until a soft dough forms, ¼ cup at a time. Cover and chill for 30 minutes, up to overnight.
    4. Step4Divide dough into 4 pieces and roll each piece into a long rope, about ½” in diameter. Cut ropes into 1” pieces and place on a lightly floured baking sheet. If desired, roll gnocchi along the tines of a fork to create ridges.
    5. Step5In a pot of boiling salted water, cook gnocchi in batchesuntil it floats to the top, 2 to 3minutes.
    6. Step6Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crispy. Transfer bacon pieces to a plate and keep 2 tablespoons bacon fat in the skillet.
    7. Step7Add butter and cooked gnocchi to skillet and fry until golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer gnocchi to a plate.
    8. Step8Add maple, bourbon, and smoked paprika to skillet and cook until saucy, about 2 minutes. Toss cooked gnocchi in the sauce to coat evenly.
    9. Step9Garnish with Parmesan, more paprika, and herbs if desired before serving.

Best Sweet Potato Gnocchi Recipe (2)

Related Video: Cacio e Pepe Potato Gnocchi

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Best Sweet Potato Gnocchi Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Should sweet potato gnocchi dough be sticky? ›

I like to use my fingers to mix, so that I have a good feel for the dough. After the egg, work in 1/2 cup (50g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese. The dough will be quite sticky at this point, but don't worry as you'll be adding flour in just a few minutes. Sprinkle about 1/2 cup (60g) of flour onto the dough.

Does sweet potato gnocchi taste different? ›

What does Sweet Potato Gnocchi taste like? Gnocchi is often made with potatoes and tastes the same. But when you use sweet potatoes in the recipe then gnocchi turns out a little sweet. They don't have an empowering sweet flavor but have a little sweet after taste.

What is the best flour for gnocchi? ›

Some gnocchi recipes recommend floury potatoes instead, such as Idaho potatoes or Russet potatoes, but I don't always agree. They're too mealy. Tipo 00 Flour is a soft, fine milled flour from Italy. It's a must-have for light and tender gnocchi and homemade pasta.

How do you cook gnocchi so it is not mushy? ›

When cool enough to handle, scrape off the skins and push the potato through a ricer or food mill, then, while still warm, start working your dough on a floured work surface. (Here, Davies offers up another tip to fight the mush: “Spread out the mash to cool; the escaping steam will further take away any moisture.”)

Why is my sweet potato gnocchi tough? ›

Tip: don't over-knead the dough. Over-kneading will develop the gluten in the flour, making the sweet potato gnocchi overly chewy and tough.

Should gnocchi float when done? ›

Poach gnocchi in batches in a pan of lightly salted water for 2-4 minutes. Cooked gnocchi will float to the top. Strain and serve immediately with a good pasta sauce.

What is the best store bought sweet potato gnocchi? ›

Best Sweet Potato Gnocchi: Cappello's Sweet Potato Gnocchi

Both Trader Joe's and Capello's sweet potato gnocchi were delicious in flavor and texture, but we like that Cappello's product offers the ability to pair with any sauce or topping. (Trader Joe's version comes with an already mixed-in butter and sage sauce.)

Should gnocchi be soft or chewy? ›

Cooked gnocchi should have a light, squidgy texture, and should not be tough and chewy.

Is gnocchi better with or without egg? ›

Egg yolk added to your gnocchi dough helps improve texture, and keep it together while cooking. Gnocchi is traditionally made with eggs in Veneto and no eggs in Piedmont, the two Northern Italian regions famous for gnocchi. We vote for egg yolks at the rate of 1 per (500g) 1 lb of uncooked potatoes used.

What kind of potato is best for gnocchi? ›

Russets will do, but Yukon Golds have more of the nutty flavor of the yellow-fleshed boiling potatoes used by the Italian and Provençal cooks who have mastered gnocchi.

How do you make gnocchi taste better? ›

A few of my favourites:
  1. cream cheese (just melt it over the gnocchi in the pan, with a dash of water to thin it out)
  2. pesto (especially homemade!)
  3. a light tomato sauce (or even just some chopped fresh tomatoes)
  4. a creamy tomato and mascarpone sauce.
  5. garlic mushrooms cooked in butter.
May 1, 2020

Is it better to boil or fry gnocchi? ›

The downside is that boiling can result in gummy, waterlogged gnocchi if you cook them too long. This is more of an issue when boiling store-bought gnocchi than with homemade ones. Frying gnocchi in a little butter or oil takes more effort, and the dumplings will be crisp on the outside, chewy and soft on the inside.

Why is gnocchi so expensive? ›

does take a bit of time to make, not because the. ingredients are expensive. They're potatoes.

Why is my gnocchi dough still sticky? ›

If it's too sticky, add a little more flour, but only a tablespoon at a time. Too much makes the dough heavy.

What consistency should gnocchi dough be? ›

What should gnocchi dough feel like? It should feel smooth, supple, and easy to roll without sticking to anything. If the mixture is too tacky, work in a little more flour. The dough should be firm enough to hold its shape, but not bouncily so.

Why is my gnocchi dough sticky after cooking? ›

When baking, you should always stick to adding flour to the mix gradually. It is very easy to add too much flour to gnocchi dough, which can make these dumplings glutinous, gummy, and sticky.

Why is my gnocchi still sticky? ›

The dough is sticky.

If you have added egg, it might have been over-incorporated. Start over, using a sifter to deliver the flour gradually. Or the weather and humidity might be a factor. Some cooks switch to alternative gnocchi recipes — ricotta instead of potato — in the summer.

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