Easy From-Scratch Homemade Pumpkin Gnocchi Recipe

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From-Scratch Homemade Pumpkin Gnocchi Recipe with Sage makes gnocchi that are perfect by themselves, smothered in sauce, or floating in soups. These pumpkin gnocchi clouds are the easiest you will ever make. I like to call them clouds because they vary in shape and resemble fluffy pillows. No kneading, shaping, rolling, or cutting required. These are for sure the easiest pumpkin gnocchi.

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I was first introduced to gnocchi through the writing of the late Louis Zamperini. (Yes, the star of the book Unbroken and the movie by the same name.)

In his book, Zamperini described his mother’s wonderful ability to make the most heavenly gnocchi. It was a memory (and taste) that stuck with him even while adrift at sea.

If gnocchi was the thing Zamperini remembered with such longing while at sea, I thought, then it must be something great.

So, of course, I had to try it. I found a recipe, made a few adjustments, whipped up a batch, and gobbled them down.

And they didn’t disappoint.

WHAT IS GNOCCHI?

Gnocchi is a classic Italian food. It is somewhat akin to noodles, just made with a potato base and seasoned in various ways. A common way to make gnocchi is to roll the dough and cut it into bite-sized pieces, then to boil it, and finally to fry it in butter or oil.

HOW DO YOU EVEN PRONOUNCE GNOCCHI?

Like so many other words of Greek and Italian origin (think gyro), gnocchi begins with a tricky consonant blend. When you try to pronounce it, don’t pronounce the g. Instead, think of the /n/ like the /n/ in the word “knee.” It stands alone. Then, to form the whole word, say “n-yah-kee.” (To give this word’s pronunciation a listen, try this.)

WHY IS GNOCCHI HARD TO MAKE?

People might think gnocchi is difficult to make because of the formation process. (I did.) While gnocchi is easy to mix together, making gnocchi the Italian way requires a rather long process of rolling and cutting, boiling and frying. The end result is delicious and well worth the effort.

EASY PUMPKIN GNOCCHI RECIPE (THE SECRET TO HOW TO MAKE EASY GNOCCHI)

The traditional way of making gnocchi is all good and well and yields splendid food. For myself, however, I had to find an easier way to make gnocchi. I liked gnocchi enough to want to make it frequently, but I was not about to spend an hour slaving over it in the kitchen. (Maybe you are much faster than I am at rolling and cutting sticky dough.)

So I made some shortcuts. I didn’t roll. I didn’t cut. I just pinched off bits of gnocchi dough and dropped them straight into a pot of boiling water.

Yep. I cheated. (Kind of.)

I don’t know if Zamperini would tsk in disapproval or if he would just be glad a hungry belly was filled.

WHAT KIND OF PUMPKIN CAN YOU USE TO MAKE PUMPKIN GNOCCHI?

The best type of pumpkin to use in making pumpkin gnocchi is a sweet pumpkin. Some varieties of sweet pumpkin include Baby Bear Pumpkin, Cinderella Pumpkin, Early Sweet Sugar Pie, and Jarrahdale.

WHAT SQUASH CAN YOU SUBSTITUTE FOR PUMPKIN?

If you don’t have pumpkin on hand (or simply have an abundant harvest of squash), you can also substitute butternut squash or Kabocha squash for the pumpkin for sweet pumpkin in this recipe. Their flavor and texture are similar enough that you probably won’t even notice the difference.

HOW DO YOU CHOP A WHOLE PUMPKIN?

There are several methods for chopping up a pumpkin. I have found that using a knife like an ax (without any hands on the pumpkin to secure it) is the most efficient way (in my experience) to break through the very hard rind. Once the rind is broken, I then either 1) pull the pumpkin apart into halves (if it is rather small) or 2) push down on the knife to break through the rest of the rind. Then I lay each half on its side (rind side down on the cutting board) and slice through it like an apple, removing the seeds as I go.

For another way to chop pumpkin, watch this video.

HOW DO YOU PREPARE PUMPKIN PUREE FROM SCRATCH?

Making pumpkin puree is easier than you might initially think. The hardest part (in my experience) is slicing through the tough outer rind of the pumpkin. After that, you need to boil the pumpkin and then scoop the pumpkin from the rind and mash it into a pulp.

How to Make Pumpkin Puree:

Follow these steps to make homemade pumpkin puree from scratch to use in a recipe instead of canned pumpkin.

1. Cut through the rind of the pumpkin. For this, you need to use a sharp knife and a lot of care. I have found it extremely efficient to lay the pumpkin on a solid cutting board and then (with no hands on the pumpkin) to make the initial cut into the rind by chopping it with the knife like an ax.
2. Slice the pumpkin into small pieces. After that initial slice through the rind, cutting the pumpkin is a bit easier, and sometimes you can even pull apart the pumpkin into two halves. Once you have broken through the rind, turn the pumpkin over and slice into sections, following the grooves on the outer rind of the pumpkin. Then cut those sections into smaller pieces. (The smaller you can get the pieces, the faster they will cook.)
3. Remove the pumpkin seeds.
4. Boil the pumpkin slices. Place the pumpkin in a stock pot and boil it in water for about 15 minutes, or until the pumpkin is tender and you can easily mash it.
5. Drain the pumpkin.
6. Let cool.
7. Scoop the pumpkin out of the rind. You can easily do this with a spoon. Spoon the pumpkin into a bowl where you can mash it. (I like to use stainless steel bowls rather than plastic because I don’t want any bad chemicals leeching into my family’s food.)
8. Use a fork or spoon to mash the pumpkin into a puree.
9. Use two cups of the homemade pumpkin puree just as you would a can of store-bought pumpkin puree.

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE PUMPKIN GNOCCHI FROM SCRATCH

1. Mix together pumpkin puree, egg, cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, and shredded mozzarella cheese.
2. Add all-purpose flour to make a dough.
3. Bring a pot of water to a boil.
4. Pinch off bite-sized pieces of gnocchi dough and drop them into the boiling water. Boil for about 2-3 minutes, or until the gnocchi floats to the top of the water.
5. Then fry the gnocchi in butter or oil to brown on both sides.
6. Season with salt, ground black pepper, and sage, to taste.

The exact measurements for the recipe are in the recipe card at the end of this post.

WHAT RECIPES CAN YOU ADD GNOCCHI TO? WHAT SAUCES GO WELL WITH GNOCCHI?

This gnocchi is a delicious addition to chicken soup, so make sure to check out Chicken Soup with Pumpkin Gnocchi Rivels (recipe coming soon!). You can also eat gnocchi by itself. If you season it well (I recommend ground black pepper, salt, and sage), then it tastes heavenly. Other options for serving gnocchi are in a simple cream sauce or fried in browned butter.

TOOLS YOU WILL NEED TO MAKE PUMPKIN GNOCCHI

mixing bowl

a wooden spoon

a large pot for boiling water (like this stock pot)

a slotted noodle spoon

a frying pan

a cooking spatula

CLOSING THOUGHTS

I love myself a bowl of good pumpkin gnocchi, and I can’t wait for you to try it! Tag @myhome.yourhome.ourhome on Instagram when you do! I’d love to see your creation!

And be sure to check out more international recipes.

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