Sweet Potato Gnocchi

Turn sweet potatoes into tender sweet potato gnocchi -- making them from scratch is easier than you think!
sweet potato gnocchi

Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite foods. Roasted, mashed, braised, stewed – I'll take them any way I can get them. And that's a good thing because they're brimming with fiber and powerful antioxidants, like beta carotene. On a recent Saturday, I decided to get creative and make gnocchi with a couple of HUGE sweet potatoes I had on hand. What a delight! The dough comes together in a snap and the only time-consuming (but fun) part is rolling it out and cutting it into little puffy balls of pasta. After I boiled them for a few minutes, I simmered the sweet and tender morsels in a mixture of broth, butter, sage and maple syrup. The sweet ingredients brought out the sweetness of the sweet potatoes and the savory ingredients (Parmesan cheese, sage, nutmeg) made the perfect contrast. I think you're gonna love this recipe! Let me know!

Sweet Potato Gnocchi With Maple-Sage Butter Sauce
2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 2 large)
12 ounces part-skim ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed for work surface
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/4 cup chopped fresh sage leaves

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Pierce the potatoes all over with a fork. Transfer the potatoes to the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes, until tender. When cool enough to handle, halve the potatoes and scoop out the flesh. Transfer the flesh to a large bowl and mash with a fork (it should measure about 2 1/2 cups of mashed sweet potato). Add the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, brown sugar, salt, pepper and nutmeg and mash together until well blended. Add the flour, 1/2 cup at a time, and mix until a soft dough forms. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and divide into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope, about 1-inch in diameter, adding more flour if necessary to prevent sticking. Cut each rope into 1-inch pieces and roll pieces over the tines of a fork to make slight indentations.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Working in three batches, boil the gnocchi until tender, about 4-5 minutes (they will float when finished). Remove the gnocchi with a slotted spoon and transfer to a large baking sheet; tent with foil to keep warm while you cook the remaining gnocchi.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet with high sides, combine the broth, butter, maple syrup and sage. Set the pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Add the gnocchi to the broth mixture and cook 2-3 minutes to heat through. Serve.

Serves 6
Nutrition Info Per Serving
Calories: 469
Total Fat: 10 grams
Saturated Fat: 6 grams
Total Carbohydrate: 78 grams
Sugars: 15 grams
Protein: 17 grams
Sodium: 344 milligrams
Cholesterol: 31 milligrams
Fiber: 6 grams

Next Up

10 Healthy Sweet Potato Recipes

Fall in love with sweet potatoes again and again with these 10 deliciously healthy recipes.

Can You Freeze Sweet Potato Casserole?

Yes - but there are a few important rules to follow.

How to Make Gnocchi

A step-by-step guide complete with photos.

Minestrone with Gnocchi — Meatless Monday

Learn the secret to serving up Food Network Magazine's warming bowl in a hurry.

How Sweet It Is: 7 Sweet Potato Dishes for Every Palate — Fall Fest

You'll forget starchy white potatoes in a heartbeat once you try these comforting fall sweet potato dishes.

How to Cook a Sweet Potato In the Microwave Oven

You're just about 5 minutes away from sweet, tender perfection.

Market Watch: Sweet Cherries

How to use up all those sweet cherries from your farmers' market while they're still in season.

How to Bake a Potato

One potato, two potato—you’ll be making more when you use all the tips here for fluffy baked potatoes with crispy skin.

Halwa Tastes Like Sweet Nostalgia

As a child, I used to bite my grandmother’s shoulder until I got a fresh batch of halwa. Now, I prepare it every Diwali.