This Pumpkin and Sage Gnocchi is the perfect balance of sweet and earthy thanks to the pumpkin and sage. It's a luscious sauce that's perfect for coating crispy pan fried gnocchi. Get the recipe below.
Classic flavour combinations
Sage and Pumpkin go together like tomato and basil. The herb really enhances the flavour at the same time as balancing out the sweeter notes in the pumpkin or squash.
I love taking classic flavour combinations and finding new ways of incorporating them into dishes.
For this recipe I've taken a humble tin or pumpkin puree and elevated it by adding crispy sage leaves which not only taste amazing, but add some much needed texture to the dish.
How to make crispy sage leaves
The crispy sage leaves on top of this dish are one of my favourite parts.
They may feel like a bit of a chef-y addition but I promise you they are easy to make and will transform the dish.
The key to crispy sage leaves is hot oil. Simply heat olive oil in a flat bottomed pan until it's glistening then add your leaves. The oil will start to bubble around the leaves as the water leaves the sage making them go crispy.
It will only take 30 seconds to 1 minute or so (depending on how hot your oil is) so do keep a close eye on them.
As soon as they are done, remove them from the oil and transfer them to a sheet of kitchen roll and pat them dry. Sprinkle with sea salt and place to one side until they are needed.
How to cook gnocchi
There are a couple of ways to cook gnocchi though most of us probably cook it in a pan of salted boiling water. This is my least favourite way to cook it and since I discovered the joys of pan frying it I haven't looked back!
It will take roughly 2 - 3 minutes to fry the pillows of gnocchi in a little oil and butter. This gives them a lovely crisp exterior while they stay soft inside.
For this recipe I suggest frying the gnocchi in the same pan and oil as you cooked the sage leaves. Some of the flavour of the sage will have flavoured the oil, intensifying the sage flavour of the overall dish. I also add a little butter to the pan for richness.
The crispy outsides of the gnocchi work really well with the luscious, creamy sauce.
How to make a creamy pumpkin sauce
This sauce has quite a few ingredients but each has an important part to play. The ingredients are:
- onion
- garlic
- tomato puree
- pumpkin puree
- vegetable stock
- sage
- cream
- salt and pepper
The method is simple - just 5 steps.
- Fry the onion and garlic
- Add the tomato puree and pumpkin puree
- Add the stock and sage leaves (not the crispy ones you've kept to one side)
- Add the gnocchi and cream
- Season and serve
I break down the recipe for you in more detail in the recipe card below.
The recipe
Pumpkin and Sage Gnocchi
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 bunch sage leaves
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter
- 450 g gnocchi
- 1 small onion finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato puree
- 150 g pumpkin puree
- 150 ml vegetable stock
- 4 tablespoon vegan cream
Instructions
- In a flat bottomed pan, heat the olive oil until glistening.
- Add 8 sage leaves to the pan and cook for 1 minute until crisp. Remove them from the oil and place on to a piece of kitchen roll to absorb the oil.
- Add a tablespoon of butter to the oil and pan fry the gnocchi for 2 - 3 minutes or until they are crisp and golden on the outside.
- Remove the gnocchi from the pan and place to one side.
- Add the diced onion to the pan and fry for 8 - 10 minutes until translucent.
- Add the minced garlic to the pan and cook for a further 2 minutes.
- Add the tomato puree and pumpkin puree to the pan and cook out for another 2 minutes.
- Pour in the vegetable stock and 4 sage leaves cut into ribbons. Whisk until a smooth sauce has formed.
- Bring the sauce to a simmer before adding in the gnocchi and vegan cream.
- Season and serve when piping hot.
- Top with the crispy sage leaves, crumbled or whole.
Nutrition
More pumpkin and squash recipes
Pumpkin Frosted Brownies
More recipes for autumn
For yet more recipes cooked with seasonal produce, check out my autumn recipe archive.
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