Learn How to Make Pumpkin Gnocchi with a simple step-by-step tutorial to make the easiest pillowy and light gnocchi. This is an easy homemade pasta perfect for creamy or butter-based sauces.
Use these delicious pumpkin gnocchi with some classic sauces like the creamy pumpkin sauce in our Creamy Pumpkin Pasta or an easy sage butter sauce!
A Quick Look at The Recipe
- ✅Recipe Name: Homemade Pumpkin Gnocchi
- ⏲️Prepared in: 2 hours
- 👪Makes: 2 lbs of gnocchi
- 📋Main ingredients: Russet potatoes, pumpkin puree, egg yolks.
- ⭐Why You'll Love This Recipe: This gnocchi is soft and pillowy, perfect for making a delicious pasta.
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Why This Recipe
- The recipe below is an easy step-by-step tutorial with easy-to-follow images.
- Use fresh or freeze for up to 6 months.
- Absolutely soft and pillowy. Makes it perfect for pairing with creamy sauces.
- Pumpkin gnocchi is perfect for adding to soups like Creamy Butternut Squash Soup with Sausage or replacing the tortellini in Rustic Italian Tortellini Soup with Sausage.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Russet Potatoes. Russet potatoes are the best potatoes for gnocchi. They're starchy and hold the least amount of water. The less moisture, the more soft and pillowy the gnocchi will be.
- Salt. A little bit of salt goes a long way in gnocchi. It will bring out the pumpkin flavor and the flavor of the sauce that you use.
- Egg yolks. Some recipes may call for whole eggs, but using egg yolks is preferred to keep the moisture low.
- Pumpkin puree. Pumpkin puree has a lot of water, so you have to bake some of the moisture out of it before mixing it in the dough.
*Please see the recipe card below for more information on the ingredients.
How to Make Homemade Pumpkin Gnocchi
Follow the numbered steps below to make the best Homemade Pumpkin Gnocchi.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 250℉. Spread the pumpkin out on a parchment paper-lined baking tray. Place it in the oven and bake for 20 minutes to remove as much moisture as possible. Set aside to cool.
Step 2: Place 3 potatoes, unpeeled, in a pot filled with water. Bring to a boil and boil for 30-40 minutes until potatoes are fork-tender. Set them aside to cool for 5 minutes.
Step 3: Once the potatoes have cooled enough to touch, use a fork to scrape off the potato skin. Place the potatoes into a potato ricer while still hot. Press the potatoes through the ricer and spread them out on a parchment paper-lined baking tray. Let them sit out to cool for 30 minutes, then place them in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Step 4: Separate the egg yolks and egg whites. Combine the egg yolks in a bowl and whisk them together. Pour the egg yolks over the cooled potatoes. Scrape the pumpkin puree into the mixture and sprinkle with half of the flour and the salt.
Step 5: Use a bench scraper to chop the flour into the mixture. Continue to chop until the flour is completely combined.
Step 6: Switch to using your hands and flour the work station with half of the remaining flour. Gently combine the dough by folding and pressing. Try not to knead too strongly so as to avoid the dough becoming tough or overactivated.
Step 7: Roll the dough into a log. Place it on a floured workspace using the remaining flour. Chop the dough into 1-inch disks using the bench scraper. Take one of the disks and, using both hands, slowly roll the dough into a long roll, like a snake. Try to only use the palms of your hands.
Step 8: Then use the bench scraper to cut ¾ inch gnocchi out of the roll.
Step 9: Continue the process with all of the dough. Toss the gnocchi with a little bit of flour. Then boil fresh or refrigerate for up to 3 days. You can freeze for 6 months.
The best way to freeze homemade pumpkin gnocchi is to separate them out onto a baking sheet and place the whole sheet in the freezer. After 2 hours, transfer the gnocchi into a ziploc bag and freeze for up to 6 months.
This homemade pumpkin gnocchi is perfect for a pumpkin sauce with sausage and gorgonzola. Serve it with vegetable sides like Roasted Carrots and Fennel or Chopped Brussels Sprout Salad with Pancetta.
Pro-Tips
- Stick with a starchy potato like russet potatoes. They hold the least amount of moisture, which makes them the best for gnocchi. Boil them whole with the skin on to reduce the amount of moisture they absorb.
- Add the flour in a little bit at a time. You'll end up using all of the flour to flour the workstation when rolling the dough, but the least amount in the dough, the better.
- Work the dough gently to avoid overworking it and overactivating the gluten. The more careful you are with combining the dough, the lighter and pillowy the gnocchi will be.
- Use your palms to roll out the dough rather than your fingers. Your fingers will make uneven gnocchi.
- Baking the pumpkin before adding it will reduce the moisture in the puree before adding it to the gnocchi.
Recipe FAQs
No, using canned pumpkin puree is best.
You're probably overworking the dough or adding too much moisture. The less moisture, the better. The more you overwork the dough, the more the proteins in the gluten connect, and the gnocchi becomes tougher.
Make as much as you want and freeze the gnocchi for up to 6 months.
More Delicious Homemade Classics
Please leave a comment and star rating below in the recipe card! I love to hear what you think of our recipes. Feel free to tag us on Instagram @vindelgiudice.
📖 Recipe
Homemade Pumpkin Gnocchi
Equipment
- 1 Bench knife
- 1 large pot
- 1 potato ricer
- 2 baking sheets
- 24 in parchment paper
Ingredients
- 750 g russet potatoes about 3 medium potatoes
- 2 egg yolks
- 250 g pumpkin puree
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 175 g all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 250℉. Spread the pumpkin out on a parchment paper-lined baking tray. Place it in the oven and bake for 20 minutes to remove as much moisture as possible. Set aside to cool.
- Place 3 potatoes, unpeeled, in a pot filled with water. Bring to a boil and boil for 30-40 minutes until potatoes are fork-tender. Set them aside to cool for 5 minutes.
- Once the potatoes have cooled enough to touch, use a fork to scrape off the potato skin. Place the potatoes into a potato ricer while still hot. Press the potatoes through the ricer and spread them out on a parchment paper-lined baking tray. Let them sit out to cool for 30 minutes, then place them in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Separate the egg yolks and egg whites. Combine the egg yolks in a bowl and whisk them together. Pour the egg yolks over the cooled potatoes. Scrape the pumpkin puree into the mixture and sprinkle with half of the flour and salt.
- Use a bench scraper to chop the flour into the mixture. Continue to chop until the flour is completely combined.
- Flour the workspace with half of the remaining flour. Switch to using your hands to gently combine the dough by folding and pressing. Try not to knead too strongly so as to avoid the dough becoming tough or overactivated.
- Roll the dough into a log. Flour the workspace with the remaining flour. Chop the dough into 1-inch circles using the bench scraper. Take one of the circles and using both hands, slowly roll the dough into a long roll, like a snake. Try only to use the palms of your hands. Then use the bench scraper to cut ¾ inch gnocchi out of the roll.
- Continue the process with all of the dough. Toss the gnocchi with a little bit of flour. Then boil fresh or refrigerate for up to 3 days. You can freeze for 6 months.
Notes
- Stick with a starchy potato like russet potatoes. They hold the least amount of moisture, which makes them the best for gnocchi. Boil them whole with the skin on to reduce the amount of moisture they absorb.
- Add the flour in a little bit at a time. You'll end up using all of the flour to flour the workstation when rolling the dough, but the least amount in the dough, the better.
- Work the dough gently to avoid overworking it and overactivating the gluten. The more careful you are with combining the dough, the lighter and pillowy the gnocchi will be.
- Use your palms to roll out the dough rather than your fingers. Your fingers will make uneven gnocchi.
- Baking the pumpkin before adding it will reduce the moisture in the puree before adding it to the gnocchi.
Vincent DelGiudice says
These are so fun to make in the Fall and they're super easy. It makes 2 pounds so you can definitely save some in the freezer for your next dish. Let us know what you think!