Vegan sweet potato gnocchi is easier to make than you’d think, and it’s so worth it! In this recipe we’re pan-frying it in vegan butter with fresh sage and crunchy walnuts. This dish is so indulgent and delicious, and it’s absolutely perfect for special dinners and holidays.
I LOVE me some vegan gnocchi, and fortunately, vegan gnocchi is pretty easy to find at the store. But you know what else I love? Sweet potatoes. Unfortunately, I NEVER see sweet potato gnocchi at the store. That’s okay though, because I can make it myself, and it’s pretty simple to do.
Jump to:
I don’t make homemade pasta often, but sometimes it has to be done. There are some things you just need in your life, like vegan ravioli, and sweet potato gnocchi. Sweet potato gnocchi is actually much simpler to make than the first option, and it only requires four ingredients.
Sweet potato gnocchi obviously has a different flavor profile from regular old potato gnocchi, so you probably wouldn’t want to use it in the same dishes. I probably wouldn’t use it in my tomato gnocchi soup recipe or gnocchi with tomato sauce recipe. Nope! Instead, I created a really simple mix of ingredients that pair perfectly with the flavors of sweet potato. We’re using indulgent vegan butter, earthy sage, and crunchy walnuts.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Sweet potatoes. I used basic orange sweet potatoes, which are the most common variety, but I see no reason not to experiment with other colors like purple or yellow sweet potatoes.
- Salt.
- Nutmeg.
- Flour. We’re using all-purpose wheat flour, also known as white flour. My instinct tells me that you could get away with other varieties like gluten-free flour or whole wheat flour, but I haven’t tested any of them.
- Vegan butter. Most stores sell this in the refrigerator case, near the regular butter.
- Walnuts.
- Fresh sage. Dried sage won’t work here. We need big, whole fresh sage leaves to fry in the butter.
- Pepper.
How It’s Made
The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you’d like to skip right to the recipe!
Step 1: Poke some holes in your sweet potatoes and pop them into the oven. Microwave them until they’re soft.
Step 2: Start heating up a big pot of water on the stove. You’ll want it to be boiling when your gnocchi are ready.
Step 3: Cut your sweet potatoes open and let them cool for a few minutes.
Step 4: Scoop the flesh out of your sweet potatoes, place it in a bowl, and mash it up using a fork or potato masher.
Tip: Prefer to bake your sweet potatoes? Go for it! I like to microwave them for this particular recipe, because it saves time and doesn’t affect the quality of the dish.
Step 5: Add your salt and nutmeg to the sweet potato, then start adding the flour, a bit at a time, until the dough forms.
Steps 6 & 7: Roll your dough into a few 1-inch thick snakes, then cut the snakes into ½ inch pieces. Crimp them with a fork if you’d like.
Step 8: Boil your sweet potato gnocchi until they float. It should only take a few minutes!
Tip: Don’t worry too much about making your gnocchi perfectly uniform. As you can see, I didn’t! Rustic gnocchi are just as delicious.
Step 9: Heat up your vegan butter in a skillet. Once it melts, add the sage leaves and walnuts. Fry them for about a minute.
Step 10: Add the gnocchi to the skillet. Fry everything together for a few minutes, until the gnocchi begin to get crispy.
Step 11: Take the skillet off of heat and season everything with some salt and pepper. Divide the gnocchi onto plates and dig in!
Shelf-Life & Storage
Leftover sweet potato gnocchi will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about three days. You can reheat it in the microwave, or in a hot skillet with a little bit of extra melted butter to prevent sticking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! If you can find vegan sweet potato gnocchi at the store, go for it. If not, feel free to make it using regular vegan potato gnocchi. It will have a different flavor profile, but will still be delicious. Most shelf-stable varieties of gnocchi are vegan, but always check the ingredients label.
I can’t see why not! I haven’t tried this variation, but I think substituting an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend should work just fine.
Usually gnocchi sticking to the pan is caused by uneven heating. Using a pan made out of something that heats evenly, like cast iron, will help. You’ll also want to avoid abruptly raising or lowering the heat while your gnocchi cook.
The dough should be soft, but firm enough to roll into snakes. If if feels too soft or sticky, add some extra flour. If it’s too firm, add a few splashes of non-dairy milk.
More Fall Pasta Recipes
Like this recipe? If so, please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you try it! Also be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter for more recipes like this one!
Vegan Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Fried Sage & Walnuts
Vegan sweet potato gnocchi is easier to make than you’d think, and it’s so worth it! In this recipe we’re pan-frying it in vegan butter with fresh sage and crunchy walnuts. This dish is so indulgent and delicious, and it’s absolutely perfect for special dinners and holidays.
Ingredients
For the Sweet Potato Gnocchi
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 2 medium sweet potatoes)
- 1 teaspoons salt
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus up to an additional half cup
For Frying
- ⅓ cup vegan butter
- ⅓ cup chopped walnuts
- 1 medium bunch fresh sage leaves (about 20 leaves)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
-
Poke a few holes in your sweet potatoes with a fork or knife, then place them on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave the sweet potatoes until they’re easily pierced with a knife, initially checking them after five minutes, then every one to two minutes after that (Note 1).
-
Start your water for boiling the gnocchi. Place a large pot of water on the stove over high heat. You can turn the heat down if it boils before your gnocchi are ready, but you’ll want it to be at a rolling boil once they’re done.
-
Cut the sweet potatoes open and let them cool a bit while you gather your other ingredients.
-
Once the sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh and transfer it to a large mixing bowl. Use a fork or potato masher to mash the sweet potatoes (Note 2). You should end up with about two cups of mashed sweet potato.
-
Mash the salt and nutmeg into the sweet potato, then begin adding flour, about a half cup at a time. Keep adding flour until a soft dough forms, adding between 1 ½ and 2 cups total. Be careful not to overwork the dough.
-
Lightly flour a work surface, then divide the dough into three or four portions. Roll each dough portion into a 1-inch thick snake.
-
Cut each dough snake into ½-inch pieces. You’ll get around forty pieces. Optionally, use a fork to crimp each of your gnocchi.
-
Once all of the gnocchi are made, carefully transfer them to the boiling water. Boil the gnocchi until they float, which should only take about three or four minutes. Drain them into a colander, or you can remove them individually with a slotted spoon as they’re done.
-
Melt the vegan butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sage leaves and walnuts. Fry the sage and walnuts for about a minute, stirring occasionally.
-
Add the gnocchi to the skillet, placing the dumplings in an even layer. Continue to fry everything for three to four minutes, stirring occasionally, until the gnocchi start to crisp up. Keep an eye on everything to watch for burning. If you start to see the sage or walnuts burning, the dish is done (even if you can’t see browning on the gnocchi). Remove it from heat immediately.
-
Season the dish with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
Notes
- Alternatively, you can bake your sweet potatoes in a 400°F oven. They will take much longer — up to an hour.
- If you have a potato ricer, feel free to use it instead of a fork or masher.
Nutrition
Serving: 10gnocchi (¼ of total recipe) | Calories: 543kcal | Carbohydrates: 83g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 829mg | Potassium: 874mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 32897IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 102mg | Iron: 4mg
