Creamy Butternut Squash Gnocchi

a bowl of butternut squash gnocchi topped with black pepper.

4.50 from 2 votes

Creamy Butternut Squash Gnocchi

Our Butternut Squash Gnocchi might be your new favorite pasta dish. With pillowy and tender gnocchi covered in a decadent and rich butternut squash sauce, this simple recipe is deliciously creamy, slightly sweet, and made in less than 30 minutes.

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

Total Time40

Course: Food + Drink, Main

Cuisine: Italian, north american

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: Servings

Calories: 467kcal

Author: Philip Lago and Mystique Mattai

Ingredients

¼ cup butter
1 shallot diced
1 small butternut squash peeled and cubed
1 clove garlic crushed
1 cup heavy cream
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 lbs fresh gnocchi
½ cup grated parmesan plus additional for serving
salt and pepper

Instructions

Bring a pot of salted water to boil.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan set over medium-high heat, melt the butter, then add the shallots. Cook for 2 minutes, until softened and translucent. Add the butternut squash, season with salt, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until the edges are softened. Toss in the garlic, red pepper flakes and pour in the cream. Once it begins to boil, lower the heat to simmer, cover, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until the squash is fork-tender.
Using an immersion blender or food processor, blend the sauce until completely smooth and creamy. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning as desired. Set on low heat to keep warm until the gnocchi is cooked.
Once the sauce is ready and pasta water is boiling, add the gnocchi and give it a quick stir. Cook as directed on the package, or until they are tender and float to the top of the water. Drain and add the gnocchi directly to the butternut squash cream sauce.
Sprinkle parmesan over the gnocchi and gently toss until the sauce is evenly distributed. Serve in your favourite pasta bowl with additional parm and a few cracks of fresh ground pepper.

Notes

Scroll up for a visual walk-through of the recipe.

Recipe Variations and Modifications:

Squash alternatives: this recipe will work with a variety of squashes including acorn squash, buttercup squash, sugar pumpkin, delicata squash, and Hubbard squash. Additionally, sweet potatoes, carrots, and parsnips are also good alternatives.
Gnocchi alternatives: the creamy butternut squash sauce is also great with any pasta. Are favorite options are penne, fussili, and fettuccine.
Additional flavor: you can add herbs to the sauce such as thyme or sage in small amounts. Alternatively, you can top the gnocchi with fresh basil for color and freshness.
Dairy-free: use olive oil instead of butter, and use a dairy-free cream such as coconut cream or cashew cream for the heavy cream. Parmesan can be omitted or replaced with nutritional yeast, however, the flavor will not be the same.

Chef's Tips:

Safety first: remove the sauce from the heat before blending to prevent unexpected splashing which can cause burns.
Ensure the sauce is smooth: use a quality immersion blender to ensure the sauce is completely smooth. Alternatively, you can use a blender or food processor, but allow the sauce to cool slightly if doing so.
Cutting butternut squash: butternut squash is tough, so use a sharp, heavy, chef's knife or serrated knife when cutting it. Peel the skin using a vegetable peeler and a strong-handled spoon to remove the seeds.

Storage and freezing:

Make ahead: the sauce can be made in advance, however, the gnocchi cannot, as it will fall apart when reheating.
Storage: store leftover gnocchi in the fridge up to 5 days. Reheat in a saucepan with a splash of cream to thin out the sauce. Be gentle when stirring to prevent breaking the gnocchi. Alternatively, you can transfer the gnocchi to a baking dish, grate cheese overtop, and bake at 375°F for 20-25 minutes until the gnocchi is hot and the cheese is melted.
Freezing: The sauce is well suited for freezing. Make a large batch and store the extra sauce in the freezer for up to 3 months. Simply reheat and add to gnocchi or pasta when ready to use.

Nutrition