Rich and creamy, but delicate and subtly sweet, our Potato Gnocchi with Butternut Squash Cream sauce is a unique and beautiful take on a typical creamy pasta dish. Our favourite part about this recipe is that it is elegant enough to serve for date night or special occasions, but simple and quick enough to eat as a weeknight dinner.
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
Butternut squash can be substituted with sweet potato or acorn squash