Herfst. Automne. Autunno. Outono. Otoño. Fall. Autumn.
In other words, my favourite season of them all. Maybe it’s the scarves, or because I can wear my Ugg boots. Maybe it’s the changing of the leaves or the smell of woodsmoke in the air. Of the many reasons for loving Autumn, I know for sure that food is one of the biggest. Once summer begins to draw to a close, the lighter fare turns to richer, more complex kinds of food. Apples and pears are ripening, root and cruciferous vegetables are all over the farmer’s markets, pumpkins and other squash are beginning to show up. With the weather turning cooler, there’s more time to spend inside. Time you’ll need to make this recipe. Don’t be shy, it’s completely worth it. Making your own gnocchi dough is very fulfilling. Pasta without the machine!
Don’t worry, I’ll walk you through the whole thing.
Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Vegetables
2 Small Butternut squash (approximatle 2 lbs. all together)
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 cups flour
1/2 tsp. dried sage
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped or torn
salt & pepper to taste
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 lb. brown crimini mushrooms, chopped
1 medium zucchini, sliced and quartered
1 clove garlic, grated
1/2 large sweet onion, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1. Prepare squash. Peel, slice in half vertically, scoop out the seeds and place cut side down on an oiled baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes in a 375°F oven.
2. Place 1 piece at a time into food processor. Pulse until a thick purée forms. Continue until all pieces are puréed.
3. In a large bowl, add squash, egg, salt & pepper. Mix together until completely incorporated.
4. 1/2 a cup at a time, add the flour. Stir until completely mixed before adding more. You may or may not need to use all 4 cups. The dough should be airy and light, not dense and hard. The perfect consistency will be achieved just after the dough has become less sticky. IE. It is still slightly sticky but the dough doesn’t stick to your hands too much.
5. When dough is ready, take out handfuls and roll out into long strips.
6. Cut 1/2 inch pieces off and place against the tines of a fork. This is not a necessary step, but it adds dimension to your gnocchi, and a place for sauce to settle.
7. When all your gnocchi is cut and ready to go, have a pot of boiling, salted water at the ready. Put handfuls at a time into the pot and wait for them to come to the surface. When they all begin to float, remove from pot with a slotted spoon and place in a colander.
8. While you are doing this, get the sauce ready. In a large saucepan, add garlic, mushrooms, zucchini, onion and butter. Sauté until all vegetables are softened. Add in gnocchi and tomatoes, sauté for 2 minutes.
9. At the very end, stir in the basil and place in bowls. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve. A hearty dish to welcome my favourite season.
This looks terribly simple! Can’t wait to try this fall.
.-= Lori @ RecipeGirl´s last blog ..Apple Muffins Drizzled with Maple Glaze =-.
That looks like a fine, fine meal. Sage and butternut squash are a pair to swoon by.
.-= Irina @ PastryPal´s last blog ..Orange Lace Cookies =-.
This is a keeper. Saved and will make this soon. I love gnocchi and this dish may tip Mister over! 🙂
.-= penny aka jeroxie´s last blog ..Kari Kapitan =-.
You made it simply delicious. Thank you for sharing. Cheers !
.-= sizzlechef´s last blog ..Mushroom Steamy Flower Noodles =-.
That looks like a fabulous meal. Just perfect to welcome the arrival of the fall season. I love gnocchi, I’ve made it once and the store-bought ones are nothing in comparison. I saved this in my favourites list.
.-= Chowhound´s last blog ..Chicken Adventure Round 2 =-.
Beautiful! Autumn is my favorite season, too, and this season epitomizes everything good about the season. I love making butternut squash gnocchi and usually pair it with a traditional brown butter-sage sauce. I’m looking forward to trying your sauce.
.-= Cookin’ Canuck´s last blog ..Sage & Gorgonzola Cauliflower Soup Recipe =-.
Looks so delicious. I love butternut squash. I’m sure this would be delicious with some asparagus and prosciutto, too!
.-= Jen @ My Kitchen Addiction´s last blog ..Friday Favorites – Episode 26 =-.
It’s a play on the traditional brown butter sage sauce. But I like a more complex flavour, so I threw in some other good ingredients too!
What a creative twist on the old classic!
.-= FRESH LOCAL AND BEST´s last blog ..SEA URCHIN =-.
what a fantastic play on gnocchi – you did an amazing job! beautiful photos!
Wow, that looks like a DELICIOUS meal! Thanks for sharing!
.-= GIna´s last blog ..Eggs Two Ways! =-.
These look so lovely. I’m wondering if it’s possible to make them with a rice flour or another gluten-free flour…hmm…I might have to experiment. I do love butternut.
I’m not entirely sure, but at the same time I can’t think of a reason it wouldn’t work. Experimentation is in order!
Such a great recipe and pictures! I am looking forward attempting this! How long do you say this takes to make: total time?
.-= Noelle´s last blog ..Delicious Plum Cake =-.
Noelle: I would say, start to finish, you’re lookin’ at about 2 hours…if you’re slow. Not too bad at all, I’d say.
Oh yum. I haven’t thought of this version before. I will definitely have to try this…
Laura
.-= laura k´s last blog ..Happy Pigs and Tasty Potato Salad =-.
I love gnocchi but have never tried to make them before. I love the idea of trying them with butternut squash, one of my favorite foods when Fall rolls around. Especially since I currently have a half-dozen squashes in my kitchen, mostly from my CSA share!
.-= Zahavah´s last blog ..ma cocotte est une coquette =-.
Butternut squash gnocchi are a wonderful, autumn meal; very satisfying to make and to eat! Your recipe is great.
.-= Pam´s last blog ..Lazy Susan =-.
I think you should all try this recipe! So easy and satisfying.
What a wonderful idea. I never made gnocchi before but it looks so simple and delicious!
looks great. i love potato gnocchi, but this variation look like it is worth a try… by using squash as the “starch” it seems like you’d come out with a somewhat lighter end result with a brighter flavor than that traditional variety…. nice change of pace. thanks for the recipe!
.-= HerbyN´s last blog ..Duck Eggs vs. Chicken Eggs… =-.
This looks amazing, and simple, too! I will have to try this.
.-= Christina@DeglazeMe´s last blog ..My apologies… =-.
This was a super tasty recipe! The squash gives the gnocci an amazing flavor, and the sauce is just perfect. I found that if you wait for the gnocchi to float they become too dense, so all in all I let them cook for around 2 – 3 minutes per batch.
Thank you for the feedback Ephrat! I really appreciate it! I’m glad you liked the gnocchi as well.
We really enjoyed this gnocchi last night. Have you ever tried to freeze the gnocchi after step #6 (before boiling)? I would love to make some in advance. Thanks.
Yes! I freezed a huge batch. Works great, but can only be frozen for about six weeks.
What a fabulous recipe. I made this and it was absolutely delicious. My only comment is I would use more zuchinni and mushrooms. Loved it!!
Hello… I am going try this for a dinner party this week. Can I make it ahead, either storing in the refrigerator or freezer? How many days in advance?
I have frozen it and used it again about a week later. I would not freeze it for longer than a month or so. If you don’t want to freeze, you can make it one or two days in advance at the most.
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