Entrees
Pumpkin Shaped Gnocchi
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Pumpkin Shaped Gnocchi is fairly easy to make!
- It can be made with russet or sweet potatoes.
- The perfect dinner recipe to make to impress your friends and family.
- The gnocchi is perfectly tender, chewy and full of flavor.
- It tastes amazing when paired with the homemade coconut garlic cream sauce.
- This recipe can easily be made dairy free with the use of dairy free butter and parmesan cheese.
- A great recipe to make this holiday season.
- Check out my red pepper pasta for another homemade pasta dish.
Ingredients And Substitutions
These are the main ingredients and substitutions for Pumpkin Shaped Gnocchi. Scroll down to the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and instructions.

You can use sweet potato or russet potatoes for this recipe, however if opting for the russet potato, it’s highly encouraged to add pumpkin to your dough to turn the pumpkins orange instead of white.
All purpose flour works best for this recipe, I have not tested it with a gluten free substitute, however, if it’s a 1:1 swap, it should work such as Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthurs.
Egg yolks are going to add to the texture of these gnocchis. If you want to make this recipe vegan, you can swap for 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree instead, not pumpkin pie filling.
The sauce is made with grass fed butter from Kerry Gold which is my absolute favorite, however you can also use oil or a vegan butter substitute.
Freshly minced garlic is highly recommended, however, you can also use pre-minced garlic from a jar.
Coconut cream from a can will keep this recipe dairy free but also provide a creamy texture for the sauce. If not dairy free, feel free to use heavy cream instead.
I prefer to use freshly grated parmesan cheese for maximum flavor. Store bought, pre-shredded parmesan cheese will work just fine. Feel free to opt for a dairy free parmesan cheese if needed.
To add a bit of flavor and color, add in a small amount of pumpkin puree to the sauce, not pumpkin pie filling.
Season with salt and pepper to add a more savory taste and to help balance out the flavors.
A touch of tapioca flour will help to really thicken the sauce, you can also use corn starch or arrowroot flour.
Use rosemary sprigs for the steams of the pumpkin gnocchi, and garnish the plate with fresh sage.
How To Make
ONE: Start by boiling the sweet potato until fork tender. Remove from the water and let cool to room temperature. Use a potato masher to mash the sweet potato until there are little to no chunks left.


TWO: When ready, pour the AP flour onto a clean working surface and make a well in the center. Add in the egg yolks and mashed sweet potato. Using your hands, combine the ingredients until a dough is formed and it is no longer sticky.



THREE: Roll the dough into logs and then slice into small portions, about 1.5 Tbsp. Roll into a ball with the palm of your hands and place the balls on a baking sheet that’s lined with parchment paper.


FOUR: Boil a large pot of water and add in a touch of salt. While that’s boiling, make the indents for the pumpkin shaped gnocchi. Use a toothpick or skewer for best results and make lines in the top, going horizontal and vertical, then using your hands to form the pumpkin back into a circle and set aside.



FIVE: Once the water comes to a rolling boil, carefully drop in the pumpkin gnocchis and let them cook for roughly 4-5 minutes. The gnocchis are ready once they float to the top, so watch the pot carefully and remove them once they pop up.



SIX: In the meantime, prepare the coconut garlic cream sauce by heating the butter and add in the minced garlic over medium to low heat. Then, add in the coconut cream, pumpkin puree, and grated parmesan cheese. Whisk until ingredients are well incorporated. Season with salt and pepper and pour in the tapioca flour last to thicken the sauce. Whisk until the sauce is smooth and creamy.



SEVEN: The gnocchis will be hot, but carefully add in a rosemary sprig to the tops to complete the pumpkin. Then, plate your dish by adding some coconut garlic cream sauce to the bottom and adding on the pumpkin shaped gnocchi on top. Garnish with fresh sage and enjoy!



Tips And Tricks
To save on time, prep the sweet potatoes the night before.
If your dough is too sticky, add in a touch of more flour until you reach the right consistency.
Don’t be afraid to flour your hands more than once if needed.
When rolling the dough into logs, feel free to cut them into sections to make them easier to work with. So instead of one long log, have two or three.
You know the gnocchis are done when they float to the top, have a spider strainer on hand to quickly and easily remove the gnocchis.
Add the rosemary sprig on after the gnocchis are done cooking instead of before.
How To Serve And Store
Serve these pumpkin gnocchis with the coconut garlic cream sauce or your favorite white sauce.
Store gnocchis in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy within 3-4 days. Microwave to reheat, or add them to the sauce and heat on the stovetop until warm all the way through.

Taste And Texture
These Pumpkin Shaped Gnocchi’s taste delicious. They are chewy, tender and have a gummy like texture. The gnocchis themselves don’t have a ton of flavor, but they tastes incredible with the homemade coconut garlic cream sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, totally! I would recommend adding in a touch of pumpkin puree for color.
No, as written this recipe is not vegan or gluten free. However, it can easily be made vegan by swapping the egg yolks for 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree and swapping the dairy butter and cheese for non-dairy options.
Yes, these gnocchis can be frozen for up to 30 days. To reheat, add them to a skillet with a touch of oil and cook until golden brown and warm all the way through.
Other Recipes You May Like
- Creamy Pumpkin Pasta
- Red Pepper Pasta
- Vegetarian Tuscan Pasta
- Coconut cream Pasta with Sun Dried Tomatoes
- Lemon Pasta
If you make this Pumpkin Shaped Gnocchi, I would really appreciate a comment and rating down below, under the recipe card. Don’t forget to take a picture and tag me over on Instagram, Tiktok or Pinterest!
My pumpkin Gnocchi didn’t look as good as yours but it was tasty and we loved the texture.
Hi Terry! As long as it tasted good i’m happy!