How To Make Sweet Potato Gnocchi

Learn how to make easy homemade Sweet Potato Gnocchi with simple ingredients and just four quick steps! It’s customizable, freezer-friendly, and can be cooked in your choice of sauce with your favorite herbs, spices, veggies, and/or meat or seafood!

Howdy doody do, friends?! 👋

I hope you all are doing well and keeping warm now that the cold weather season (my nemesis!) has officially started? I’ve been stumbling around all over town in my heavy, poofy, and furry coats for the last few weeks, and it’s not even REALLY winter here yet! Just around 20°C/68°F, and I shudder to think the number of layers I’ll have to start wearing once we hit the REAL cold spell in January…

Anyways, cold or hot, rain or shine, I am still happy and excited today! Why? Because I’m going to be teaching you guys (with step-by-step photos) how to make homemade Sweet Potato Gnocchi!!

This Sweet Potato Gnocchi is (or is it ‘are’ since they’re pieces? 🤷‍♀️):

• Quick and EASY to make. (Trust me. If I can do it, you definitely can! 👍)
• Customizable with your choice of seasonings and spices.
• Can be made ahead. They’re great for meal prep, and fantastic to have on hand for easy weeknight dinners!
• Freezer-friendly.
• Vegetarian. And can be made vegan, and/or gluten-free too!
• Versatile and incredibly satisfying. Because they can be tossed in any sauce you like with your favorite herbs, spices, veggies, and/or meat or seafood. We are seriously winning here, people! 🙌
• BONUS: EXTREMELY good for you because sweet potatoes are loaded with fiber, high in vitamin A, B2, B6, and C, and provide a high dose of your body’s daily mineral needs such as iron, magnesium, potassium, calcium, and manganese. They’re also very high in antioxidants, which help protect you from diseases and other illnesses. So even better since we need to keep our bodies healthy over the next couple of cold months. 💪

(Source: Sweet Potato Facts)

Let’s jump in and make some sweet potato gnocchi!

SWEET POTATO GNOCCHI INGREDIENTS

To make Sweet Potato Gnocchi, you’ll need just a handful of simple ingredients.

• Sweet Potatoes: Any kind will work. I used Taiwanese sweet potatoes here, which are brown skinned with yellow flesh.
• Unbleached All-Purpose Flour: For making the dough and for sprinkling on the work surface.
• Kosher Salt & freshly cracked Black Pepper: Always, and to season the sweet potato dough.
• Additional Seasonings & Spices: I added some ground cinnamon and ground cayenne for a small kick of heat. But you’re welcome to omit the cayenne, and/or add any of your favorite seasonings and spices.
• A large Egg: To help bind everything together.

HOW TO MAKE SWEET POTATO GNOCCHI

To make this simple and easy homemade sweet potato gnocchi, start by rinsing and scrubbing the sweet potatoes and run them under cool water from the sink tap.

Now that your sweet potatoes are clean, to cook them you have three choices:

1. Microwave: Pierce the sweet potatoes all around using a sharp knife or fork. Then wrap each potato in a damp paper towel and microwave for 10-12 minutes on high or until they are tender.
2. Bake/Roast: Pierce the potatoes all around, then bake them in the oven at 200°C/400°F for 50- 60 minutes.
3. Boil: Boil in a pot of water for about 30 minutes (no need to pierce the potatoes).

Either of these methods will work, but baking them will yield the best results. However, microwaving or boiling will work in a pinch if you’re short on time.

Then once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, halve them using a shark knife and scoop out the flesh with a spoon into a large mixing bowl. Use a potato masher (or a potato ricer) to mash the potatoes.

Add the egg, kosher salt, freshly cracked black pepper, ground cinnamon, ground cayenne, and ½ cup of flour.

Start kneading to combine and gradually add the remaining ½ cup of flour until a dough forms. (Note: If the dough is too tough, you can sprinkle it with a bit of water and continue kneading until a semi-soft dough forms – it shouldn’t be too soft and sticky, or too tough.) Then roll the dough into a ball.

Divide the ball into two parts, and dust your work surface with 1/8 cup of flour.

Grab one of the parts and roll it into a long thin rope. Add the remaining 1/8 cup of flour to the work surface if needed, and repeat with the other part of the dough.

Then use a knife to cut the rope into ¾ to 1-inch pieces.

Run each piece along the back of a fork to give the gnocchi pieces a corkscrew-like design.

…and your sweet potato gnocchi is ready to be cooked now!

CAN I FREEZE OR REFRIGERATE THE SWEET POTATO GNOCCHI?

Yes! If you prefer not to use or cook the sweet potato immediately, you can transfer the gnocchi pieces onto a tray and freeze until solid – this will take about an hour. Then transfer the frozen gnocchi pieces to a freezer friendly bag and freeze for up to two months.

Alternatively, you can transfer the gnocchi pieces to an airtight container in layers and with sheets of parchment paper (nonstick cooking paper) in between of each layer. Store in the fridge for two to three days.

TO COOK THE SWEET POTATO GNOCCHI:

If you are cooking the sweet potato gnocchi immediately, heat a pot salted water on the stovetop until boiling. Add the gnocchi pieces and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until they float to the top. (You may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your pot.) Drain into a colander and run water over them to prevent them from cooking further.

Then you can toss them in your choice of sauce with any herbs, veggies, and/or protein you prefer!

Full ingredient amounts/instructions in the recipe card below.

SAUCE…AND OTHER IDEAS

Once you cook the gnocchi, the world is your oyster when it comes to tossing it in a sauce, with your favorite seasoning, herbs, veggies, and/or meat or seafood! Below are just a couple of my favorite combinations.

• Butter and sage, topped with chopped toasted walnuts: A simple but incredibly satisfying favorite!
• Tomato, onion, and roasted garlic topped with fresh Italian Basil and cheese: You can toss the gnocchi in the sauce in a pan on the stovetop with the sauce, then transfer to an ovenproof dish and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake on 200°C/400°F for 7-10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and is nice and bubbly! 😍
• Pesto: Either store-bought or homemade, and topped with toasted pine nuts. Ditto the above regarding the additional bubbly melted cheese!
• White wine cream sauce and fresh parsley: With juicy shrimp, crispy bacon, and any of your favorite veggies!

These are just some ideas, but feel free to be creative and cook the sweet potato gnocchi with anything else that makes you drool! 😉

VARIATIONS

If you would like to customize your sweet potato gnocchi, you can…

• Add cheese: You’re welcome to add ricotta and/or freshly grated parmesan cheese when combining all the ingredients in the mixing bowl. If you’re vegan, be sure to use vegan cheese if you would like to add cheese to the gnocchi dough. (Note: You may need additional flour to prevent the dough from becoming too sticky.)
• Make it gluten-free: Use a gluten-free flour such as almond flour, or a gluten-free all-purpose flour instead.
• Make it veg/vegan: No adjustment needed to make this vegetarian. But to make it vegan, omit the egg and replace with vegan ricotta or vegan parmesan cheese if desired. Some recipes on the Internet indicate that you can successfully make the gnocchi without an egg or adding any additional vegan cheese. But I haven’t tested this method, and cannot speak for the results. I personally feel that the gnocchi would be too dry without the egg or vegan cheese, so I would add a tablespoon of oil instead if making it vegan. In addition, I would boil the potatoes to cook them so that some water/moisture will be present while forming the dough.
• Use different seasonings: The cinnamon and ground cayenne are my preferences, but you can add ground nutmeg, and/or any other spices/seasonings you prefer. 👌
• Make regular gnocchi: This recipe will work for making regular gnocchi too. Simply just replace the sweet potatoes with Yukon gold or russet potatoes, and follow the instructions as per normal. You can even use red potatoes if you like!
• Add garlic: I sometimes add two cloves of minced garlic to the bowl along with the other ingredients. This gives the gnocchi an extra garlicky kick, which I absolutely adore. If you’re a garlic fiend like I am, feel free to do the same! 😉

MORE COZY PASTA RECIPES

Looking for more comforting and cozy pasta recipes? Below are some of my tried and true favorites!

• Spicy Chicken Penne Pasta (My personal favorite for busy weeknights!)
• Cream Sauce Seafood Pasta (Elegant + Fancy = Perfect for date night!)
• Brown Butter Miso Sauce Pasta (with delicious and easy to make Baked Spicy Chicken Meatballs.)
• Creamy Tom Yum Pasta (with a decadent assortment of Seafood!)
• Sundried Tomato Pesto Pasta with Cajun Chicken
• Garlic Cream Sauce Seafood Fettuccine (an all-time popular and favorite recipe on the blog)
• Or browse the entire Pasta recipe collection.

MADE THIS RECIPE? If you make this recipe, leave a comment below and let me know how you liked it! Take a photo and tag it with @thatspicychick on Instagram and hashtag it #thatspicychick and I’ll be sure to share your masterpiece!

How To Make Sweet Potato Gnocchi

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Learn how to make easy homemade Sweet Potato Gnocchi with simple ingredients and just four quick steps! It’s customizable, freezer-friendly, and can be cooked in your choice of sauce with your favorite herbs, spices, veggies, and/or meat or seafood!

• Author: Lavina
• Prep Time: 25
• Cook Time: 10
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 4–5 Servings 1x
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Mix, Knead, and Boil
• Cuisine: Italian-inspired

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 500 grams / 1.1 pounds / 2 large Sweet Potatoes (any kind will work, I used Taiwanese sweet potatoes which were brown skinned with yellow flesh) – scrubbed and rinsed, pat-dried with paper towels
• 1 cup Unbleached All-Purpose Flour, plus 1/8 to ¼ cup for the work surface
• ½ TSP Kosher Salt
• ½ TSP freshly cracked Black Pepper
• ½ TSP ground Cinnamon
• ½ TSP ground Cayenne (optional)
• 1 large Egg

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

To Make Sweet Potato Gnocchi:

1. Rinse and scrub the sweet potatoes, then pat-dry with paper towels. Use a sharp knife or fork to pierce them all around, then wrap each potato in a damp paper towel and microwave for 10-12 minutes on high or until tender. (Alternatively, you can pierce them all around and bake them in the oven at 200°C/400°F for 50- 60 minutes, or boil in a pot of water for about 30 minutes.)
2. Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, halve the potatoes using a shark knife and scoop out the flesh with a spoon into a large mixing bowl. Use a potato masher (or ricer) to mash the potatoes. Then add the egg, ground cinnamon, kosher salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and ½ cup of flour. Start kneading to combine and gradually add the remaining ½ cup of flour until a dough forms. (Note: If the dough is too tough, sprinkle with a bit of water and continue kneading until a semi-soft dough forms – it shouldn’t be too soft and sticky, or too tough.) Roll the dough into a ball.
3. Divide the ball into two parts, then dust your work surface with 1/8 cup of flour. Grab one of the parts and roll into a long thin rope. Then dust the work surface with the remaining 1/8 cup of flour if needed and repeat with the other part of the dough. Use a knife to cut the rope into ¾ to 1-inch pieces. Then run each piece along the tines of the back of a fork to give the gnocchi pieces a corkscrew-like design. 
4. To freeze: If not using immediately, transfer the gnocchi pieces onto a tray and freeze until solid – about an hour. Transfer the gnocchi pieces to a freezer friendly bag and freeze for up to two months.
5. Refrigerate: Alternatively, transfer the gnocchi pieces to an airtight container in layers with sheets of parchment paper in between of each layer. Store in the fridge for two to three days.

To Cook Sweet Potato Gnocchi:

1. Heat a pot salted water until boiling. Add the gnocchi pieces and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until they float to the top. (You may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your pot.) Drain into a colander and run water over them to prevent them from cooking further.
2. Toss in your choice of sauce with any herbs, veggies, and/or protein you prefer!

Equipment

Potato Masher

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Parchment Paper

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Large Mixing Bowl

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Notes

1. Add cheese: You’re welcome to add ricotta and/or freshly grated parmesan cheese when combining all the ingredients in the mixing bowl. If you’re vegan, be sure to use vegan cheese if you would like to add cheese to the gnocchi dough. Note: You may need additional flour to prevent the dough from becoming to sticky.
2. To make it gluten-free: Use a gluten-free flour such as almond flour, or gluten-free all-purpose flour instead.
3. To make it veg/vegan: No adjustment needed to make this vegetarian. But to make it vegan, omit the egg and replace with vegan ricotta or vegan parmesan cheese if desired. Some recipes on the Internet indicate that you can successfully make the gnocchi without the egg or adding any additional vegan cheese. But I haven’t tested this method, and cannot speak for the results. I personally feel that the gnocchi would be too dry without the egg or vegan cheese, so I would add a tablespoon of oil instead if making it vegan. In addition, I would boil the potatoes to cook them so that some water/moisture will be present while forming the dough.
4. Use different seasonings: The cinnamon and ground cayenne are my preferences, but you can add ground nutmeg or any other seasonings you prefer.  
5. To make regular gnocchi: This recipe will work for making regular gnocchi too. Simply just replace the sweet potatoes with Yukon gold or russet potatoes, and follow the instructions as per normal.
6. Add garlic: I sometimes add two cloves of minced garlic to the dough to give the gnocchi an extra garlicky kick. If you’re a garlic fiend like I am, feel free to do the same! 😉

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 Serving
• Calories: 216
• Sugar: 4.3g
• Sodium: 186.2mg
• Fat: 1.3g
• Saturated Fat: 0.4g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0.8g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 44.5g
• Fiber: 4.1g
• Protein: 6.1g
• Cholesterol: 37.2mg

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