Savory Pumpkin Gnocchi Recipe
on Sep 17, 2018, Updated Oct 16, 2021
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This pumpkin gnocchi recipe has to be one of the most delicious pumpkin recipes on the planet. Even better, it’s fast, cheap and simple to make. Read on and be sure to have a drool cloth handy.
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Table of Contents
Pumpkin Gnocchi Recipe
My love for pumpkins started on a rural dairy farm in upstate New York where I grew up and had a bird’s eye view of my mom’s huge garden from my second-floor bedroom window.
My favorite section was the pumpkin patch, and as soon as I was old enough, I took over that part of her garden and began my quest of growing the biggest and most beautiful pumpkins around those parts.
This relationship with pumpkins has carried over to my adult life and even over to our food blog.
We chose this savory fall meal to kick off Pumpkin Week because it’s simple, fast, and inexpensive. Most of all, it’s creamy and delicious!
What’s in this Pumpkin Gnocchi Recipe?
- Gnocchi
- Prosciutto
- Chicken
- Cream Cheese
- Pumpkin Purée
- Smoked Paprika
- Chili Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Whole Milk
- Sundried Tomatoes
- Fresh Sage
- Salt & Pepper
How To Make this Pumpkin Gnocchi Recipe
We took the easy road and picked up a couple of pounds of store-bought gnocchi. It only takes a couple of minutes to boil so have a colander ready to drain it. Once it’s finished cooking, coat it with some olive oil and gently stir it up.
The olive oil helps to prevent it from sticking while you put the rest of this easy recipe together.
We’ve featured homemade gnocchi in the past, it takes a bit more time to make but it is super fun to put together and a fun cooking activity!
Crisp up some Prosciutto
Prosciutto is a thin, almost feathery, Italian ham. It is delicate, with a salty and savory taste. Chopping it up and then frying it down to bite-size crisps takes this savory gnocchi recipe to a new level.
If you like, substitute the prosciutto for pancetta (Italian bacon) or regular bacon that is fried and crumbled.
Brown the Chicken
This pumpkin gnocchi recipe uses a diced chicken breast that you will want to brown over medium-high heat until cooked through, again about five minutes. Use the same big skillet from the previous step and add a little bit of olive oil to help keep the chicken from sticking.
When the chicken is cooked through, take it out of the skillet and set it aside.
Make the Gnocchi Sauce
Like many good sauces, this gnocchi recipe has a couple of different cheeses in it. To make the gnocchi sauce, start by melting 8 oz. of cream cheese.
As with all recipes, don’t skimp on the quality of your ingredients. Use the best cream cheese you can find as it is the base of this savory and creamy gnocchi sauce.
Add Remaining Ingredients for the Gnocchi Sauce
Here is when things start to get yummy, with this pumpkin gnocchi sauce. Continue stirring the skillet over medium heat and add the pumpkin purée and spices to the cream cheese.
Continue to stir the gnocchi mixture over medium heat. It will begin to thicken and if you need to thin it out a bit, slowly stir in more milk (or cream).
The crispy prosciutto and sun-dried tomatoes each add a savory flavor to this pumpkin gnocchi; this masterpiece meal is almost ready to serve!
Tear up a few leaves of fresh sage and add them to the gnocchi. You’re going to love this savory combination!
Entertaining on a Budget
This gnocchi recipe is not just delicious and beautiful; you can make it for just a few dollars per serving.
A Few Final Thoughts on this Pumpkin Gnocchi Recipe:
- It reheats well. This is best done using a small pan, add some milk to thin out the gnocchi sauce if necessary.
- I think some toasted walnuts would make a great addition to this gnocchi recipe.
- For added color, flavor and health, add some baby spinach to the pot, at the end of the recipe.
- You can either use whole milk or cream for this gnocchi recipe. Some things just weren’t made for skim milk!
Some of our other delicious Pumpkin Recipes for you:
- Old-Fashioned Soft Pumpkin Cookies
- Slow Cooker Sticky Caramel Pumpkin Cake
- Pumpkin Cake Roll
- Pumpkin Pancakes with Apple Cider Syrup
- Cinnamon Pumpkin Pie Poppers
- Pumpkin Spice Rice Krispie Treats with Brown Butter
More Tasty Ideas to Plan Your Fall Menu:
- 50 Fabulous Fall Recipes from MidwestLiving
- 60 Fall Recipes We’re Looking Forward to Making from Bon Appétite
- Best Fall Recipes from Food & Wine
- Sage and Apple Butter Gnocchi from Platter Talk
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Savory Pumpkin Gnocchi Recipe
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Ingredients
- 2 lbs gnocchi
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 4 oz prosciutto, sliced
- 8 oz chicken breast, skinless, boneless, and cubed
- 8 oz cream cheese, cubed
- 15 oz pumpkin purée, 1 small can
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 cup whole milk, or cream
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 5 leaves fresh sage, torn into small pieces
- 1 tsp kosher salt, to taste
- black pepper , to taste
Instructions
- Prepare gnocchi as directed on package. Or, make your own homemade gnocchi recipe here. Drain and toss in olive oil to keep from sticking.
- While waiting for the water to boil for the gnocchi, chop prosciutto on a cutting board. Then, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over median-high heat, in a large skillet. Fry the prosciutto down until crispy. This takes about five minutes, be sure to stir it frequently using a large wooden spoon. Remove crisped prosciutto and set aside for later.
- Cube chicken into 1/2 inch pieces. Use the same large skillet from the prosciutto and heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken and cook until done, about five minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Cube the cream cheese, then place in the same large skillet over medium heat. Stir until it begins to melt. Then, add pumpkin, paprika, and chili powder. Stir in the milk and then add the Parmesan cheese. As the gnocchi sauce cooks, it may start to thicken. Add more milk (or cream) if necessary.
- Return the cooked gnocchi and the chicken to the gnocchi sauce while continuing to stir. Add crisped prosciutto and sun-dried tomatoes, while stirring. Stir in sage leaves and salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
what a great recipe!! It’s forgiving for substitutions and additions, so will for sure use again as I tend to cook a little more freestyle than by the book. I made some subs which worked out well for me
* did not add chili powder as I am not a fan. The smoked paprika (and YES! it needs to be smoked!) is such a phenomenal flavor and works perfectly with pumpkin.
* added a shallot I had on hand when I fried up the chicken pieces
* cut amt of chicken in 1/2 (only used one chicken breast) as well as the amt of cream cheese because I just used up what was left in my tub which was maybe 5ish oz.
* used a1 lb box of orecchiette instead of gnocchi – can I tell you how great the orecchiette worked in this recipe?! If you aren’t up for the heaviness of a gnocchi try orichiette – it is still meaty and substantial enough to hold up to this sauce.
Thank you so much for this recipe. I am horribly allergic to the allium family (onions, garlic, etc.). I try any recipes I find without onions. I love pumpkin, the recipe is a total hit at my house.
Lisa, we’re happy to hear you enjoy this pumpkin gnocchi. You’re in great company as many of our readers have emailed us to say how much they like it as well. Thanks for the wonderful feedback!
This is such a great idea! Looks so yummy!
This recipe has it all! Creamy, cheesy, smoky, comforting…I want it, that’s all I can say. 🙂 For me, it’s a tossup between sweet and savory pumpkin dishes. I love them all.
Some decisions are harder than others, Dorothy! I think though, that given your choices, you can’t go wrong with any of them!
This looks absolutely drool-worthy as you said! I love prosciutto and sage in here!
Thanks, Barrie. I am actually still drooling at the memory of this one.
My mouth is absolutely watering! I really love gnocchi and of course, being low carb we don’t have it like we used to. It’s a great treat though and I’m stashing this away for one of our treat meals to enjoy this fall!
Thanks, Shelby! This is one of the best tasting fall recipes we have made this year; I hope your autumn is delicious!
Oh man! This looks amazing! I need to get on this one. All of the ingredients were destined for each other!
Wow these look fantastic for Fall! And love all the helpful step-by-step photos guys!
Thanks, Diane. This gnocchi recipe is a must try!
A delicious, quick and easy weeknight dinner.