Savory Pumpkin Gnocchi Recipe

5 from 3 votes

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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.

Close up Pumpkin gnocchi with herbs in serving bowl, bread in background
Pumpkin Gnocchi is one of our easy pumpkin recipes.
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Pumpkin Gnocchi Recipe

Our pumpkin gnocchi recipe is part of #pumpkinweek, where almost 40 food blogs dedicate an entire week to foods featuring the great pumpkin!

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.

Pumpkin gnocchi on plate with fork and in serving bowl
This savory pumpkin gnocchi recipe goes together in just 30 minutes.

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!

Pumpkin gnocchi with fresh herbs in serving bowl close up
At about $2.00 per serving, this gnocchi recipe is perfect for cooking on a budget.

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

A pot of boiling water with raw pumpkin gnocchi about to go in
Boil the gnocchi as directed on the package.

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

Raw diced chicken being sauteed in pan with wooden spoon
Chicken breast adds some good protein to this pumpkin gnocchi recipe.

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).

Skillet of pumpkin gnocchi in sauce with cooked proscuitto
Add the crispy prosciutto and sun-dried tomatoes to the skillet.

The crispy prosciutto and sun-dried tomatoes each add a savory flavor to this pumpkin gnocchi; this masterpiece meal is almost ready to serve!

Pot of cooking, sauced pumpkin gnocchi being stirred with fresh herbs using wood spoon
Garnish this pumpkin gnocchi with fresh sage.

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

A plate of pumpkin gnocchi, fresh sage on a table, serving bowl in background
Make this savory gnocchi recipe for about $2.00 per serving.

This gnocchi recipe is not just delicious and beautiful; you can make it for just a couple of 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!
Pumpkin gnocchi a in serving bowl and on plate with fork
Savory Pumpkin Gnocchi Recipe from Platter Talk

Some of our other delicious Pumpkin Recipes for you:

More Tasty Ideas to Plan Your Fall Menu:

Savory Pumpkin Gnocchi Recipe

5 from 3 votes
This savory fall meal is perfect for entertaining while not breaking the bank. Using a cheese-based gnocchi sauce, you can put this dinner together in just 30 minutes!
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Yield: 8

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

Substitute fried and crumbled bacon for prosciutto if you like.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 517kcal, Carbohydrates: 50g, Protein: 20g, Fat: 26g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Cholesterol: 70mg, Sodium: 1134mg, Potassium: 482mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 9380IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 255mg, Iron: 5.8mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American, Italain
Tried this recipe?Mention @plattertalk or tag #plattertalk!
Thank you PumpkinWeek Sponsors: Dixie Crystals, Cabot Cheese, and Eggland’s Best for providing the prizes free of charge. These companies also provided the bloggers with samples and product to use for PumpkinWeek recipes. All opinions are my own.

Meet the Platter Talk Guys

Dan & Scott split their time between Wisconsin and Southwest Florida and are dads to six boys. Good food runs through their veins, and they love showing others how to cook easy recipes.

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14 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    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.

  2. 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.

    1. 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!

  3. 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.

    1. Some decisions are harder than others, Dorothy! I think though, that given your choices, you can’t go wrong with any of them!

  4. 5 stars
    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!

    1. Thanks, Shelby! This is one of the best tasting fall recipes we have made this year; I hope your autumn is delicious!