A fabulous and flavorful dish of tender Sweet Potato Ricotta Gnocchi covered in a rich garlic brown butter herb sauce and topped with fresh lemon ricotta.
A Sweet Break From Traditional Gnocchi
Swap out plain old white potatoes and try a Sweet Potato Ricotta Gnocchi that exceeds all expectations. Pillowy soft yet tender to the bite, with a slight sweetness and topped with a simple garlic brown butter herb sauce and a dollop of lemon ricotta. Need I say more?
Obsessed with Sweet Potatoes
We’re obsessed with sweet potatoes. I definitely prefer them over white potatoes in almost every way. Once you learn how to bake a sweet potato, you’ll be obsessed, too. There’s sweet potato fries, sweet potato hash browns, baked sweet potato soup, sweet potato brownies, really sweet potato anything.
Most traditional gnocchi is made with white potatoes, flour and egg. But one night, Brandon and I wanted to switch it up a bit. We thought sweet potatoes would be great in gnocchi and we also wanted to use ricotta in the gnocchi for the added flavor and texture.
Pairs Well with Any Sauce
They turned out amazing! Pillowy soft yet tender to the bite with a slight sweetness that could complement really any sauce you could think of. We tossed them with Brandon’s amazing lamb ragu the first night and with a traditional tomato sauce the next night. And then they were all gone and we were all sad so I just had to make them again.
For the next batch I made a simple garlic brown butter herb sauce that I generously drizzled over the sweet potato ricotta gnocchi and WOW!
Can’t Put Your Fork Down
The sweetness of the gnocchi with the rich savory flavor of the brown butter sauce pretty much blew us away. Topped with a dollop of lemon spiked fresh ricotta and this dish was so delicious we couldn’t put our forks down.
Gnocchi is much easier to make than you’d think and this recipe makes quite a bit so you can have this amazing meal a few times if you’re not serving a large group the first time.
A fabulous dish that’s so full of flavor, I’m sure it will quickly become a favorite for an easy weeknight meal or an impressive course when entertaining.
What Do I Need to Make Sweet Potato Ricotta Gnocchi?
(see recipe card for measurements and details)
- Large sweet potatoes
- Fresh ricotta
- Kosher salt
- All-purpose flour
- Unsalted butter
- Garlic
- Chopped fresh herbs (such as rosemary, thyme, basil, oregano, sage and/or chives)
- Large lemon
- salt to taste, about 1/2 teaspoon
- Large pot or Dutch oven
- Medium Saucepan
How to Make Sweet Potato Ricotta Gnocchi
- Bake or microwave sweet potatoes to cook them. To bake, heat oven to 400°F. Pierce sweet potatoes several times with a fork. Bake until tender, about 40-45 minutes. To microwave, pierce sweet potatoes several times with a fork. Microwave on high for 5-8 minutes or until tender.
- Let sweet potatoes cool slightly before slicing down the middle and scooping out the flesh.
- Mash the sweet potatoes and use a measuring cup to transfer 2 cups to a large mixing bowl.
- Stir in the ricotta and salt until well combined.
- Add the flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until a soft dough forms.
- If the dough is too sticky, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time until soft.
- With floured hands, form the dough into a ball and place on a large generously-floured work surface. Divide the dough into 8 smaller balls.
- Roll each ball into a 1-inch thick rope.
- Cut each rope into 1-inch pieces, about 120 gnocchi total.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Once the water comes to a boil, add a teaspoon of kosher salt and return to a boil. Add the gnocchi in 4 batches, covering the bottom of the pot with a single layer of gnocchi each batch. Cook until gnocchi float to the top and are tender to taste, about 5-6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, drain the gnocchi and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place in a warm oven or tent with foil to keep warm while you cook the remaining gnocchi.
- To make the brown butter sauce, place the butter and garlic in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook until butter is melted and just starting to turn a golden brown, stirring frequently. Turn heat to low and add the chopped herbs. Let the herbs sizzle into the brown butter for a minute before turning the heat off.
- To make the ricotta, place the ricotta, lemon zest and lemon juice in a small bowl. Stir together until well combined and smooth. Stir in salt to taste.
- To serve, place the gnocchi in individual serving bowls and drizzle generously with the brown butter sauce.
- Top each serving with a dollop of lemon ricotta. Or toss all of the gnocchi with the brown butter sauce and serve family-style with the lemon ricotta on the side.
How to Store Sweet Potato Ricotta Gnocchi
Store leftover gnocchi with the brown butter sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat gnocchi with sauce in a microwave safe container in 30 seconds intervals until heated through, stirring after each interval (about 60-90 seconds). Or reheat on the stove in a saucepan over medium-low heat until heated through, about 5 minutes, stirring often.
Store leftover gnocchi with no sauce in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat leftover gnocchi with no sauce in the microwave with a little butter or water in 30 seconds intervals until heated through, stirring after each interval (about 60-90 seconds). Or reheat on the stove in a saucepan over medium-low heat with a little butter or oil until heated through, about 5 minutes, stirring often. You can also reheat refrigerated gnocchi by dropping them in boiling salted water for a few minutes.
How to Make Ahead
To prep and freeze gnocchi in advance, it’s best to freeze it before it’s cooked. The gnocchi can be prepped through the point of cutting it into small pieces and then arranged in a single layer on a parchment-lined sheet pan and placed in the freezer to flash freeze for 1 hour.
After the uncooked gnocchi are flash frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe container or plastic bag to store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy them, proceed with boiling them from frozen. They will take a few extra minutes to cook all the way through from frozen.
If you make this Sweet Potato Ricotta Gnocchi and post a pic to social, be sure to tag me on Instagram @thebakermama so I can see! 😍 I just love seeing how inspired and creative y’all get with the recipes and ideas I share. Enjoy!
xoxo,
Sweet Potato Ricotta Gnocchi with Garlic Brown Butter Herb Sauce
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 50 mins
- Yield: 6-8
- Category: Main
Description
A fabulous and flavorful dish of tender sweet potato ricotta gnocchi covered in a rich garlic brown butter herb sauce and topped with fresh lemon ricotta.
Ingredients
Gnocchi:
- 2 cups mashed cooked sweet potato (2 large sweet potatoes)
- 1 and 1/2 cups fresh ricotta
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
Brown Butter Sauce:
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs (such as rosemary, thyme, basil, oregano, sage and/or chives)
Lemon Ricotta:
- 1 and 1/2 cups fresh ricotta
- zest of half a large lemon (about 1 teaspoon)
- juice of half a large lemon (about 2 teaspoons)
- salt to taste, about 1/2 teaspoon
Instructions
- Bake or microwave sweet potatoes to cook them. To bake, heat oven to 400°F. Pierce sweet potatoes several times with a fork. Bake until tender, about 40-45 minutes. To microwave, pierce sweet potatoes several times with a fork. Microwave on high for 5-8 minutes or until tender.
- Let sweet potatoes cool slightly before slicing down the middle and scooping out the flesh. Mash the sweet potatoes and use a measuring cup to transfer 2 cups to a large mixing bowl. Stir in the ricotta and salt until well combined. Add the flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until a soft dough forms. (If the dough is too sticky, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time until soft.)
- With floured hands, form the dough into a ball and place on a large generously-floured work surface. Divide the dough into 8 smaller balls and roll each ball into a 1-inch thick rope. Cut each rope into 1-inch pieces, about 120 gnocchi total.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Once the water comes to a boil, add a teaspoon of kosher salt and return to a boil. Add the gnocchi in 4 batches, covering the bottom of the pot with a single layer of gnocchi each batch. Cook until gnocchi float to the top and are tender to taste, about 5-6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, drain the gnocchi and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place in a warm oven or tent with foil to keep warm while you cook the remaining gnocchi.
- To make the brown butter sauce, place the butter and garlic in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook until butter is melted and just starting to turn a golden brown, stirring frequently. Turn heat to low and add the chopped herbs. Let the herbs sizzle into the brown butter for a minute before turning the heat off.
- To make the ricotta, place the ricotta, lemon zest and lemon juice in a small bowl. Stir together until well combined and smooth. Stir in salt to taste.
- To serve, place the gnocchi in individual serving bowls and drizzle generously with the brown butter sauce. Top each serving with a dollop of lemon ricotta. Or toss all of the gnocchi with the brown butter sauce and serve family-style with the lemon ricotta on the side.
Notes
Store leftover gnocchi with the brown butter sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat gnocchi with sauce in a microwave safe container in 30 seconds intervals until heated through, stirring after each interval (about 60-90 seconds). Or reheat on the stove in a saucepan over medium-low heat until heated through, about 5 minutes, stirring often.
Store leftover gnocchi with no sauce in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat leftover gnocchi with no sauce in the microwave with a little butter or water in 30 seconds intervals until heated through, stirring after each interval (about 60-90 seconds). Or reheat on the stove in a saucepan over medium-low heat with a little butter or oil until heated through, about 5 minutes, stirring often. You can also reheat refrigerated gnocchi by dropping them in boiling salted water for a few minutes.
Hi Julie! Oh no, I hate to hear this. I’m wondering if your ricotta was too liquidy? Some ricottas are more liquidy than others and don’t hold their ricotta texture well. And you measured exactly 2 cups mashed sweet potato? Otherwise, I can’t imagine what else would have caused your dough to be so sticky. Hope this helps and that you’re able to try the recipe again with greater success.
Love this! The ricotta is an awesome addition.
Yay! So great to hear. Isn’t it such an amazing combo of flavors and textures?
Hi, I love using sweet potato in recipes instead of white potatoes. I was curious if almond flour or coconut flour could be substituted in this recipe?
Hi Krista! I haven’t tested the recipe with either of those and don’t use them often so I couldn’t say for sure, but I think it’s certainly worth a try because I know a lot of people use them as substitutes for all-purpose flour successfully all the time. Fingers crossed. Enjoy!
Hi! Thank you so much for this recipe, I loved it! I made a large portion and kept some dough in the fridge, is it still good to roll out into gnocchi to cook? It’s been stored for just under 2 days. Thanks again! Susie x
Hi Susie! I’m so happy to hear you love this recipe as much as we do. Yes, the dough you have stored in the fridge can still be rolled out and cooked. Just let it come to room temperature before trying to roll it out. Enjoy! 🙂
Hi! I know you did this post last year, but I was wondering which herbs you used specifically? I’d like to start there and then branch out for future batches. 🙂 Thank you for your help!
Hi Abigail! I use rosemary and thyme most often with this recipe. Hope this helps. Enjoy! 🙂
I just wanted to say thank you for getting back to me. pat.
keep up the good work.
I made your sweet potato ricotta gnocchi with gluten free measure for measure flour.
everything was perfect until I placed them in water they were frozen I took them from
water after they came to top. they were very mushy. were did I go wrong. thank pat.
Hi Pat! I’ve never made this recipe with gluten free flour so I couldn’t say for sure, but I’m assuming that might have something to do with it. Sorry I couldn’t be of more help.