Brown Butter Gnocchi with Butternut Squash, Sage, and Walnuts

By: Gill Renée

#Vegetarian

For this recipe we are making everyone’s favorite word to pronounce-- gnocchi. Gnocchi is one of my favorite substitutes for traditional pasta because it uses simple ingredients and is very fast to cook. This brown butter gnocchi recipe is a little different than the rest because it incorporates fall flavors with a little added crunch from the walnuts. If you’re seeking something warm and reminiscent of autumn leaves falling, then give this recipe a try!

Brown butter is easy to make, however, it does require you to pay attention, so it doesn’t burn. Swirl around the pan or stir often to avoid burning. Tip: If you have a light-colored pan, use it so that you can see the color of the butter change as it cooks.
For this recipe you want to let the gnocchi sear, so they will have a slight crisp on the outside.
Walnuts are not a crucial part of this recipe (they are more for texture). If you don’t have any on hand, you can still make this recipe and forego them.
To speed up the prep time, I would recommend buying already pre-cut or cubed butternut squash. This shaves off a fair amount of prep time, as all you must do is then cut the pre-portioned cubes in ½ inch pieces. Cutting the squash into smaller pieces will make it cook faster.
Gnocchi is the star of the dish so you may use either homemade or pre-packaged gnocchi. You will follow the instructions just the same with either option but do keep in mind, if you are making homemade gnocchi the same night as you make this recipe, the overall cooking time will increase.
This recipe makes 2 very generous portions that could even leave some room for leftovers.
The Parmesan cheese that I use, Belgioioso Freshly Shredded Parmesan Cheese, is vegetarian. It is difficult to find at the normal grocery store, but I get mine from Imperfect Foods. They have a variety of affordable and sustainable groceries that can be delivered right to your door. Here’s $80 to shop ($20 off your first four orders) and create your Imperfect box: http://imprfct.us/v/andrea_24906

*This is a referral link that any customer can give out. My experiences with Imperfect Foods are from being a customer myself.

Prep Time: 10 mins.

Cook Time: 20-30 mins.

Total Time: 30-40 mins.

Servings: 2

Ingredients

1/2 butternut squash (about 8oz but will vary)
5 oz sage
1 clove garlic
1 oz walnuts
½ stick unsalted butter
1 lb gnocchi
2.5 oz grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp olive oil

Cooking Steps

Prepare Ingredients

Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Rinse all produce. Pick sage leaves, discarding stems. Finely mince 1 clove of garlic.

Cut Butternut Squash

Peel and remove seeds from butternut squash. Cut into ½ inch pieces.

Roast Squash

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On the baking sheet, toss squash with about 1 Tbsp of olive oil (or enough to coat all the pieces). Season with salt and pepper as desired.

Arrange squash pieces into a single layer and roast until slightly browned and tender, about 15-18 minutes.

Toast Walnuts

Meanwhile, place 1 oz of walnuts into a large pan with high sides over medium heat. Toast and stir the walnuts until golden and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Once toasted, transfer the walnuts to a plate.

Make Brown Butter

To the same pan from the walnuts, add in ½ stick unsalted butter, 5 oz sage, and minced garlic. Swirl the pan or still until butter turns golden and fragrant, about 4-5 mins. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove pan from heat and set it aside.

Boil Gnocchi

If using pre-packaged gnocchi, gently separate the gnocchi on a dry surface. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, season the water generously with salt. Add gnocchi to pot and cook, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, about 2 mins. You want the gnocchi to almost rise to surface before removing them from the water. Reserve about ½ cup of pasta cooking water (this is to help make the sauce). Drain the remaining water.

Sear Gnocchi

Heat pan with brown butter over a medium-high heat. Add cooked gnocchi and stir once to coat in brown butter. Arrange gnocchi in a single layer and cook, without stirring, until beginning to brown, about 3 mins. Next, stir gnocchi and cook until lightly browned on all sides, about 3-5 mins.

Add in Other Ingredients

To the pan with the gnocchi, add in the roasted squash and 2.5 oz of Parmesan cheese and mix gently to combine. Add 1 Tbsp of reserved pasta cooking water into the pan until the sauce clings to the gnocchi. You want a silky, smooth sauce so add as much as you need.

Serve

Once sauce is silky, remove pan from heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide brown butter gnocchi and garnish with toasted walnuts. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

(Per Serving)

Calories: 857

Fat: 61g

Net Carbs: 46g

Total Carbs: 55g

Fiber: 9g

Protein: 23g

The above nutrition facts are only estimates and may not be representative of your final product.