Pumpkin Gnocchi with Brown Butter Sage Sauce
A quick and elegant pasta dish perfect for fall, this recipe features pumpkin gnocchi tossed in a simple yet flavorful brown butter and sage sauce. Store-bought or homemade pumpkin gnocchi are boiled until tender. In a separate skillet, unsalted butter is cooked until it browns and develops a nutty aroma, crisping whole sage leaves in the process. The cooked gnocchi is then tossed in the brown butter sauce and finished with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese.
Ingredients
- 1 lb pumpkin gnocchi (store-bought or homemade)
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 8-10 fresh sage leaves
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pumpkin gnocchi in a large pot of salted water according to the package instructions until they float to the surface. Drain and set aside.
- While the gnocchi cooks, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the whole sage leaves to the melted butter and continue to cook, swirling the pan, for about 3-4 minutes, until the butter turns a golden brown color and has a nutty aroma, and the sage leaves are crispy.
- Add the cooked and drained gnocchi to the skillet with the brown butter sauce and toss to coat.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately, sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- This is an extremely fast meal, coming together in about 15 minutes, making it ideal for a busy weeknight.
- The sauce is a classic ‘beurre noisette’ or brown butter sauce. It is important to watch the butter carefully as it can go from browned to burnt very quickly.
- The sage leaves become crispy and delicious as they fry in the butter, adding great texture to the final dish.