Are you ready to dive into the ultimate cozy fall comfort food? A dish so creamy, so luxurious, and so packed with the incredible flavors of the season, it will feel like a warm hug in a bowl? This amazing, from-scratch-tasting Creamy Pumpkin Gnocchi is that perfect meal. We’re talking soft, pillowy potato gnocchi, enrobed in the most luscious, velvety, and savory pumpkin cream sauce you’ve ever had. And the absolute best part? This restaurant-quality dinner is on the table in about 20 minutes!
This isn’t just another pasta recipe; it’s your new secret weapon for a quick, easy, and stunningly delicious dinner. We’ll show you the simple but crucial secrets to a flawless, from-scratch cream sauce that is bursting with the best flavors of autumn. This is a satisfying, one-pan (mostly!) meal that is perfect for a busy weeknight but elegant enough for a special occasion.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: The Ultimate Cozy Fall Dinner
What makes this Creamy Pumpkin Gnocchi so spectacularly delicious is its incredible, rich flavor and its wonderfully velvety texture. This recipe is a masterpiece of cozy, autumnal flavors. The heart and soul of the dish is the luscious, from-scratch pumpkin cream sauce. A savory base of sautéed onion and garlic is transformed into a luxurious sauce with the addition of canned pumpkin puree, heavy cream, and salty, nutty Parmesan cheese. This beautiful, vibrant orange sauce is the perfect partner for tender, pillowy potato gnocchi and is finished with some fresh, wilted spinach for a pop of color and extra nutrition.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 20 minutes |
| Active Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
| Servings | 4 |
The Essential Ingredients for This Cozy Skillet
This iconic dish uses a handful of high-quality pantry staples and fresh ingredients to create its signature comforting and savory flavor.
- The Creamy Pumpkin Sauce (The Star of the Show!):
- Canned Pumpkin Puree: This is the secret to a fast, easy, and incredibly flavorful fall sauce. It is absolutely crucial to use 100% pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced.
- The Creamy Base: The luxurious, decadent texture comes from a classic combination of full-fat heavy cream and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. For the absolute best, smoothest, and non-grainy sauce, it is essential to grate your own Parmesan from a block.
- The Spice: A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg is the classic, non-negotiable spice pairing for any pumpkin or cream-based sauce. Its warm, sweet, and aromatic flavor is the perfect complement.
- The Gnocchi:
- Store-Bought Potato Gnocchi: This is a brilliant and easy shortcut that makes this soup so special! Using a 1-pound package of your favorite brand of store-bought, shelf-stable or refrigerated potato gnocchi provides the perfect, tender, and pillowy bite. They cook in just a few minutes!
- The Greens: A generous amount of fresh baby spinach adds a beautiful, deep green color, a healthy dose of nutrients, and wilts down into tender, silky ribbons in just a few minutes.
Step-by-Step to the Best Creamy Pumpkin Gnocchi
This elegant, one-pan (mostly!) meal is incredibly simple to prepare.
Step 1: Cook the Gnocchi
First, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add your 1 pound of gnocchi and cook according to the package instructions. Gnocchi cook very quickly! You will know they are done when they float to the surface of the water, which usually takes about 2 to 3 minutes.
Drain the cooked gnocchi and set them aside. Be sure to reserve about 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water before you drain them.
Part 2: Build the Creamy Pumpkin Sauce
Step 1: In a large skillet, heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil over a medium heat. Add your 1 diced medium onion and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, until the onion is translucent and has softened.
Step 2: Stir in the 3 cloves of minced garlic and cook for one more minute, until it is very fragrant.
Step 3: Add the 1 cup of pumpkin puree, the 1 cup of heavy cream, and the 1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese to the skillet. Stir everything together well to combine and let the sauce simmer for about 5 minutes.
Step 4: Season the sauce with the 1/4 teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg and a generous pinch of salt and pepper.
Part 3: Combine Everything and Serve
Step 1: Stir your 3 cups of chopped fresh spinach into the hot sauce until it has wilted. Step 2: Gently fold in your cooked gnocchi.
Pro Tip: If your sauce seems too thick, you can add a small splash of your reserved, starchy pasta water to thin it out to your desired, luscious and creamy consistency.
Serve the hot pumpkin gnocchi immediately in warm, shallow bowls. Garnish each serving with an extra sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese and some red pepper flakes, if you desire.
Pumpkin Gnocchi (Cozy 20-Minute Recipe!)
An easy and comforting vegetarian pasta dish perfect for a fall evening. This ‘Creamy Pumpkin Gnocchi Delight’ features soft, pillowy store-bought gnocchi tossed in a rich and savory pumpkin cream sauce. The simple skillet sauce is made with a base of sautéed onion and garlic, canned pumpkin puree, heavy cream, and grated Parmesan cheese, seasoned with a hint of nutmeg. Fresh spinach is wilted into the sauce at the very end for a touch of color and extra nutrients.
Ingredients
- 1 pound store-bought gnocchi
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 3 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the gnocchi and cook according to the package instructions, typically for 2-3 minutes or until they float to the top. Drain the gnocchi, making sure to reserve ½ cup of the pasta water.
- While the gnocchi is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté for 5-7 minutes, until it becomes translucent.
- Stir in the minced garlic and cook for one more minute until fragrant.
- Add the pumpkin puree, heavy cream, and 1 cup of Parmesan cheese to the skillet. Stir well to combine and let the sauce simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Season the sauce with the grated nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
- Stir in the chopped spinach until it has wilted. Gently fold in the cooked gnocchi.
- If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to reach your desired consistency.
- Divide the creamy gnocchi among bowls and serve hot, garnished with extra Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- This is a quick skillet meal that is perfect for a busy weeknight.
- Reserving some of the starchy water from cooking the gnocchi is a key step that allows you to thin the sauce to a perfect consistency while also helping it cling to the pasta.
- The spinach is added at the very end of the cooking process so that it wilts but does not become overcooked or mushy.
What to Serve With Your Pumpkin Gnocchi
This beautiful and rich dish is a fantastic, all-in-one vegetarian meal. To round it out, here are a few simple and classic pairings:
- Crusty Bread: A side of warm, crusty garlic bread is an absolute must-have for sopping up every last drop of that incredible, creamy and savory sauce.
- A Simple Green Salad: A crisp green salad, especially one with a bright and zesty apple cider vinaigrette, is the perfect, fresh counterpoint to the rich, hearty gnocchi.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
- Make-Ahead: For a super-fast and impressive weeknight meal, you can get a head start by preparing the entire creamy pumpkin sauce up to 3 days in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When you are ready to eat, simply reheat the sauce gently on the stovetop while you cook your fresh gnocchi.
- Storage: Store any leftover gnocchi in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: The best way to reheat this dish is to do so gently in a skillet on the stovetop over a low heat. Because the gnocchi will have absorbed much of the sauce as it sits, you will need to add a generous splash of broth or milk to loosen the sauce and bring back its original, creamy consistency.
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Creative Recipe Variations
- Add a Savory Protein: For a hearty, non-vegetarian version, this creamy pasta is absolutely fantastic with about 1/2 to 1 pound of browned and crumbled sweet or spicy Italian sausage or some crispy, diced pancetta.
- Add a Toasted Nut: For a wonderful textural contrast and an extra layer of fall flavor, you can sprinkle the finished dish with a handful of toasted, chopped walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts.
- Add Some Crispy Sage: For a classic and delicious fall flavor combination, you can fry a few fresh sage leaves in a little bit of butter until they are crispy. You can then crumble the crispy leaves over the top of the finished gnocchi for a beautiful and fragrant garnish.
Enjoy The Ultimate Cozy Fall Dinner!
You’ve just created a truly special dish that is a perfect harmony of wholesome, classic ingredients and delicious, satisfying flavors. This classic Creamy Pumpkin Gnocchi is a testament to the power of a simple, from-scratch-tasting meal to be both incredibly fast and wonderfully elegant. It’s a rewarding and deeply satisfying recipe that is sure to become a new family favorite for all the cozy days of the year.
We hope you enjoy every last, perfect, and delicious bite!
If you enjoyed making this recipe, please leave a comment below or share it with a friend who loves an easy and impressive meal!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What is the absolute, number one secret to a creamy pumpkin sauce that is not watery?
The secret is to use 100% pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, and to let the sauce simmer gently for a few minutes. The gentle simmering will allow the sauce to reduce and thicken beautifully. The starch from the gnocchi and the pasta water will also help to thicken the sauce to a perfect, luscious consistency.
Q2: How do I keep my gnocchi from being gummy or mushy?
The key to perfect gnocchi is to not overcook them. Whether you are using shelf-stable or fresh, refrigerated gnocchi, they cook very quickly. As soon as they float to the surface of the boiling water, they are done! Be sure to remove them from the water immediately.
Q3: Can I make this dish ahead of time?
This dish is at its absolute creamiest and best when it is served fresh from the skillet. However, you can save a ton of time by preparing the entire creamy pumpkin sauce ahead of time and storing it in the refrigerator. Then, when you are ready to eat, you can simply reheat the sauce while you cook your fresh gnocchi.
Q4: Can I pan-fry my gnocchi for this recipe instead of boiling it?
Yes, absolutely! For a different but equally delicious texture, you can pan-fry your shelf-stable gnocchi. Simply cook the gnocchi in a hot, oiled skillet until they are golden brown and slightly crispy on the outside. Then, you can proceed with making the sauce and tossing everything together.
Q5: What is the difference between canned pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie filling?
It is very important to use 100% pure pumpkin puree for this recipe. Canned pumpkin pie filling is a pre-made mixture that already contains added sugars and spices, so it would make your final savory sauce much too sweet