Vegan Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Fried Sage & Walnuts

Bowl of Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Fried Sage & Walnuts with a serving spoon.

5 from 1 vote

Vegan Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Fried Sage & Walnuts

Vegan sweet potato gnocchi is easier to make than you'd think, and it's so worth it! In this recipe we're pan-frying it in vegan butter with fresh sage and crunchy walnuts. This dish is so indulgent and delicious, and it's absolutely perfect for special dinners and holidays.

Prep Time25

Cook Time20

Total Time45

Course: Entree, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Servings:

Calories: 543kcal

Author: Alissa Saenz

Ingredients

For the Sweet Potato Gnocchi

2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 2 medium sweet potatoes)
1 teaspoons salt
⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus up to an additional half cup

For Frying

⅓ cup vegan butter
⅓ cup chopped walnuts
1 medium bunch fresh sage leaves (about 20 leaves)
Salt and pepper, to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Poke a few holes in your sweet potatoes with a fork or knife, then place them on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave the sweet potatoes until they're easily pierced with a knife, initially checking them after five minutes, then every one to two minutes after that (Note 1).
Start your water for boiling the gnocchi. Place a large pot of water on the stove over high heat. You can turn the heat down if it boils before your gnocchi are ready, but you'll want it to be at a rolling boil once they're done.
Cut the sweet potatoes open and let them cool a bit while you gather your other ingredients.
Once the sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh and transfer it to a large mixing bowl. Use a fork or potato masher to mash the sweet potatoes (Note 2). You should end up with about two cups of mashed sweet potato.
Mash the salt and nutmeg into the sweet potato, then begin adding flour, about a half cup at a time. Keep adding flour until a soft dough forms, adding between 1 ½ and 2 cups total. Be careful not to overwork the dough.
Lightly flour a work surface, then divide the dough into three or four portions. Roll each dough portion into a 1-inch thick snake.
Cut each dough snake into ½-inch pieces. You'll get around forty pieces. Optionally, use a fork to crimp each of your gnocchi.
Once all of the gnocchi are made, carefully transfer them to the boiling water. Boil the gnocchi until they float, which should only take about three or four minutes. Drain them into a colander, or you can remove them individually with a slotted spoon as they're done.
Melt the vegan butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sage leaves and walnuts. Fry the sage and walnuts for about a minute, stirring occasionally.
Add the gnocchi to the skillet, placing the dumplings in an even layer. Continue to fry everything for three to four minutes, stirring occasionally, until the gnocchi start to crisp up. Keep an eye on everything to watch for burning. If you start to see the sage or walnuts burning, the dish is done (even if you can't see browning on the gnocchi). Remove it from heat immediately.
Season the dish with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Notes

Alternatively, you can bake your sweet potatoes in a 400°F oven. They will take much longer — up to an hour.
If you have a potato ricer, feel free to use it instead of a fork or masher.

Nutrition