This gnocchi with butternut squash sauce starts with roasted butternut squash that combines with a bit of onion and vodka, some chili crisp and a bit of cream. Baby spinach is added at the end and cooked until wilted.
Ingredients and substitutions
A few notes about the key ingredients …
Gnocchi – You can use any type of gnocchi, from frozen to refrigerated to shelf-stable. In all cases, simply cook the gnocchi per the package instructions.
Chili crisp – Look for this popular condiment in with the Asian sauces at the grocery store. I like the Laoganma brand “Spicy Chili Crisp”. You can also find it easily on Amazon or other online sellers. It’s a great condiment to add to your kitchen. It keeps well in the refrigerator, and you’ll find lots of uses for it. I love to stir a little bit into pasta sauce in place of red pepper flakes, for a tiny bit of heat.
Tomato paste – The tubes of double-concentrated tomato paste are perfect for small amounts of tomato paste and are great to have on hand when opening a can of tomato paste seems wasteful.
Vodka – Vodka is optional. If you prefer to skip it, simply omit that addition and carry on with the recipe.
Heavy Cream – This is the 35% butterfat whipping cream. You can substitute a lower-fat cream such as Half and Half if you like, though the sauce will, of course, be a little less creamy.
How to make gnocchi with butternut squash sauce
This is a visual summary of the steps to make this recipe. Always refer to the complete instructions in the recipe card below when making the recipe.
- Start by cutting the butternut squash lengthwise and then roast cut side down in the oven for about 1 hour.
- Scoop the cooked butternut squash flesh out. Measure out the amount needed for this recipe and refrigerate or freeze the remainder for another use.
- Heat some oil in a skillet and add the garlic and chili crisp. Cook briefly in the hot oil.
- Add the vodka to the skillet and allow it to cook off for a minute or so.
- Add the tomato paste to the skillet and cook, stirring, for a minute or so.
- Add the butternut squash to the skillet.
- Add the cream to the skillet and whisk it into the squash until you have a thick sauce. When the gnocchi is cooked, add to the skillet together with enough of the hot gnocchi cooking water to make a smooth, creamy sauce.
- Add the spinach to the skillet.
- Cook until the spinach wilts, then season and serve.
Recipe tips!
- Adjust the amount of chili crisp to your taste. The 1 teaspoon specified will not make a fiery dish, but simply a pleasant level of heat.
- The sauce is going to seem very paste-like until you start to stir in the gnocchi cooking water. Add as much of the cooking water as you need until you get a silky-smooth and creamy sauce.
- I like to serve the gnocchi with a bit of extra chili crisp on top.
- Don’t forget to season the dish well with salt and pepper as needed. This will really bring together all the great flavours.
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Get the Recipe: Gnocchi with Butternut Squash Sauce
Ingredients
- 12 oz potato gnocchi, fresh, frozen or shelf-stable
For the butternut squash vodka sauce:
- 1 1/4 cups roasted butternut squash, from 1 small or medium butternut squash *see instructions for roasting instructions
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon chili crisp, adjust to taste *see Note 1 below
- 2 Tablespoons vodka, can omit
- 4 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, 35% b.f.
- 2-3 handfuls baby spinach
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, slightly less for fine table salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- For the roasted butternut squash: Preheat the oven to 375F (non-convection/not fan-assisted). Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out and discard the seeds and pulp. Place the cut butternut squash cut-side down on a baking sheet. Place into the preheated oven and roast for about 1 hour, or until the skin is golden and the flesh is soft. Remove from the oven, flip the squash over and allow to cool slightly. Scoop out the cooked butternut squash flesh. Measure out the amount needed for this recipe, then refrigerate or freeze the remainder for another use.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the gnocchi.
- For the butternut squash vodka sauce: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and chili crisp and cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds. Add the vodka and allow it to cook off for about 1 minute or until mostly evaporated. Add the tomato paste to the skillet and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute or until the tomato paste darkens. Add the measured roasted butternut squash to the skillet, then add the heavy cream. Use a whisk to whisk together into a thick paste.
- Add the gnocchi to the boiling water and cook the gnocchi according to the package instructions. Gnocchi is generally cooked when it floats to the surface. When cooked, use a slotted spoon or spider strainer to transfer the cooked gnocchi to the skillet with the sauce, reserving all the gnocchi cooking water in the pot.
- Add a splash of the gnocchi cooking water to the skillet and stir in to loosen the sauce. Continue stirring, adding additional gnocchi cooking water a bit at a time, as needed, until you have a silky smooth and creamy sauce. I generally will need to add 1/2-3/4 of a cup of gnocchi cooking water. Taste the sauce and season with some salt and pepper, as needed.
- Add the baby spinach to the skillet and stir it in. Allow the spinach to cook with the gnocchi and sauce until the spinach has wilted.
- Serve immediately, garnished with a dollop of chili crisp and/or additional freshly ground pepper.
Notes
More gnocchi recipes to love!
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
Jennifer – this was so good! I have to say – trust the process. Made this verbatim and was a little unsure about the sauce coming together. But kept adding the gnocchi water and stirring and it kinda magically came together. Thanks for another great recipe! So much butternut squash from the garden – great way to use it.
So glad you enjoyed it, Nick and lucky you having so much butternut squash! Thanks so much :)