This indulgent and creamy Pumpkin Gnocchi is what fall comfort food dreams are made of. Featuring pillowy soft potato gnocchi simmered in a rich pumpkin pasta sauce, it’s the best dinner for chilly autumn evenings.
Want more savory pumpkin recipes? You’ll love my Pumpkin Pasta Sauce and Pumpkin Pasta Bake as well!
What could be better than gnocchi for dinner? These pillowy and puffy potato pasta “nuggets” are quick and easy to cook and only get better when they’re surrounded by creamy and indulgent sauces. That’s why I’m always making my Tuscan Vegan Gnocchi and Creamy Pesto Gnocchi for comforting weeknight dinners.
Vegan Pumpkin Gnocchi, on the other hand, is perfect for fall and winter meals. Potato gnocchi simmers in an aromatic coconut milk and sage-infused pumpkin sauce before stirring in a handful of kale or spinach for some sneaky nutrients. Every bite is bursting with comforting fall flavors!
What’s even better is that this pumpkin gnocchi recipe is quick and easy, made with a handful of simple ingredients, and comes together in one pan. It’s the ultimate winter or fall dinner that’s best eaten after a long, cold day.
How to make pumpkin gnocchi
Find the complete printable recipe with measurements below in the recipe card.
Heat some oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
Add the gnocchi to the pan, along with the coconut milk, vegetable broth, pumpkin puree, dried sage, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir well.
Bring the pumpkin cream sauce up to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer.
Stir the chopped kale/spinach into the pumpkin gnocchi and cook until the leaves wilt.
You’ll know the dish is ready to serve when the gnocchi is soft, but not mushy, and the sauce has thickened. Serve right away and enjoy!
Frequently asked questions
I was initially surprised when I learned that a lot of gnocchi pasta is vegan-friendly. Most dried gnocchi is made with just two ingredients: riced potatoes and flour. Some recipes also contain eggs but they’re easy to leave out.
If you’re up for the challenge of making your own gnocchi, go for it! The recipe won’t be as quick and easy with the homemade version but the flavors will be upgraded. Try this recipe for Easy Homemade Vegan Gnocchi or this gluten free version to make it yourself.
If you have an aversion to coconut or don’t have coconut milk on hand, make a batch of cashew cream as a replacement. It’s thick and creamy, and won’t affect the flavor of the pumpkin sauce. Unsweetened non-dairy milk, like oat or soy milk, will also work but the sauce won’t be as creamy.
This is a rich and filling dish on its own but you can make it part of a well-rounded meal by serving it alongside fresh bread and vegetable-forward side dishes. For a crowd-pleasing dinner, serve the gnocchi with freshly baked focaccia, Caesar salad, and roasted brussels sprouts on the side.
And if you want to give this dish an elegant presentation, garnish each bowl with vegan parmesan, shredded vegan mozzarella, and/or crispy sage leaves.
The gnocchi is best served when it’s freshly cooked, but the leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. They can also be frozen but the gnocchi will likely be mushy after it’s thawed.
Pumpkin Gnocchi
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 16 ounces gnocchi
- 13.5 ounce can full fat coconut milk
- 1/3 cup vegetable broth
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon salt more or less to taste
- few shakes ground black pepper
- 2 cups loosely packed chopped kale or spinach
Instructions
- Heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in a large pan. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds or so, until fragrant.
- Add the gnocchi to the pan, along with the coconut milk, broth, pumpkin puree, dried sage, thyme, salt and black pepper. Stir everything together, breaking up the gnocchi if they're stuck together.
- Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Stir in the kale or spinach and cook until wilted. The gnocchi should be cooked through but not mushy, and the sauce thickened.
- Serve immediately. Leftovers will keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator, and if needed it can be frozen, though the gnocchi will get quite mushy so it's best eaten fresh.
Notes
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You could make your own homemade vegan pumpkin gnocchi instead of potato gnocchi, for an even more pumpkin dish!
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Optional: add 2-3 vegan sausages, sliced. Pan fry them in the olive oil before the garlic.
I LOVE this recipe. It’s fantastic and came together so fast and easy. I did add fresh thyme and fresh sage(quite a bit) instead of dried and I added more Kale (baby kale). I also added some red pepper flakes because it felt like it just needed a little something else. I added sweet Italian chicken sausage. I crumbled the sausage in the oil and cook through then added the garlic and followed the rest of the recipe as is. I think next time, and there will definitely be a next time, I’m going to roast some fresh pumpkin and serve on top. I’m pumpkin crazy. I’m going to try this with cauliflower gnocchi too. I doubled the recipe to make a big pot that would last us a few days. I think for next time since I double this recipe I’ll substitute one of the full-fat coconut milk cans for a reduced fat can of coconut milk to get the fat and calories down a bit though it’s still not super high in calories the way it is. Thank you for sharing this recipe. My whole family loved it.
Hi Debra. Thank YOU for sharing your great review and cooking experience and ideas! I’m so glad that you loved the recipe! This is a meal that I think is even better on day 2! Wishing you lots of happy cooking.
I really enjoyed this, loved the silky sauce and was super-fast too! I did modify this, and for those wondering like I was, you use uncooked (not precooked) gnocchi! I didn’t have dried sage, so I fried some fresh sage in the oil along with the garlic. I used maybe 1/4 of the requested coconut milk, to reduce the fat content. I ended up having to use more than 2 cups of water to thin out the sauce over the course of cooking this dish.
So easy, fast, and delicious! I made cashew cream but otherwise followed the recipe exactly as written. My non-vegan husband loved it too! I can’t wait to make it again 🙂
Hi Kristi. I love that you found the recipe easy and delicious! Two of my goals! Thank you for your awesome feedback and review! Happy cooking to you!
Very satisfying & quick meal to put together. Creamy & delicious & we love pumpkin!
Our little dog sat next to the stove, watching me prepare this recipe & wagging his tail.
I bet he’s had pure pumpkin before 🎃 Thanks for this great recipe.
So easy to make and both my fiancé and I loved it! I’m a bit hesitant that the recipe made enough for 5 meals, so I recommend making extra if needed. It’s amazing regardless, and a great recipe to make in the fall season! Definitely recommend!