Easy Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Arugula Pesto
Sweet Potato Gnocchi may just be one of the most heavenly pastas to exist! It is simple to make and has the most icredible subtle sweet flavor from the sweet potatoes. Make this for date night or for anyone you want to impress ;).
If you love homemade pasta but don’t have a pasta sheeter or want to get any special equipment, gnocchi is a great place to start! It takes just a couple ingredients and is incredibly easy to make. You can pair gnocchi with just about any sauce you like and have a delicious, restaurat worthy meal at home.
While regular potato gnocchi is wonderful and delicious, one could argue sweet potato gnocchi is king when it comes to gnocchi! The additional flavor from the sweet potatoes just takes the pasta to a whole other level.
This gnocchi is topped with a fresh made arugula and basil pesto that is to die for. The vibrant arugula adds a peppery taste that is unique and delicious. You can make this pesto for pasta, on sandwiches or even pizza!
Tips for MAking PErfect Sweet Potato Gnocchi
- Bowl the sweet potatoes whole if you can. Cutting the potatoes into small chunks before boiling will allow more water to get into the potatoes, resulting in a stickier dough that is harder to work with. If your sweet potatoes wont fit in your pot, just cut them in half.
- Always, mash the potatoes to as smooth of a consistency as you can. Traditionally gnocchi is made using a ricer but it isn’t a common kitchen tool for most people. I use a potato masher and it works great. Just make sure you try to get all of the clumps out.
- When mixing the dough, try to work the dough as little as possible. The more you work it and knead it, the more structure you are developing which can lead to less tender gnocchi. Knead the dough just until it is well combined.
Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Arugula Pesto Ingredients
Sweet Potato– You can use any type of sweet potatoes you like.
Flour– All purpose or 00 flour are best! If you can find 00 flour, it makes for the most tender pasta.
Egg– This is the binder in your gnocchi dough.
Salt– There is a touch of salt in the pasta for flavor.
Arugula- Fresh arugula gives the homemade pesto a delicious and unique flavor.
Basil- While you can make the pesto fully with arugula, I think the combination of the arugula and basil is perfect.
Parmesan Cheese– Always make sure you use fresh grated parmesan when making pesto for texture and flavor.
Olive Oil– This is the base of any pesto, so be sure to use a good quality olive oil.
Garlic– Fresh, whole cloves of garlic are what you want to use for the pesto.
Walnuts– I love using toasted walnuts in combination with the arugula but you can use pine nuts as well, which is more traditional in pesto.
Lemon– Fresh squeeze lemon juice brings a nice, light acidity to balance out the rich oils in the pesto.
The Steps
1.Start by adding the sweet potatoes to a pot full of water and boil until fork tender. If your sweet potatoes can fit in your pot whole, leave them that way. You want as little water as possible getting into the sweet potatoes.
2. Once they are cooked and tender, run them under cold water and rub the skins off. Mash the potatoes until smooth, then place in the refrigerator to cool.
3. While the potatoes are cooling, add all of the pesto ingredients to a food processor or large jar with an immersion blender and blend until sooth. Taste, and add any more salt, pepper or lemon if needed.
4. Next, take your mashed sweet potatoes and add in the flour. Gently start to mix the flour into the potatoes, then add in the egg and salt. Continue to mix with a fork, just until a dough starts to form.
5. Dump the dough onto a floured counter and gently knead it a couple times, just so that all of the flour is incorporated. You don’t want to over knead this.
6. Then, cut the dough into 4 pieces and take each piece and roll it into a log about 1/2 inch thick. Using a knife or a bench scraper, cut the log into little gnocchis. You can cut these as big or as little as you like. Be sure to keep your counter well floured as you do this as the dough can be sticky.
7. Finally, boil the gnocchi in salted water until they float to the top. About 4-5 minutes. At this point, you can strain them and toss them in the pesto right away OR you can strain them and add them to a hot pan with a bit of butter and sear them for a couple minutes. This will get the outside of the gnocchi lightly crisp if that is what you desire!
8. Pour the fresh made pesto over the gnocchi and serve immediatley. Enjoy!
If you give this recipe a try, leave a comment or review below or tag us on instagram!
Looking for more delicious homemade pasta recipes? Check these ones out.
https://cmbarndominium.com/dreamy-roasted-tomato-and-pesto-burrata-pasta/
https://cmbarndominium.com/fresh-lemon-asparagus-sourdough-pasta-salad/
https://cmbarndominium.com/simple-delicious-boursin-tomato-sourdough-pasta/
Soft and tender Sweet Potato Gnocchi with a fresh homemade arugula basil pesto. Simple, easy and a delicious restaurant worthy meal at home! * You can use any type of sweet potato you like for this recipe. *When mixing the dough, if it still seems extremely sticky, add in a bit more flour at a time just until its firm enough that you can roll it. * If you do not want to cook all of the gnocchi right away, you can lay out the uncooked gnocchi on a baking sheet lined with parchment and flash freeze. Once they are mostly firm, transfer them to a large ziploc and store in the freezer until you want to use them. Simply add them straight to boiling water from the freezer and enjoy. 
Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Arugula Pesto
Ingredients
For the Arugula Pesto
Instructions
Notes
