This homemade sweet potato gnocchi is soft, pillowy, and made with 5 ingredients plus a 2-minute garlic butter sauce. The ricotta in the dough is what keeps it tender. On the table in under 50 minutes, gluten-free option included.
Homemade Sweet Potato Gnocchi At A Glance
- ✅ Recipe Name: Homemade Sweet Potato Gnocchi (5 Ingredients!)
- 🕒 Ready In: ~35 minutes
- 👪 Serves: 4
- 🍽 Calories: ~312 per serving, with the sauce
- 💪 Protein: ~8g per serving
- 🥣 Main Ingredients: Sweet potatoes, ricotta or Greek yogurt, parmesan, all-purpose flour, salt, plus butter, garlic, and thyme for the sauce
- 📖 Dietary Info: Vegetarian, gluten-free adaptable, vegan adaptable
- 🌍 Cuisine: Italian
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: Sweet potatoes hold more water than russet potatoes, so most recipes end up dense because you have to keep adding flour. The ricotta in this dough binds it instead, which means you need less flour and the gnocchi stay pillowy.
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Why This Sweet Potato Gnocchi Isn't Dense
I started making gnocchi because I wanted the Trader Joe's version to be better than it is. I still buy it. But there is no reason something with three ingredients should taste like that, so I started making my own. Healthier and made without random seed oils.
The first batches were dense. Sweet potatoes hold a lot more water than russets, and I did not know that yet, so the dough stayed sticky and I kept adding flour. By the time it stopped clinging to my hands, I had worked in close to twice what the recipe called for.
Ricotta is what fixed it. It binds the dough well enough that 1 cup of flour is genuinely enough, and I stop kneading after a minute or two instead of working it until it feels right. Greek yogurt does the same job, and that is what I reach for most weeks. It is the same swap I use in my cottage cheese pasta bake.
I also microwave the sweet potatoes for 7 to 10 minutes instead of roasting them for 45. Faster, and less time to sit there getting waterlogged. I do the same thing for my crispy sweet potato falafel. 4 batches later, this is the version I make.
Jump to:
- Homemade Sweet Potato Gnocchi At A Glance
- Why This Sweet Potato Gnocchi Isn't Dense
- Ingredients You'll Need
- Substitutions and Variations
- How to Make Homemade Sweet Potato Gnocchi (Step-by-Step)
- Recipe Video
- Tips for Fluffy and Soft Homemade Gnocchi
- Sauces for Sweet Potato Gnocchi
- What to Serve with Sweet Potato Gnocchi
- How to Store, Reheat, and Freeze
- Sweet Potato Gnocchi FAQs
- More Italian Recipes You'll Love
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Ingredients You'll Need
Five ingredients for the gnocchi, four for the sauce. Here's what each one does and what you can swap.
Homemade sweet potato gnocchi
- Sweet Potatoes: The base of the dough. I use garnet since they turn the gnocchi orange, but white or purple flesh works too.
- Ricotta or Greek Yogurt: This is what binds the dough, so you need less flour and the gnocchi stay light. Plain Greek yogurt only, 0%, 2%, or 5% all work. It is the same thing yogurt does in my Greek yogurt pizza dough.
- Parmesan: Adds salt and flavor to the dough itself. Pecorino romano works, or nutritional yeast if you are dairy-free or vegan.
- Flour: All-purpose regular or gluten-free. Do not use almond, coconut, or oat flour; they do not have the structure to hold the dough together.
- Salt: For seasoning.
Simple garlic butter sauce
- Butter: Unsalted, so you control the seasoning.
- Garlic: 3 cloves, minced.
- Thyme Leaves: Fresh is best, but dried works. Use about a third as much. I go with thyme instead of the usual sage because it stays in the background and lets the sweet potato come through.
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper: For seasoning.
Scroll to recipe card for quantities!
Substitutions and Variations
- No ricotta or Greek yogurt: Cream cheese works. Cottage cheese should too, though I have not tested it.
- No microwave: Roast the sweet potatoes at 375°F for 35 to 45 minutes.
- No sweet potatoes: This recipe is built around sweet potatoes; I would not substitute them.
- Gluten-free: Swap in a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose blend. Nothing else changes.
- Vegan: Nutritional yeast for the parmesan, dairy-free yogurt or cream cheese for the ricotta, olive oil for the butter in the sauce.
How to Make Homemade Sweet Potato Gnocchi (Step-by-Step)
The recipe takes about 35 minutes, and the only step that really matters is knowing when to stop adding flour. Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
- Step 1: Microwave the sweet potatoes. Poke them with a fork and microwave 7 to 10 minutes, until soft all the way through. Scoop the flesh out once they are cool enough to handle and mash until no clumps remain. Lumps turn into weak spots in the dough.
- Step 2: Mix in the ricotta, parmesan, and flour. Stir in the ricotta and parmesan first, then add 1 cup of flour and stop mixing as soon as it is incorporated. Knead just until it forms a smoothish ball, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add more flour only if it is genuinely wet.
- Step 3: Roll into ropes and cut. Divide the dough into four sections, roll each into a rope about ¾ inch thick, and cut into ½ inch pieces with a bench scraper or knife.
- Step 4: Shape and rest. Roll them down the back of a fork if you want the ridges, though they cook the same either way. Rest 10 minutes while a large pot of water comes to a boil.
- Step 5: Boil until they float. About 3 minutes, depending on size. Floating is the signal, not the clock. Drain and set aside.
- Step 6: Toss in the garlic butter sauce. Melt the butter, add the minced garlic, and stir until fragrant and golden. Add the gnocchi and toss until coated.
Recipe Video
Tips for Fluffy and Soft Homemade Gnocchi
- Stop kneading as soon as it comes together. One to two minutes. Kneading develops gluten, and gluten is what makes gnocchi tough instead of pillowy.
- Start with 1 cup of flour and add only if you have to. The dough should hold together in a ball without clinging to your hands. That is the whole test. Every extra spoonful past that point makes them denser.
- Mash until there are no lumps. Unmashed chunks turn into weak spots, and you usually cannot spot them until the flour is already in and it is too late to go back.
- Let them float before you pull them. About 3 minutes, but the floating is the signal, not the timer. Pulling them early leaves the centers gummy.
Sauces for Sweet Potato Gnocchi
The garlic butter is what I make most, and it takes about two minutes. Melt the butter, add minced garlic, and let it go until it turns fragrant and golden. Thyme and black pepper go in at the end. It works because there is already parmesan in the dough, so the sauce does not need to bring much beyond fat and garlic.
If you want something else:
- Marinara or red sauce: The most classic pairing, and the lightest option since there is no butter or cream.
- Pesto: Good if you are serving these cold or at room temperature; I love this nut-free basil pesto.
- Brown butter and sage: The traditional version. I use thyme instead because sage tends to take over.
- Healthy alfredo: Richer, and my go-to when this is the whole meal rather than a side.
- Butternut squash sauce: Sweet on sweet, but it works if you add enough black pepper. I always use this creamy roasted garlic butternut squash pasta sauce.
What to Serve with Sweet Potato Gnocchi
These are rich, so I usually build the rest of the plate around something acidic or green.
- Salads: Anything with a sharp vinaigrette cuts through the butter. An arugula salad with lemon works, or this fresh cucumber carrot salad recipe.
- Protein: Grilled chicken or shrimp turns this into a full dinner rather than a side. Juicy thin-sliced chicken breast and oven-baked shrimp skewers both work.
- Vegetables: Roasted broccoli or honey sriracha Brussels sprouts, anything with a little char.
- Bread: Air fryer garlic bread if you are serving these as the main.
How to Store, Reheat, and Freeze
Storing: Cooked gnocchi keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freezing: Freeze them uncooked. Spread the shaped gnocchi on a rimmed baking sheet and freeze for about an hour, until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. They keep for up to 2 months. Cook straight from frozen, no thawing, and give them an extra minute or two in the water.
Reheating: A sauté pan over medium is best if you like the edges crisp. The microwave works too, 60 to 90 seconds until warm.
Sweet Potato Gnocchi FAQs
Like cheesy, buttery potato with a little sweetness behind it. Most of the flavor comes from the parmesan in the dough and the garlic butter, not the sweet potato itself. You cannot taste the ricotta or Greek yogurt.
Soft, tender, and fluffy once boiled. They should feel like little pillows, not dense or rubbery. If you crisp the edges in the pan you get a bit of contrast on the outside.
Sweet potatoes vary a lot in water content, so some batches need more flour than others. Add it a little at a time and stop as soon as the dough holds together without clinging to your hands. Blending the sweet potato instead of mashing also helps, since lumps hold moisture.
Yes. Shape them, freeze them uncooked on a tray, and cook straight from frozen. I would not leave shaped gnocchi in the fridge more than a few hours, since they get sticky.
It depends what you compare it to. This version has 8g of protein per serving and 5g of fiber, no preservatives or added colors, and you can make it gluten-free or vegan. It is still a flour-based pasta, so it is carb-heavy by design. Serving it with marinara instead of garlic butter brings the calories down.m
More Italian Recipes You'll Love
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📖 Recipe
Homemade Sweet Potato Gnocchi
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Gnocchi:
- 20 oz sweet potatoes, (about three 6 - 7oz medium sweet potatoes)
- 3 tablespoon ricotta or Greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoon freshly grated parmesan or pecorino romano
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, regular or gluten-free
- ½ teaspoon salt
Garlic Butter Sauce:
- 2 - 3 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 - 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoon thyme leaves
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the sweet potatoes. Poke the sweet potatoes with a fork and microwave for 7 to 10 minutes, until soft and cooked all the way through. Let them cool until you can handle them, then scoop the flesh out of the skins.
- Mash and mix. Add the flesh to a large bowl and mash until no clumps remain. Stir in the ricotta and parmesan until combined.
- Add the flour and salt. Add 1 cup of flour and the salt, then mix just until the flour is incorporated. Lightly knead until it forms a smoothish ball, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add more flour only if the dough is very wet. The goal is to use as little as possible.
- Rest and roll. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes if you worked it a lot. Cut into 4 even sections and roll each into a rope about ¾ inch thick.
- Cut and shape. Cut into ½ inch pieces with a bench scraper or knife. Roll each piece down the back of a fork if you want the classic ridges, though they cook the same without. Let them rest 10 minutes while you bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Boil the gnocchi. Cook until they float to the top, about 3 minutes depending on size. Drain and set aside.
- Make the sauce and toss. Melt the butter in a large sauté pan. Add the minced garlic and stir until fragrant and golden. Add the thyme and black pepper, then add the cooked gnocchi and toss until coated. Let the edges get a little golden and crisp if you like them that way.
- Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe tested and developed by Tati Chermayeff, creator of Healthful Blondie. A former Division I rower, Ironman triathlete, and recipe developer based in Austin, TX, Tati creates high-protein and healthy recipes that actually taste like the real thing.
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