Potatoes form the base of gnocchi, but I don’t reach for the usual white potatoes when I make mine. I start with sweet potatoes, then turn the cooked flesh into a dough with two types of gluten-free flour.
The swap changes more than the color. Sweet potato brings its own flavor to the gnocchi, while gluten-free all-purpose flour and coconut flour give the puree enough structure to roll, cut, and boil.
Boil the Sweet Potatoes Until Fork-Tender
Start by peeling and dicing the sweet potatoes, then boil them until a fork passes through without resistance.
The cooked pieces go into a food processor with salt and an optional amount of coconut sugar. Process them into a puree before adding any flour.
That gives the dough a smooth sweet potato base instead of leaving pieces that could break apart when the gnocchi is shaped.
Two Flours Turn the Puree Into Dough
Gluten-free all-purpose flour and coconut flour go into the sweet potato puree to form the dough.
There’s no egg or dairy in this version. Once the mixture holds together, transfer it to a surface dusted with flour and divide it into smaller dough balls.
Roll each ball into a long, narrow rope. Cut the ropes into pieces about one inch long.
Press Each Piece With a Fork
The cut pieces don’t go straight into the pot.
Press each one with a fork before cooking. You don’t need to reshape the whole piece; a light press is enough to leave marks across the surface.
From there, the gnocchi can be sautéed or dropped into boiling water.
Boil Until the Gnocchi Turns Puffy
For this version, I boil the gnocchi for a few minutes until the pieces become puffy.
But they don’t go from the boiling water straight to the plate. I give them another stop in a pan.
Vegan butter, coconut sugar, and fresh sage form the sauce. The boiled gnocchi goes into the pan so the pieces can pick up some toast while getting coated with the butter and sage mixture.
Sweet Potato Changes the Sauce I Want With It
Regular potato gnocchi works with a wide range of sauces, but the sweetness in this dough gives me another direction.
Butter and sage bring a savory base, while coconut sugar carries the sweet note from the gnocchi into the sauce. Salt keeps the combination from leaning too far in one direction.
Sweet potatoes aren’t just mixed into regular gnocchi here. They replace the usual potato base, become the puree that holds the dough together, and shape what I want to put on the finished pasta.
Would you make gnocchi with sweet potatoes, or stick with regular potatoes?
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