Fried gnocchi with pumpkin purée – Vegetarian

Golden, crispy gnocchi meet silky pumpkin purée in this cosy, flavour-packed dish that feels like music on a plate. The gnocchi are pan-fried until perfectly crisp, then served over a smooth, naturally sweet pumpkin purée that balances richness and comfort.

To finish it off, everything is topped with buttery fried sage, bursts of tangy cranberries, and crunchy roasted hazelnuts for texture and contrast. It’s warm, indulgent, and just a little fancy.

It’s the kind of recipe that turns simple ingredients into something truly special, perfect for a relaxed dinner or a cosy night in.

Ingredients: (for 3 portions)

• 1 red onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 20 g cranberries
• 20 g hazelnuts
• 1 heaped tablespoon sweet paprika
• 90 g butter (divided into 3 equal portions)
• 50 g crumbled feta
• 300 g pumpkin, cut into small cubes
• 400 g gnocchi
• 1 carrot
• ~10 g sage leaves
• some sunflower oil
• salt and pepper

Preparation:

Peel the onion and carrot and dice them finely.

Heat a little oil in a deep pan. Once hot, add the carrot, onion and pumpkin, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, pour in a small cup of water, stir well and cover with a lid. Let everything cook for about 10–15 minutes, until the vegetables are soft. Add the sweet paprika, mix well, bring it briefly to a simmer, then turn off the heat.

While the vegetables are cooking, prepare the gnocchi. Heat a little oil in a pan, then add the gnocchi and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for a few minutes, stirring often, until they start to turn golden. Add one third of the butter, mix well, and continue cooking for a few more minutes, until the gnocchi are nicely crisped and golden.

Once the vegetables are fully cooked, transfer them to a bowl, making sure to set aside about 4 tablespoons of the mixture in a separate bowl. Blend the remaining vegetables with the second third of the butter, using a immersion blender, until you get a smooth and creamy purée.

In a pan, fry the sage leaves together with the finely chopped garlic and the remaining third of the butter. Cook until the sage turns a bit crispy, making sure not to burn it. In a separate pan, without adding any oil or fat, lightly toast the roughly chopped hazelnuts until fragrant.

Transfer the pumpkin purée to a serving bowl or platter and smooth it out evenly. Using a spoon, gently scatter the reserved vegetable mixture over the top. Add the pan-fried gnocchi, then sprinkle with crumbled feta.

Finish by evenly distributing the buttery fried sage leaves and spooning over all the fragrant butter sauce. Sprinkle with the toasted hazelnuts and, for the final touch, scatter the chopped cranberries over the top.

Sage is optional, but I find that it enhances the flavour of the dish and brings everything together on another level. However, if you don’t like it or can’t find it, you can still prepare this dish without it. In that case, omit the garlic and reduce the butter by one-third.

If you try the recipe, let me know how you liked it! 😊

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