Name: Acorn squash gnocchi
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 2 -4 (if as side)
Ingredients: 11 oz acorn squash (approx 315g - 1/2 a medium squash peeled and deseeded weight, 16oz/450g before peeling); 1 egg yolk; 1 ¼ cups all purpose flour (200g plain flour (or a little more as needed)); 1/2 tsp sage (optional - 2 good size leaves, finely chopped); 2 oz soft goats cheese (55g, 1/2 log, crumbled)

Stumble

Gnocchi are perfect comfort food and these acorn squash gnocchi are some of the best: deliciously savory, light, pillowy & flavorful. A great taste of fall.

I mentioned when I shared my acorn squash wild rice salad that I am a relatively new convert to the goodness of acorn squash. Having started cooking with it more and, weirdly, seeming to get it more in the vegetable delivery recently than I remember last year, I have been playing around with how to use it. Our household is a big fan of gnocchi so it wasn’t much of a leap until I got to the idea of acorn squash gnocchi. Soft, pillowy, savory deliciousness, they were such a hit when we first made them. So much so, that I will now buy an acorn squash just to make them (and maybe also some acorn squash soup).

Why homemade gnocchi are best

I know for some people the thought of making gnocchi might seem a bit crazy, but for me I now can’t buy pre-made ones as they just don’t taste right to me anymore. Something else added to the ‘can’t buy it because I feel like I can make it better’ category. And it honestly is true – fresh gnocchi have a lightness you just can’t get when they have been packaged up. I also suspect they add higher quantities of flour or other things to get them to hold together more firmly. While that’s great to be able to cook them, it does mean they are heavier/stodgier. I also think it’s nice to be able to play around with the flavors, like another favorite potato spinach gnocchi, and these acorn squash version have a lovely almost nutty savory note.

How they’re made

Gnocchi, and certainly these acorn squash gnocchi, really aren’t that hard to make. They’re also a great thing to get kids involved in making between mashing, mixing and rolling. You simply steam the squash, mash it, then once it’s cool mix in everything else. Then take spoonfuls at a time and roll into logs then cut off bite-sized pieces and roll into little balls. My son loves rolling a bit of dough in his hands – true he has yet to be useful in this but I am sure it all helps him engage with the food.

Tips for making acorn squash gnocchi

Between steaming, mixing and rolling out, it can seem like there are a lot of steps here, but you can form them, put them on a plate and refrigerate a few hours if it suits your schedule better. If you chill them, just watch they may stick to the plate so you may need to ease them off. The actual cooking is very quick, which is great for me when I have a constant ‘have some gnocchi’ chorus going on in the background. If you ever manage to have any leftover, you can cook and store them in sauce or pesto and they will re-heat fairly well in the microwave. Alternatively, freeze uncooked gnocchi separated on a baking sheet then transfer to a freezer bag once frozen and cook from frozen when you need them.

These acorn squash gnocchi work well on their own as a main dish or side eg to lamb chops and to me, are definitely worth the slight bit more time it takes to make them. I hope my friends at Fiesta Friday agree as well. Deliciously savory, comforting and a wonderful taste of fall, these acorn squash gnocchi are definitely worth trying.