Eating acorn squash gnocchi with brown butter and crispy garlic will warm your heart and bring the autumn season straight into your kitchen.
When you have a little time to spare for a labor of love, I highly recommend making your own acorn squash gnocchi. I traditionally make it with butternut squash – I first learned of its glory from my dear friend, Katie. It changed my life, partly because it was my first experience with brown butter – that nutty, salty goodness! Fried sage is also a wonderful addition. Last year, I made it at Thanksgiving so that everyone could have some (My family is ever-growing!). It was quite the ordeal, but I was happy to have lots of helping hands.
Justin and I also make these frozen pastas on easy nights in, and just brown up some butter and sage to go on top to get the same feeling, without all the work. But my sage plant died because it was too hot this summer (RIP), and recently I thought about pressing some garlic cloves straight into the browning butter. The result? Crispy, flash fried garlic! It was more amazing than I could have ever planned for. So, this is the rendition we are bringing you today. Pressed garlic goes straight into the pan with the brown butter and the pan contents will get foamy as it fries.
My mom and brothers came into town for the weekend for the Tulsa Run, and it was great to have them here! My acorn squash was looking a little lonely on the counter, and I knew we had everything I’d need for this dinner! Even though it takes a little time to make the pasta itself, I saved some time by using a mixer for the dough, and it also only has 4 ingredients! It filled us all up (all 5 of us) and that’s saying a lot for my bros who are currently growing like weeds (teenage boy problems).
Homegrown Spotlight: I finally used the last of our garlic this year! I plan on hopping to the next farmers market to pick up some more to plant later this month (if it ever gets cold again).
Have you made your own pasta at home? Tell me about it! If you’ve ever made it, that knowledge will help you know what texture you’re looking for with the dough and when to stop adding the flour. While you’re at it, here’s the recipe for a fresh pasta that you can cook right away or store for later!
xxHillary
4-Ingredient Acorn Squash Gnocchi
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 C. mashed acorn squash about 1 acorn squash
- 3 C. flour
- 5 T. butter
- 3-4 cloves of garlic
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Cut acorn squash and remove seeds.
- Roast acorn squash halves in a 400 degree oven for 35-45 minutes. Let cool, scoop out flesh and mash in mixing bowl.
- Gradually incorporate flour into squash in 1/4 or 1/2 C. increments, until a non-sticky dough forms.
- Separate dough into sections, and roll each section into a snake that is about 3/4 in. wide.
- Cut dough into small rectangles and stamp with a fork. Dust with flour to prevent sticking.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil, and boil small batches of pasta until they float to the top of the water (about 3 minutes).
- In a small skillet, melt butter on medium heat. When it begins to brown (leaves browns specks in the pan), press the garlic in a garlic press and drop straight into the butter. Swirl the pan around and the butter will get foamy. Once butter has browned to your preference, remove from heat.
- Combine cooked gnocchi with the butter and garlic sauce. Season with salt to taste and serve immediately.
- #enJOY!
Recipe Notes
Vegetarian
YUM.
Thanks for being inspiring! 🙂
funny; was just thinking about how much i’d love some gnocchi right now! i’ve made egg pasta a couple times, but never gnocchi (yet!). also, crispy garlic ?
It’s so easy! Just combine until the dough comes together and isn’t sticky anymore! and yes. “also, crispy garlic” is also how I feel. It’s sooo yummy.
I don’t think I have ever had gnocchi before! Looks great though!
This. Looks. AMAZING! I keep meaning to try making gnocchi and haven’t gotten around to it, but the flavors sound incredible together! I’ve been craving fall comfort food and this looks perfect!
Thanks, Liz! It’s really easy! I’ve already had one reader let me know how hers turned out. Let me know if you give it a try!
Do you think this could be made with almond flour or would the nutty flavor throw it off?
Hi Jessica! I have made a version of this with almond flour before…it’s doable, but not easy!
The problem with making homemade pasta with gluten free flours is that there isn’t a gluten network to create the doughy texture. You CAN do it, but you must be really really gentle with the dough or it will fall apart! You may have to use alternate shapes or rolling styles, maybe like rolling small bites into balls and pressing them a little flat before dropping them into the hot water.
Let me know if that works! You may also want to consider using a flour blend, which may contain things like xanthan gum, which may assist in binding.
Hey! Just making this now and the recipe is DELICIOUS!
But I realize the recipe makes more than we can eat in one night!!! How would you recommend preserving the dough? Would you advise me to cook it all and then save it or to wrap the dough and save it that way?
Thanks!
Hey, so happy you like it!
It heats up pretty well as leftovers if you want to cook it all! I actually haven’t experimented with preserving the dough in any way. You could probably freeze the dough if they’re already in gnocchi shapes and then just boil for a little extra time, also!
I tried this today and had no luck. What should the dough be like? I found it very wet then sticky then too much flour. At all stages, before as and after I added four/extra flour I couldn’t get the dough to roll out. It stuck to me then was to floury. Did I miss the sweet spot? Can you add a video so we can see what the dough should look like before rolling? I really want to eat this.
So sorry about that! Unfortunately it’s a little different every time because it depends on how much water is in your squash. I roll it out when it isa tiny bit sticky still, and be sure to give the outsides a good coating of flour to keep them from sticking when you lower them into the pot! Light fingers when handling!!