Our 3-ingredient sweet potato gnocchi is a delicious, comforting, and cozy Italian-inspired dish excellent for weeknight dinner, meal prep, and freezer-friendly.

You can make this simple and tasty recipe in about 30 minutes and have it for a lovely meal with your family. They are easier than you think.

Whether you serve them with a butter and sage sauce or a simple marinara sauce, they will be a sure hit.

Sweet potato gnocchi with sage

Dietary Note: this recipe is suitable for a vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free diet using a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour.

You’ll love sweet potato gnocchi because they are a wholesome and satisfying recipe with a mild and slightly sweet flavor and a chewy, irresistible texture.

They definitely fall into the healthy-ish comfort food category; they are easy to make with sweet potatoes, flour, and salt and cook in 1 minute.

To prepare them, cook the sweet potatoes in the microwave – it takes 10 minutes max.

Then scoop out the flesh, mash it with a fork, and mix it with flour and salt in a mixing bowl for minimal mess – no flour flying around the kitchen.

Roll the dough into long rope-like pieces, cut it into 1-inch long pillows with a knife, and optionally give them those cute cozy ridges with the back of a fork.

You can cook them immediately, refrigerate or freeze them for later.

You can serve them with butter, sage, and black pepper sauce, or pick your favorite pasta sauces. We recommend mushroom alfredo sauce, lentil bolognese, mushroom ragu, and arugula pesto, among others.

This sweet potato gnocchi recipe is without eggs, dairy-free, easy to make gluten-free, and is suitable for the whole family.

sweet potato gnocchi with sauce and shaved parmesan

Sweet potato gnocchi video

Ingredients & Substitutions for sweet potato gnocchi

sweet potato gnocchi ingredients

Quantities are in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.

Sweet Potatoes

We recommend using orange sweet potatoes for this recipe. You can find those in most supermarkets.

Purple sweet potatoes are also great, but the gnocchi will be purple.

In some stores in the USA, sweet potatoes are labeled yams, so you might find them under that name.

Flour

We use all-purpose four for this recipe, and it works wonderfully.

Substitute a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour for wheat flour to make gluten-free sweet potato gnocchi.

Salt

A teaspoon of salt (sea salt or kosher salt) is all that’s needed to make sweet potato gnocchi delicious.

You’ll also need some salt to add to the cooking water.

Butter & Sage Sauce

butter and sage sweet potato gnocchi on a plate

This is the simplest way of serving homemade sweet potato gnocchi.

Sage

Fresh sage leaves are delicious with most orange-colored vegetables such as pumpkin, butternut squash, and sweet potatoes.

Its earthy and aromatic flavor is the perfect flavor to match this dish. To enhance its aroma, fry it in butter, vegan butter, or olive oil for a few minutes.

Other fresh herbs you could use are rosemary and parsley.

Butter

You can use unsalted butter or non-dairy butter. There are so many alternatives to regular butter, and most are delicious.

Black Pepper

A few twists of freshly ground black pepper to go with the sage and the butter and add a fragrant, peppery aroma.

Parmesan

Optionally, you can add some shaved parmigiano or dairy-free cheese on top.

sweet potato gnocchi with mushroom sauce
Sweet potato gnocchi with mushroom alfredo sauce.

How to make sweet potato gnocchi

US cups + grams measurements in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.

Make the gnocchi dough

Wash and scrub the sweet potatoes, dry them with a kitchen towel, and prick them with a fork.

Microwave them at full power for 7 to 10 minutes or until knife tender.

To check for doneness, pierce them with a knife. The blade should slide in easily.

Cut the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise, scoop out the flesh, and add it to a large bowl. They are piping hot, so be careful not to burn yourself!

Tip: If you don’t have a microwave, bake the sweet potatoes whole in the oven at 400°C or 200°C for 50 minutes or until soft.

microwaved sweet potato

Transfer the sweet potato flesh into a mixing bowl and mash it with a fork while they are hot.

Alternatively, you can pass them through a potato ricer or potato masher.

mashed sweet potato in a bowl

Add all-purpose flour and salt, and mix with a spatula to combine the ingredients.

mixing flower and mashed sweet potato

Transfer the dough onto a cutting board and knead for a minute to ensure the potatoes and the flour are well combined and a soft dough forms.

Add more flour if needed. You should obtain a compact yet soft and slightly moist gnocchi dough.

Tip: don’t over-knead the dough. Over-kneading will develop the gluten in the flour, making the sweet potato gnocchi overly chewy and tough.

gnocchi dough ball

Shape the gnocchi

There are several ways to shape sweet potato gnocchi; we’ll show you three.

When you shape the gnocchi, sprinkle your work surface with flour, as the dough might get moist when it touches your hands.

You can shape the gnocchi on a wooden surface, a cutting board, or any clean floured surface, including marble and steel.

Simple gnocchi pillows

Cut the dough into four pieces, then roll each into a long rope-like shape.

Now cut the rope into 1-inch long pieces, and your pillow-shaped gnocchi is ready.

Note: This is the most common method for shaping homemade gnocchi because it is the fastest. We recommend using this method if you make large quantities of gnocchi.

pillow shaped gnocchi

Shape with a gnocchi board

For this method, you’ll need to get yourself a gnocchi board, which you can find for a few dollars online.

Dust your thumb and the gnocchi pillows with flour. Next, roll each gnocchi pillow down the gnocchi, applying gentle pressure with your thumb. Keep the gnocchi board inclined at a 45° angle.

Note: This method requires more time as you go through all the pieces individually. We recommend doing this if you make up to 4 portions of gnocchi.

The advantage of making ridged gnocchi is that 1) they look prettier, and 2) the ridged surface and the cavity from your thumb makes the sauce stick better.

sweet potato gnocchi shaped with a gnocchi board

Shape with a fork

You can use a fork if you don’t have a gnocchi board but want to make ridged gnocchi.

Dust your thumb and the gnocchi pillows with flour. Next, roll each gnocchi pillow down the back of the fork, applying gentle pressure with your thumb.

Note: this is the prettiest but slowest method. The deep ridges help the sauce hold onto the gnocchi.

sweet potato gnocchi shaped with a fork

Cook the gnocchi

Fresh gnocchi cooks fast, in about 1-2 minutes. So make sure you have your sauce ready before you start boiling them.

Boil the gnocchi in a large pot of water, salted (just like pasta), until they float to the surface.

When they are all floating, scoop them out with a spider, strainer, or slotted spoon and toss them straight into the pan with the sauce.

We recommend cooking the gnocchi in batches, two servings at a time.

gnocchi boiling in salted water

Serving suggestions

Butter and sage sauce

Try sweet potato gnocchi as a main dish with simple butter, fresh sage leaves, and black pepper sauce.

To a large skillet, melt butter or non-dairy butter and pan-fry a few leaves of fresh sage for a couple of minutes.

Consider about two tablespoons of butter per portion of gnocchi.

butter and sage sweet potato gnocchi

Toss in the boiled gnocchi, and pan fry on medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes or more if you want a slightly toasted, crispy, and golden brown coating.

Sprinkle with a few twists of black pepper and a pinch of salt, and serve.

Optionally, you can add parmesan cheese or dairyfree cheese.

butter and sage sweet potato gnocchi on a plate

Other sauces that go well with sweet potato gnocchi

lentil bolognese in a pot

Side dishes

For a side dish to serve with gnocchi, we recommend a simple side salad or one of our veggie side dishes, such as:

Variations

Gnocchi with mushroom alfredo sauce

Rich and creamy mushroom alfredo sauce is excellent with sweet potato gnocchi.

To make it, sauté the mushrooms first with olive oil, garlic, salt, and black pepper. Then add your favorite dairy or non-dairy butter, cream, parmesan, and grated or ground nutmeg.

Check out our mushroom alfredo recipe.

creamy mushroom sauce

Then add finely chopped parsley and toss in the boiled gnocchi. Finish cooking them on the pan for two minutes until they are coated in the sauce.

gnocchi in mushroom sauce

Serve on a plate with freshly chopped parsley and freshly ground black pepper.

sweet potato gnocchi with cream sauce

Potato gnocchi

homemade gnocchi made with a fork

Our homemade gnocchi recipe makes soft and delicious potato pillows with three simple ingredients and one fork.

The recipe is straight from my Italian family recipe notes, and you’ll love it for its simplicity and taste.

Check out our homemade potato gnocchi recipe.

Gnocchi alla sorrentina

Oven-baked gnocchi alla sorrentina

You can make gnocchi alla sorrentina with potato gnocchi or sweet potato gnocchi.

This is a classic Italian comfort food recipe of baked gnocchi in a tomato basil sauce, melty fresh mozzarella, and parmesan cheese.

Check out our gnocchi alla sorrentina recipe.

Storage

Store cooked gnocchi in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Cold gnocchi can get sticky; we recommend tossing them in a drizzle of oil before storage so they won’t stick together.

Reheat on a pan on medium heat with olive oil, a sauce, or a dash of water.

Can I make gnocchi ahead of time?

You can prepare the gnocchi ahead of time and freeze them straight after you shape them.

Alternatively, you can store them uncooked in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

How to freeze sweet potato gnocchi?

To freeze sweet potato gnocchi, arrange them on a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Freeze them on the tray; then, after one hour, when they are hard, transfer them into a freezer-friendly bag to save space in your freezer.

You can keep them frozen for up to 3 months.

How to cook frozen sweet potato gnocchi?

Add the frozen sweet potato gnocchi to a large pot with salted boiling water and cook them until they float on the water.

Questions

What is in sweet potato gnocchi?

Sweep potato gnocchi contain sweet potatoes, flour, and salt.

Some variations include eggs, ricotta cheese, and parmesan, but our favorite is the most basic recipe with three ingredients.

What does sweet potato gnocchi taste like?

Sweet potato gnocchi has a mildly sweet, earthy, and pleasant flavor.

They are not overly sweet at all. The flour balances out the sweetness of the sweet potatoes.

What sauce for sweet potato gnocchi?

You can serve sweet potato gnocchi with a simple butter and sage sauce, arugula pesto, mushroom alfredo sauce, marinara sauce, mushroom ragu, basil pesto, or lentil bolognese.

More Sweet Potato Recipes

Looking for other wholesome and delicious sweet potato recipes? Check out our:

For many more dinner ideas, check out our mains category page.

sweet potato gnocchi with butter and sage

Sweet Potato Gnocchi

5 from 31 votes
Our 3-ingredient sweet potato gnocchi is a delicious, comforting, and cozy Italian-inspired dish excellent for weeknight dinner, meal prep, and freezer-friendly.
You can make this simple and tasty recipe in about 30 minutes and have it for a lovely meal with your family. They are easier than you think.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 2 minutes
Total Time: 32 minutes
Servings: 2 servings
Course: Main, pasta
Cuisine: American Italian

Ingredients 

FOR THE SWEET POTATO GNOCCHI

  • 1 pound sweet potatoes
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour + 1/4 cup if needed*
  • 1 teaspoon salt

FOR THE BUTTER AND SAGE SAUCE

  • 15 leaves sage
  • 3 tablespoons butter or non-dairy butter
  • 2 twists black pepper

Instructions 

  • Prick 1 pound sweet potatoes with a fork and microwave them at full power for 7 to 10 minutes until tender.
    To check for doneness, pierce them with a knife. The blade should slide in easily.
    Cut the sweet potatoes in half, scoop out the flesh and add it to a large bowl.
    microwaved sweet potato
  • Mash the sweet potatoes with a fork while they are still hot.
    mashed sweet potato in a bowl
  • Add 1 cup all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon salt, and mix with a spatula to combine.
    mixing flower and mashed sweet potato
  • Transfer the dough onto a cutting board and knead for just a minute.
    Add more flour if needed. You should obtain a compact yet soft and slightly moist gnocchi dough. Do not over-knead.
    gnocchi dough ball

STEP 2: SHAPE THE GNOCCHI

  • Cut the dough into four pieces, then roll each piece into a long rope-like shape.
    Now cut the rope into 1-inch long pieces, and your pillow-shaped gnocchi is ready.
    Tip: When you shape the gnocchi, sprinkle your work surface with flour as the dough might get moist as it touches your hands.
    pillow shaped gnocchi
  • Optional: if you like ridged gnocchi you can shape them with a fork or gnocchi board.
    Dust your thumb and the gnocchi pillows with flour. Next, roll each gnocchi pillow down the back of the fork, applying gentle pressure with your thumb.
    sweet potato gnocchi shaped with a fork

STEP 3: COOK THE GNOCCHI

  • To a large skillet, melt 3 tablespoons butter and pan fry a 15 leaves sage for a couple of minutes.
    butter and sage on a pan
  • Cook the gnocchi in a large pot of salted boiling water. They are ready when they float to the surface.
    Cook max two portions of gnocchi at a time.
    gnocchi boiling in salted water
  • Scoop gnocchi out of the boiling water with a slotted spoon and toss them in the pan with the butter and sage sauce.
    butter and sage sweet potato gnocchi
  • Fry for a few minutes, then serve on a plate with 2 twists black pepper and optionally some parmesan or dairy-free cheese.
    butter and sage sweet potato gnocchi on a plate

Video

Sweet Potato Gnocchi (3 ingredients)

Notes

Nutrition information is an estimate for 1 large serving out of 2 with butter and sage sauce.
* Depending on the water content of your sweet potatoes you might need a little more flour.
** If you don’t have a microwave, bake the sweet potatoes whole in the oven at 400°C or 200°C for 50 minutes, or until soft.
STORAGE
Make ahead: you can prepare the gnocchi ahead of time and freeze them straight after you shape them. Alternatively, you can store them uncooked in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Refrigerator: store cooked gnocchi in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Freezer: arrange them on a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Freeze them on the tray; then, after one hour, when they are hard, transfer them into a freezer-friendly bag to save space in your freezer. You can keep them frozen for up to 3 months.
Thaw: add the frozen sweet potato gnocchi to a large pot with salted boiling water and cook them until they float on the water.
ALSO ON THIS PAGE

Nutrition

Calories: 576kcal, Carbohydrates: 94g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Potassium: 850mg, Dietary Fiber: 9g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 32181IU, Vitamin B6: 1mg, Vitamin C: 5mg, Vitamin E: 2mg, Vitamin K: 22µg, Calcium: 85mg, Folate: 140µg, Iron: 4mg, Manganese: 1mg, Magnesium: 73mg, Zinc: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below or mention @nicoandlouise on Instagram. We are also on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and TikTok.

If you liked this sweet potato gnocchi recipe, you might also enjoy:


Nico and Louise in front of the Consolazione church in Todi

Hi! We are Nico & Louise

Welcome to The Plant-Based School, a food blog with easy, tasty, and wholesome recipes.

Our aim is to help you and your family eat more veggies through delicious recipes with simple ingredients.

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5 from 31 votes (25 ratings without comment)

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22 Comments

  1. If I were to try this with quinoa flour, would I still use 1 cup? You mentioned two medium size sweet potatoes. About how many grams/ounces would that be approximately? Thank you in advance for your response. Iโ€™d love to try making these!

    1. Hi Liz,

      I am not sure about quinoa flour I am afraid. I’d probably start with 1/2 cup and add more until you reach a workable dough.
      You need 1 pound/450 grams of sweet potatoes for the recipe ๐Ÿ™‚ The quantities are in the recipe box at the end of the page.

      I hope this helps ๐Ÿ™‚
      Nico

  2. I followed the directions but I could just not get the sweet potato dough to not be sticky. Like it wouldn’t form into a dough like in the picture, no matter how much flour I added, even though I only used 2 medium-sized sweet potatoes, it just would not become less sticky. I ended up throwing away the whole batch. Shame because I was really looking forward to trying this recipe. I’m also really bad at baking so this might also be why I couldn’t get the dough to work *shrugs*

    1. Hi there! Im so sorry the recipe didn’t work out for you :-s

      Not sure what could have gone wrong; it could be that your sweet potatoes had a lot more moisture than ours.
      It’s also possible you live in an area with more humidity in the air. In this case it’s harder to make the dough less sticky; but with enough flour you should still be able to somehow shape the gnocchi…

      I’m sorry I cant be of more help.
      Best,
      Nico

    2. I am having the same issue. I’m thinking that I. mixed the flour into the sweet potatoes while they were still warm. I think this seemed to create steam in the dough. By the time I get enough flour into the dough so it’s not sticky, I have overkneaded and over floured. I’ll try again when I’m not so frustrated

      1. Hi Katie,

        I am sorry the recipe didn’t work out for you.
        I also add the flour while the potatoes are still warm but didn’t have the same problem.
        I hope it will be better next time!
        Best of luck
        Nico

        1. I was having the same issueโ€ฆI ended up adding Potato Starch to the dough and it seemed to fix the issue. I canโ€™t say how much I added because I eyeballed it.
          We will see how well the end up cooking.

    1. Hi Linda,
      Yes, you can use a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour replacement to make gluten-free sweet potato gnocchi.
      Kindest,
      Louise

  3. 5 stars
    A big hit even with my two picky eaters! I served turkey meatballs with cream sauce with the gnocchi. (I used white whole wheat flour and vegan butter)

    1. Hi Rizi,
      That’s amazing, I’m so happy this was a family-hit!!
      Thank you very much for taking the time to leave a comment – and have a great weekend when you get there.
      All the best,
      Louise

  4. I added some garlic powder and dried thyme to the mixture for extra oomf but otherwise, the potato/flour ratio and directions were great. Love how simple (and vegan) the recipe is

    1. Hi Rah,
      I’m delighted you enjoyed the gnocchi!
      Thank you for the tip, and for taking the time to leave a comment here!
      Have a great week ahead.
      Kindest,
      Louise