“I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak his praises. I will boast only in the Lord; let all who are helpless take heart. Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness; let us exalt his name together.”
-Psalms 34:1-3 NLT
Butternut squash is hands down one of my favorite fall/winter produce. Not only is butternut squash versatile and naturally sweet, it also adds the perfect flavor to your recipes. Especially if you have already seen my Roasted Apple & Squash Fall Salad. The salad is filled with roasted and diced butternut squash mixed with cinnamon and nutmeg until tender. I served it on a seasonal salad with homemade honey mustard vinaigrette and fall salad toppings.
Also, my Butternut Squash Sweet Potato Soup recipe which is thick, creamy, and extremely delicious. In my opinion, butternut squash can never be overused or overhyped. It’s not overly sweet, has great nutritional benefits, and add an oomph to all recipes.
I am utilizing butternut squash in this recipe by making a Creamy Butternut Squash Sage Gnocchi with Whipped Feta. I love this pasta dish because this can be adapted to be completely vegetarian and gluten-free. The butternut sage sauce is the pasta sauce that’s being tossed with the soft gnocchi and finished with a homemade whipped feta.
Make your gnocchi fresh, at-home or, be like me, and buy yours pre-made from the grocery store. I roasted my butternut squash and garlic cloves together whole, seasoned with olive oil, salt, and pepper. This dish will make your house smelling warm and delicious, but wait, the aromas are not over yet!
Blend the butternut squash to a puree with vegetable or chicken stock. The sauce goes to the next level and becomes rich with the roasted garlic, heavy cream, and fresh sage. Finished with the whipped feta is a great tangy touch to this dish using fresh crumbled feta, honey, thyme, and olive oil. This recipe is an easy, creamy, and flavorful fall pasta dish to add to your rotation.
Creamy Butternut Squash Sage Gnocchi with Whipped Feta
Ingredients
Method
- Wash and half the butternut squash lengthwise. Remove seeds and place on a baking tray.
- Coat butternut squash in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Add garlic cloves to cavity of butternut squash where the seeds were.
- Roast your butternut squash at 400℉ for 40-50 minutes or until squash is fork tender.
- Cook your gnocchi according to its package's instructions.
- Once cooked, preserve some pasta water and set aside. Drain gnocchi completely and set aside.
- Once butternut squash and garlic are roasted, remove the butternut squash flesh and garlic cloves and add to blender.
- Blend with vegetable broth until smooth.
- In a large skillet, melt butter and add in finely chopped sage leaves. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in the roasted butternut squash purée and cream. Whisk until smooth and creamy. To thin out sauce, add some preserved pasta water.
- Add nutmeg (if using), salt, and pepper. Simmer for 5–7 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Toss cooked gnocchi directly into the sauce and coat evenly.
- In a blender or food processor, add all the ingredients for the whipped feta sauce.
- Blend on high until sauce is smooth. Add dollops of whipped feta on top of the butternut sage gnocchi.
- Garnish with more chopped sage or parsley and serve warm.
