Roast Spinach Gnocchi and Butternut Squash with Sage and a Roast Garlic and Chilli Brown Butter

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Caramelised, roast, sweet butternut squash, soft, puffy spinach gnocchi and crispy sage leaves drizzled with a roast garlic, chilli brown butter and served with salty parmesan and zingy, zesty lemon. Serve for lunch or supper. Delicious with some fresh bread to mop up the garlic brown butter, and a salad on the side. 

Leftover pumpkin after Halloween? Why not try this quick and easy vegetarian sheet pan meal, full of flavour, texture and vegetarian goodness? I made it with butternut squash but it could very easily be swapped with pumpkin, or sweet potatoes for that matter.

Why roast the gnocchi?

Roasting gnocchi, rather than boiling them, is a fantastic discovery. Throwing them in the oven with a selection of vegetables, is transformative. The gnocchi has a slightly crunchy, caramelised texture on the outside, but are soft and fluffy on the inside, plus they absorb some of the wonderful flavours from the butternut squash, garlic, onion and sage whilst they cook.

Similarly, roasting whole cloves of garlic in the oven, mellows and sweetens them and they become soft and creamy. These little nuggets of flavour pack a huge punch for their size and they add depth and complexity to the fabulous brown butter with chilli and sage

How to make Roast Spinach Gnocchi and Butternut Squash with Sage and a Roast Garlic and Chilli Brown Butter

Collect all your ingredients together:

• butternut squash – peeled, seeds removed and chopped
• cloves of garlic, unpeeled
• fine salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• olive oil
• spinach gnocchi or plain gnocchi
• onion, peeled and chopped
• pumpkin seeds – or use pecan nuts
• fresh sage leaves, or equivalent
• unsalted butter
• chilli flakes
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

To serve:

• parmesan cheese, to grate over
• lemon wedges
• fresh bread (optional)
• mixed salad (optional)

How to make this wonderful, speedy gnocchi supper:

1. Peel the butternut squash, trim the ends, cut in half and remove the seeds. Chop into squares, slightly larger than the gnocchi.
2. Tip into a large mixing bowl with the unpeeled garlic cloves, half the salt and pepper and 1 – 1½ tablespoons olive oil. Mix well ensuring everything is coated in a thin layer of oil.
3. Transfer to a baking dish, spread out in an even layer, and cook in a preheated oven for 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, peel and chop the onion and shred around 15 sage leaves.
5. Tip the onion and half the shredded sage into the mixing bowl with the gnocchi and the remaining seasoning. Mix well.
6. After 15 minutes, take the butternut squash out of the oven and add it to the mixing bowl. Mix everything well together and return to the baking tray. Shake the tray to ensure the gnocchi and vegetables are spread out evenly. Return to the oven for a further 30 minutes, but stir after 15 minutes.
7. Heat a small pan over a moderate heat and add the pumpkin seeds. Cook, stirring from time to time, for a few minutes, until the seeds smell nutty and are crispier. Tip out into a bowl and set aside.
8. Melt the butter over a moderately high temperature and add around 10 whole sage leaves. Cook in the butter, turning once or twice, until crispy. This will only take a few minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen roll. Set aside.
9. Continue to heat the butter over a moderate heat until it turns medium brown in colour and smells nutty. Remove from the heat, pour into a small bowl and add the remaining shredded sage, chilli flakes and some sea salt and pepper. It may well fizz up. Set aside. 
10. When the squash and gnocchi have been cooking for 30 minutes, take out of the oven and remove the garlic cloves. Put the tray back in the oven for a further 5 minutes. Peel the garlic cloves, mash the flesh and add to the brown butter.
11. When the gnocchi and butternut squash are cooked, transfer to a serving bowl and drizzle over the garlic and sage brown butter. Top with the roast pumpkin seeds and fried, crispy sage leaves. Serve with a generous grating of parmesan cheese and a good squeeze of lemon juice. Fresh bread and a mixed salad are delicious served on the side.

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Made this recipe?

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