This Butternut Squash Cauliflower Gnocchi includes a creamy butternut squash sauce over crispy cauliflower gnocchi, that's perfect for Fall.
From pumpkin spice to chai lattes and all of the Fall seasons sweet and savory dishes, the Fall is easily my favorite time of the year. It somewhat marks the beginning of the holiday season where things just automatically start to “feel good”. It’s a time for family, making memories and of course, comfort foods, like this Butternut Squash Cauliflower Gnocchi.
What are some health benefits of butternut squash?
- High dose of dietary fiber
- It is full of beta-carotene and alpha-carotene, that your body converts them to vitamin A, which is good for eyesight
- Plenty of potassium and manganese for managing blood pressure and strong bones.
What does butternut squash go good with?
Whether you roast it in the oven, puree it into a soup or spiralize it into noodles, when Fall rolls around, butternut squash should always be on the must-have list. The puree of the Butternut Squash over top of the Trader Joe's cauliflower gnocchi is a great way to use this sauce. It’s also a healthy sauce to use in any dish since butternut squash is nutrient-loaded and also works great on other different pastas.
Tips for cutting a butternut squash:
Sometimes cutting into a butternut squash can be intimidating. Squash isn't as hard as you think to cut if you have a sharp knife, alternatively you can buy pre-cut squash.
- If you’re working with a whole butternut squash, slice off the ends, lengthwise. Then, cut the squash in half right where it starts to get wider, leaving you two pieces: the thinner, oblong top part and the rounder, bottom “base” of the squash.
- From there, you can peel with a vegetable peeler or a paring knife if you don’t have one. At this point, you’ll want to scoop out all the seeds, like you would a pumpkin.
- Finally, cut the remaining squash into cubes, which will be the starting point for creating the sauce.
How to make Butternut Squash Cauliflower Gnocchi
- Start off by peeling, cutting and roasting your butternut squash in the oven for about 30 minutes, depending on the size. Then remove it from the oven and let it cool.
- Next, place the butternut squash into a blender or food processor along with the garlic, heavy cream and Parmesan and blitz until smooth and creamy.
- If after blitzing the butternut squash is thick like mashed potatoes, because the sauce can have a thick consistency depending on how much water is naturally in the squash, add in some broth, about 2 tablespoons at a time, to help thin it out.
- For the gnocchis to be crispy you can only do one bag of gnocchi with nothing else in the oven or the oven temperature and moisture levels are impacted.
- Spread one bag of frozen gnocchi onto the baking sheet. Toss with a drizzle of olive oil and roast.
- After, plate the gnocchis with the butternut squash sauce and enjoy.
More Fall Comfort Foods like the Butternut Squash Cauliflower Gnocchi:
Pumpkin and Spinach Lasagna Rolls
Butternut Squash Cauliflower Gnocchi
Ingredients
Butternut Squash Sauce
- 1 lb butternut squash cubed
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes extra for garnish
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese freshly grated, plus extra for garnish
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- 1/3 cup chicken broth depending on consistency
- 1 handful sage for garnish
Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi
- 1 package cauliflower gnocchi Trader Joe’s
- Olive oil light drizzle
Instructions
Butternut Squash Sauce
- Pre-heat the oven to 350F
- Cut the skin off the butternut squash and cut into medium-sized cubes. Place on a baking tray with the garlic cloves (skin still on).
- Add the olive oil and rub over the squash with your hands so the squash and garlic are evenly coated in the oil.
- Sprinkle over the oregano, red pepper flakes, paprika and a pinch of salt and pepper, lightly toss to make sure the spices evenly coat the butternut squash.
- Roast in the oven for around 30 minutes until the squash and garlic are soft, toss halfway through.
- Once the squash is cooked, remove it from the oven and let it cool for about 15 - 20 minutes.
- Then, place in a blender or food processor. Squeeze the garlic out of their skins and add that to the squash with the heavy cream and parmesan.
- Blitz until smooth and creamy. Add extra salt if required.
- If the sauce is too thick, add some chicken broth to the sauce, 1 tablespoon or more, to sauce at a time, until you reach the desired consistency.
Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi
- Preheat the oven to 425 F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Spread one (ONLY ONE!) bag of frozen gnocchi onto the baking sheet.
- Toss with a drizzle of olive oil.
- Roast for 20 minutes, then toss and rotate the gnocchi
- Roast for another 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and plate the gnocchi with the butternut squash sauce.
- Garnish with red pepper flakes, Parmesan cheese and sage.
- If there’s any leftovers, store the butternut squash separate from the gnocchi as they will be on the soggy side if you leave the sauce on it. Store up to 3-4 days.
Notes
Nutrition
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