Homemade Sweet Potato Gnocchi (No Eggs, No Dairy, 2 Ingredients)
Traditional gnocchi ingredients and methods are turned on their head to create two ingredient gnocchi that are approachable and easy to make without any tools. These pillowy dumplings use just sweet potato (purple, orange, or Japanese cream colored) and flour, no eggs or dairy. Hand-mix and form them easily in under an hour of active time. Pan-searing elevates them. These are not your Nonna’s gnocchi.
Above: Purple Sweet Potato Gnocchi, unshaped and pan-seared with olive oil and smoked sea salt.
The origin of this recipe
Something is comforting and delicious about gnocchi, with their soft texture and mild flavor. Our family has made them with potato a few times, with mixed results. Recently I was inspired to make them using sweet potatoes, after watching the enchanting video “Gnocchi | Kitchen on the Cliff with Giovanna Bellia LaMarca“. Traditional gnocchi are cute and all, but I prefer a carb with more color and flavor. I was also intrigued by sweet potato versions I’ve had in restaurants and from Trader Joe’s. Enter, my Sweet Potato Gnocchi!
Above: sweet potato gnocchi dough made from two simple ingredients, orange sweet potatoes and all purpose flour. Different from the purple gnocchi above, the small pieces of dough are shaped by rolling them over the back of a fork. They are pan-seared and served simply with lemon, grated parm, lemon zest, and aleppo chili flakes.
Recipe Recap:
~Pillowy, tender dumplings made with two ingredients (sweet potato and flour). Naturally vegan, egg-free, and dairy-free. No potato ricer or gnocchi board required. Ready in about 1 hour of active time. Versatile and perfect for any sauce or simple seasoning.
~Key features:
1. 2 ingredients. 2. no eggs or dairy. 3. tool-free method. 4. customizable with purple, orange, or Japanese sweet potatoes. 5. freezer-friendly uncooked
~Plan of attack:
1. roast the sweet potatoes. 2. mix a simple dough and cut shapes (optional to shape over back of fork), resting in between. 3. boil, and optionally pan-sear for golden edges. 4. Dress simply (suggestions at end of post) or use your favorite sauce.
What are gnocchi?
Gnocchi are little dumplings (similar in size to a small cherry tomato) that originate from Italy. They are typically made from cooked, riced potatoes mixed with flour, as well as egg, and sometimes ricotta cheese. The ingredients are turned into a dough which is rolled into ropes, cut into 1/2″ pieces, and shaped into ridged shell-like shapes. The formed gnocchi are then quickly boiled into pillowy perfection. Sounds easy to make at home right? Not so fast.
How to make sweet potato gnocchi
No tools required
- Virtually every recipe, traditional or not, that I researched, utilized a potato ricer to break up the potatoes and the majority used a wooden gnocchi board or other ridged pasta-making board to form the gnocchi, as well as some kind of skimmer or spider strainer to remove the gnocchi from the boiling water. I’m here to tell you none of those tools are necessary to successfully make gnocchi at home.
Benefits of roasting sweet potatoes
- Traditional gnocchi making includes boiling or steaming white potatoes. This aspect of making gnocchi, along with the inclusion of ricotta and egg, increases moisture to the dough and increases the need for more flour.
- Roasting the whole sweet potatoes minimizes moisture which prevents the need for using too much flour, so that the vegetable flavor dominates.
Why this recipe is vegan (no egg or ricotta)
- I wanted these gnocchi to be truly vegetable-forward, simple, and accessible to more people, including those avoiding eggs and dairy.
- Traditional homemade gnocchi typically include eggs (which can make them tougher) and ricotta (which adds moisture and requires extra flour).
- By skipping both, this recipe stays light, pillowy, and naturally vegan while using just sweet potato and flour.
- I was also inspired by pantry-stable dried gnocchi, which are made with only potato and flour. After testing many versions, I found this minimal-ingredient approach delivers the best flavor and texture.
Timing and planning
- Hands-on time – I’m not gonna lie, it takes a little time to make gnocchi, but hands-on time is just an hour to have completed gnocchi ready for the sauce of your choice:
- making dough – 20 min
- making gnocchi shapes – 30 min
- boiling water/cooking gnocchi – 15 min (they only cook for 30-60 seconds)
- Hands-off time to roast sweet potatoes and rest the dough is 2.5-3 hours:
- 1-1.5 hours to roast the sweet potatoes
- 20 minutes or so for the roasted veg to cool (or roast ahead of time, which is what I do).
- Resting the dough for 30 minutes.
- Resting the formed gnocchi for 30 minutes before cooking (I often wait less because I’m impatient).
- Total Time: 3 1/2 hours, but again, 2/3’s of the time is cooking and resting time.
Sweet potato gnocchi ingredients and substitutions (dairy-free, vegan)
Above: Japanese white sweet potatoes have a red skin, similar to classic orange fleshed sweet potatoes, but inside the skin is a creamy white sweet potato. They taste very similar to classic sweet potatoes.
- Sweet Potatoes -this post shows photos using white fleshed Japanese sweet potatoes as well as purple sweet potatoes (Stokes brand is most common- who knew you could brand a sweet potato). You could use typical orange sweet potatoes as well.
- Flour – all purpose flour is used but I also show photos of using whole-grain spelt flour (a type of ancient wheat). You can substitute any whole-grain flour or stick with all purpose. The ratio of flour to sweet potato remains the same.
Making the gnocchi dough
Above: 1. Measure out 1 cup of flour (AP or whole grain). 2. Mix flour with pre-cooked, cooled, and mashed sweet potatoes (any color). 3. After resting dough, roll into rope shapes, cut, shape, and rest again (cut shapes can be rolled over a fork for the traditional ridged shape, or left more rustic, as shown in feature photo at top of post).
- Ingredient ratio – after much experimentation, comparison and research of other recipes, I landed on a ratio of 1 pound of sweet potato to 1 cup of flour.
- Roast the sweet potatoes – after roasting the whole sweet potatoes, cool until you can handle them enough to take off the skins. Contrary to many recipes insisting white potatoes should be warm when you make the gnocchi, I always cool the sweet potatoes and recommend roasting a day ahead for ease.
- Mix the gnocchi dough – break the sweet potatoes down with your fingers. Add half the flour, mix gently and continue to incorporate the rest of the flour, turning out on a work surface and kneading only enough to incorporate. Rest the dough for 30 minutes.
- Do not use a food processor to mix the dough. I have tried this and it makes the dough gummy and ruins the soft, pillowy texture of the cooked gnocchi.
Shaping the gnocchi
Above: 4. Rolling ropes of dough. 5. Shaping cut gnocchi over back of fork. 6. Shaped gnocchi. 7. Half of the batch of completed gnocchi resting before cooking.
- Roll, cut, and shape – this part of the process can be fun and relaxing. Roll pieces of dough into ropes, cut into 1/2″ lengths, and only if you want, roll the bits of dough over the back of a fork to form ridged shapes (the ridged shape holds sauce well).
- I find if I don’t rush or fixate on how well the gnocchi are formed into the perfect shapes (see photos for examples of how they can vary), then I really enjoy the process. This is not the recipe to make if you are under a time crunch or are impatient.
- Mind you, you can absolutely skip the shaping process and many do. In one of my iterations, shown in the feature photo of this recipe, I left them cut as “pillows” and they look rustic and lovely, don’t you think?!
- Rest the shaped gnocchi for 30 minutes.
Cooking the gnocchi (optional pan-searing)
Above: 8. Boiling gnocchi rise to surface. 9. Removing gnocchi with slotted spatula after 30-60 seconds of cooking. 10. Plated sweet potato gnocchi with olive oil, grated parm, parsley and Aleppo chili flakes.
- Boil the Gnocchi – cooking the gnocchi is a simple and quick process of gently dropping them into boiling water, and watching them rise to the top in less than a minute. After they cook a little longer (30-60 seconds), they are done. You can place on parchment, a cutting board or place directly into your sauce, and plate immediately.
- Delicate dumplings – you must coat the gnocchi with a bit of oil, pesto, butter, or place in your sauce of choice, once you remove them from the boiling water, otherwise they will cool, dry and clump together. They are not as sturdy as storebought or classic homemade potato gnocchi made with eggs.
- To sear or not to sear -Due to their delicate nature, I was curious and inspired to heat some olive oil and pan-sear the gnocchi after boiling and it has become my favorite way to prepare them (see gnocchi in feature and 2nd set of images). I start the oil heating while the gnocchi are boiling, remove them to a paper towel-lined plate, and immediately pan-sear them until golden.
- Finished texture – the boiled gnocchi are soft and delicate, almost creamy, never gummy or chewy. If pan-seared, they have a delicate crisp, before biting through to the soft interior, and develop a nice caramelized nuttiness.
Serving & Dressing Ideas
These sweet potato gnocchi are delicate and flavorful on their own, so they pair beautifully with simple finishes rather than heavy sauces. Here are my favorite ways to dress them:
- Pan-Seared with Smoked Sea Salt — My go-to. After boiling, pan-sear the gnocchi in olive oil until golden. Finish with a sprinkle of smoked sea salt and fresh parsley. The crisp exterior contrasts perfectly with the soft, pillowy interior.
- Bright & Fresh — Toss boiled or seared gnocchi with good olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, grated Parmesan (or nutritional yeast for vegan), and Aleppo chili flakes or red pepper flakes.
- Classic Options — Browned butter and sage, pesto, or a light tomato sauce all work well. Because these gnocchi are naturally sweet and vegetable-forward, they shine with bright, acidic, or nutty accompaniments rather than creamy ones.
Pro tip: Coat the gnocchi immediately after draining (with oil, butter, or sauce) so they don’t stick together. They are best enjoyed fresh.
Optional beet variation
Above: as an option, you can include one roasted beet (roast and peel alongside the sweet potato) in the gnocchi dough. See recipe card for notes.
How to Prepare Beets
- The washed whole beet (I show a variety above, of sweet potatoes and beets that can be used) is roasted alongside the sweet potato(s). The beet may take longer (up to 1.5 or 2 hours) to become as fork tender as the sweet potato.
- Above I show how I managed to rub off the thin skin of the beets after cooking, but it is not necessary.
- Unlike sweet potatoes, beets do not break down and mash with our hands (plus they can stain our skin), so I use a food processor to blend them down to a similar texture as the potatoes. Just cut off the ends before blending.
Best Color Combinations
- Red beets – these mix well with purple sweet potatoes for a brilliant purple gnocchi.
- Golden beets – these mix well with Japanese white, or classic orange sweet potatoes, for a soft or richer golden color gnocchi. Golden beets do not stain your skin like red beets to.
Mixing Beets into the Dough
- The ratio of 1 cup flour to 1 lb. sweet potatoes does not change, you simply add the 1 cooked beet, mashed up with a blender. I’ve tested this multiple times and more flour is not needed for some reason.
- Hand mix the mashed beet and sweet potato, then add the flour to form the dough.
Storing and reheating the homemade gnocchi
- Reheating – It is not recommended to reheat gnocchi. These dumplings are fresh, which means the dough is not compact and doesn’t hold up well to sitting in the fridge overnight.
- Storing –You can freeze uncooked gnocchi. Lay them on a tray and place in freezer for 15 minutes to firm them up, then place in container together in freezer. Boil directly from freezer, until they float to top of water, same as when cooking fresh.
Above: Purple sweet potato and red beet version of gnocchi, shaped over the back of a fork.
FAQs
They can be, and this recipe is. Different regions of Italy make them differently. They all include some kind of flour, and some include eggs and/or ricotta.
As this posts explain, tools are not needed, but if you like to use them, you can “rice” the sweet potatoes with a potato ricer and you can buy a gnocchi board to shape the gnocchi (not affiliate links).
Based on researching many recipes, as well as reading about the history of gnocchi, the most traditional gnocchi is made from white potatoes, 00 flour and eggs. The use of 00 flour is finer and with less protein, yielding softer gnocchi.
Sweet potatoes have a high moisture content. After cooking they are around 75% moisture, so the flour absorbs the moisture, and the dough gets sticky. When this happens as you make the gnocchi dough and shape the dough, you can sprinkle a tablespoon or so of flour on the dough/gnocchi to reduce the stickiness, but take care not to load on extra flour which will yield an overly dense gnocchi.
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Homemade Sweet Potato Gnocchi (No Eggs, No Dairy, 2 Ingredients)
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Start CookingKitchen Tools
- 1 mixing bowl
- 1 3qt soup pot
Ingredients
- 1 lb sweet potato (2 medium) (orange, Jap. white, purple-see notes)
- 1 cup all purpose flour (or spelt, whole grain-see notes)
Optional Ingredient for variation on recipe
- 1 beet (medium, 6-7 oz.) (red, golden-see notes)
Instructions:
Roast the Vegetables – 1-1.5 hrs
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Wash the 1 lb sweet potato (2 medium) (do not peel).
- Place sweet potatoes on pan and place in oven to bake.
- Cook Sweet Potatoes for 1-1.5 hours, until a fork can easily pierce through to center. Let cool (or place in fridge to cool until next day).
Make the Gnocchi Dough – 20 min
- Mash sweet potato with your fingers, breaking up until there are no chunks.
- Add 1/2 cup of the 1 cup all purpose flour to the veggie mix and work the two together with your fingers. Add another 1/4 cup of the flour and work it until the "dough" becomes less sticky.
- At this point, dump out onto work surface/cutting board, and sprinkle the last 1/4 cup of flour over the dough, working it in. You should be able to kind of knead the dough like bread dough, but not too much. See notes.
- Once the dough looks and feels more or less uniform and not too sticky cover and let rest 30 minutes or so (it will always be a bit sticky but you shouldn't be getting dough all over your fingers at this point).
Form the Gnocchi – 30 minutes
- After dough rests 30 minutes, uncover. The flour will have hydrated w/the veggies and the dough may look and feel a bit more sticky now. Have some extra flour at the ready to sprinkle on it as needed now and throughout the forming process. Divide dough into 4 portions.
- Working one portion at a time, use your hands to roll the portion into a rope about the thickness of your thumb (you may have to break it in two if the rope gets too long). Sprinkle with a little flour as needed. Cut the rope into sections that are 1/2"long. See notes.
- If the gnocchi bits are sticky just sprinkle with a bit of flour. Now it's time to try and form them into ridged curls (unless you decide to leave them as little pillows).
- Take a fork and lay it upside down on work surface. Take each gnocchi section and press it down lightly on the fork, and push away/down the fork with your finger, so that it rolls. See notes and photos in post.
- Place shaped gnocchi aside on a plate, work surface or sheet pan with parchment. Sprinkle all of them with a little flour and move them around so they don't stick at all.
- Leave formed gnocchi to rest approx 30 min.
Cook the Gnocchi (15 min includes bringing water to boil)
- Bring a 3qt pot of water to boil. Add salt if you like, but it is not necessary. I tend to under season with salt during process, and add salt as a finishing touch, but do as you like.
- Gently place spoonfuls of gnocchi (4-6), I use a slotted spatula, nothing fancy, into boiling water, adding about half of the gnocchi. Let them boil until they float. Once they float, watch them cook gently for 30-60 seconds and then remove with slotted spatula or spoon and place on parchment or plate, or directly into your sauce. Sauce right away or they will end up sticking together, once cool. see post for for simple and quick ways to "dress" your gnocchi.
Optional pan-searing – just a couple of minutes
- Heat a saute pan to medium with some olive oil and add gnocchi, once oil is glistening. Cook a few minutes, watching and turning. Give them time to sear and brown before turning. Serve with sauce of your choice.
Option to include beet in gnocchi dough
- Cook beet for 1.5-2 hours, until a fork can easily pierce through to center. Let cool (or place in fridge to cool until next day). If you don't have blender/processor then cook beet till very fork tender so you can mash.
- Cut the root end off of the beet, and peel only if you want/can. I have mixed success with this, and the skin isn't much of a skin- ok to leave on, especially if blending and not hand mashing.
- Puree the beet in food processor or blender. Or mash it with a potato masher if you do not have equipment. Either way, blend/mash until smooth.
- Mix beet puree with mashed sweet potato with fork in bowl until thoroughly mixed.
- Proceed to mix dough using same amount of flour, form and cook gnocchi as instructed above.
