Gluten-free sweet potato gnocchi with sage butter

Gluten-free sweet potato gnocchi with sage butter: tender gnocchi made from sweet potatoes, egg and gluten-free flour, tossed in butter with fresh sage and, if you like, hard cheese.

At a glance

• Serves 3
• Prep time: 20 min
• Cooking time: 30 min
• Total time: 50 min
• Calories: 447 kcal per serving
• Protein: 8 g
• Fat: 14 g
• Carbs: 72 g

Ingredients

• 1 large organic egg
• 2 huge sweet potatoes (about 500g)
• 150 g gluten-free flour (e.g. rice flour)
• 40 g butter
• Freshly grated vegetarian hard cheese (Parmesan-style, optional)
• ½ bunch of fresh sage
• Plenty of coarse salt

Method

You’ll need: oven · microwave · frying pan · saucepan · chopping board · knife · grater

1. Prick the sweet potatoes and cook them in the microwave or oven until completely soft. Scoop out the flesh and let the steam escape briefly so it stays as dry as possible.
2. Mash the sweet potato flesh finely and mix with the egg, gluten-free flour and salt to a soft dough. Knead only briefly so the gnocchi stay tender.
3. On a lightly floured surface, shape the dough into ropes and cut into small pieces. If you like, press each piece lightly with a fork.
4. Bring a pan of well-salted water to the boil and add the gnocchi in batches. As soon as they rise to the surface, leave them a moment longer, then lift them out with a slotted spoon.
5. Melt the butter in a frying pan and let it brown slightly, then fry the fresh sage in it until crisp. Add the gnocchi straight away and gently toss them in the sage butter.
6. Arrange on plates and finish with freshly grated hard cheese if you like. Serve immediately, while the butter is still fragrant and the gnocchi are at their softest.

Good to know

These gnocchi are soft and simple – and that's exactly why they're so good. The gentle sweetness of the sweet potato meets nutty butter and fragrant sage.

Swaps

Organic egg → 1 egg yolk + 1 tbsp potato starch (binds well, often makes the gnocchi more tender) Hard cheese → aged goat's cheese (tangier flavour) Butter → ghee (buttery flavour, takes high heat, lower in lactose) Coarse salt → mineral or rock salt (easier to measure, no additives)

Allergens

Contains egg, butter and, optionally, milk from the hard cheese. Usually suits children well; during pregnancy, serve it piping hot and choose a hard cheese you can rely on.

Frequently asked questions

What's in sweet potatoes, nutritionally?

Sweet potatoes mainly provide carbohydrates, fibre, potassium and beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is a precursor of vitamin A and also gives them their strong colour.

Is sage just for flavour, or does it bring nutrients too?

Sage contains small amounts of essential oils and plant compounds. Since it's used sparingly in this recipe, flavour matters far more than any noticeable nutritional contribution.

What should you know about hard cheese?

Hard cheese is aged for a long time, so it usually contains very little lactose. It's still not suitable if you have a milk protein allergy.

Why is there an egg in the gnocchi dough?

Egg binds the soft sweet potato dough and, besides protein, provides choline, selenium and vitamin B12. It often helps the structure, especially in gluten-free doughs.

What affects how rich these gnocchi turn out?

Soft-cooked sweet potato gives a mild, tender base. How rich the dish feels also depends on the gluten-free flour and on how much sage butter you use.