pumpkin cottage cheese gnocchi with brussels sprouts
As someone who never makes pasta from scratch, I’m always shocked by how well cottage cheese gnocchi turns out. Last year, I tossed them in a vibrant kale sauce (highly recommend), but this year, I decided to flavor them with pumpkin.
Not only are they adorable, but they crisp up deliciously when cooked in olive oil and a little brown butter. Plus, they pair perfectly with simple sautéed brussels sprouts.
how to make fluffy (never dense) cottage cheese gnocchi
Just like ricotta gnocchi, the key to cottage cheese gnocchi is adding the least amount of flour as possible. (Too much flour = dense gnocchi). To do this, we need to rid the other ingredients of excess moisture: namely the pumpkin and cottage cheese.
I tried a number of different methods to dry out the pumpkin, including cooking it on the stovetop (this worked, but took a long time/dirtied an extra pan), letting it drain in a fine-mesh sieve (not super effective), and wringing it out in paper towels ( the pumpkin kept breaking through the towels).
Ultimately, I had the most success with patting it dry between a few layers of paper towels. If you don’t want to use this many paper towels, I would try squeezing it through cheesecloth.
You’ll actually use this same method for the cottage cheese, and then you’re good to get started! I know it seems fussy, but these extra steps only take a few extra minutes and result in far superior gnocchi.
my favorite ways to use leftover canned pumpkin
In a perfect world, every recipe I share would use an entire can of pumpkin. (And some do!) But in the cases where you will have leftovers, here are a few ways to use it up:
- 1. Greek yogurt pumpkin spice bagels: you’ll need 1/2 cup for this festive fall breakfast.
- 2. High-protein pumpkin spice frosty: also calls for 1/2 cup! I’ll be making this later today… yum.
You can also portion the pumpkin into ice cube trays and freeze it for later. Here’s a tutorial!
pumpkin cottage cheese gnocchi with brussels sprouts
serves 4
Ingredients
- 1 cup pumpkin puree*
- 1 cup full-fat small-curd cottage cheese
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (preferably freshly grated)
- 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more as needed
- 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, finely grated (about 1 cup), plus more for serving
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 8 ounces Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved (or quartered if large)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- drizzle of honey or maple syrup
Instructions
- Spread the pumpkin onto a double layer of paper towels. Top with two more layers, press firmly to draw out moisture. (Repeat with a fresh set of paper towels on top if necessary). Repeat this same process with the cottage cheese.
- Transfer the pumpkin and the cottage cheese to a large bowl. Add the eggs, nutmeg, and 3/4 teaspoon of the salt and whisk to combine. Whisk in the Parmesan.
- Add 1 1/2 cups of the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until just incorporated. If the dough is way too sticky to handle, add up to 1/2 cup more flour a few spoonfuls at a time.
- Transfer to a lightly floured work surface and knead a few times until it comes together into a ball. Let rest while you sauté the Brussels sprouts. (At this point, you can also wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight).
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 12-inch skillet (I prefer cast-iron) over medium-high heat. Add the Brussels sprouts, season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and several grinds black pepper, and arrange cut side down. Cook, undisturbed, until browned underneath, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir and continue cooking until browned all over and just tender, 3 to 5 minutes more. Transfer to a bowl or plate.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; dust the parchment with flour.
- Cut the gnocchi dough into four sections with a floured knife or bench scraper. Using floured hands, roll each section into a long rope, dusting with more flour as needed. Cut into small (about 1/2-inch) pieces. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
- When the water is boiling, use the parchment paper to funnel the gnocchi into the water. Cook until they rise to the surface, then cook 1 minute more (2 to 3 minutes total).
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the now-empty skillet over medium-high. Use a slotted spoon or spider, transfer the gnocchi from the water to the skillet and arrange in a single layer. Cook, undisturbed, until golden brown on one side, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the butter, red pepper flakes, and a drizzle of honey or maple syrup and cook, stirring, until the butter is browned and nutty smelling, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Stir in the Brussels sprouts and cook until warmed through. Top individual portions with more Parmesan.
This recipe was fine. My big complaint is that 1 inch is WAY too big for the gnocchi. They expand in the water and were HUGE. Cut in half inch pieces at most.
Great point, thank you for calling that out!! I will update the recipe.