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This creamy butternut sauce pairs perfectly with cauliflower gnocchi. It’s grain-free, dairy-free, and is perfect if you’re craving mac and cheese vibes.

butternut gnocchi in a large red pan

Comfort food season is here, and nothing says comfort food quite like mac and cheese. I have a few different mac and cheese recipes on my website, but I wanted to try something a bit different with the creamy butternut gnocchi! It’s a pasta dish that has a lot of the same elements of mac and cheese, but it’s dairy-free and veggie-packed! This version is also gluten-free and can be AIP.

Why You’ll Love This Creamy Butternut Gnocchi

  • It’s a fancier, dairy-free take on mac and cheese. Some mac and cheese dishes can get pretty fancy, but this one is also dairy free!
  • It’s veggie packed! The cauliflower gnocchi and butternut sauce make for the perfect veggie-packed dish.

The Ingredients for Creamy Butternut Gnocchi

  • Cauliflower gnocchi. You can use a storebought version or my homemade version of cauliflower gnocchi.
  • Butternut squash. You can use either fresh or frozen. Frozen tends to cook faster than fresh.
  • Coconut milk. This is the creamy element in the butternut sauce. I always use full-fat canned coconut milk.
  • Nutritional yeast. This is optional to give a cheesy flavor to the dish.
  • Bacon.
  • Sage.

How to make Creamy Butternut Gnocchi

  • Make the butternut squash sauce on the stovetop and blend. 
  • For the gnocchi: If using homemade gnocchi, boil the gnocchi as directed and bake in the oven before adding to the pan. If using frozen, storebought gnocchi, add the gnocchi to the pan with the olive oil and allow to crisp on each side.
  • Pour the sauce over the gnocchi and stir to coat.

A skillet of creamy butternut sauce with gnocchi.

  • Top with cooked and chopped bacon and crispy sage leaves. 

A skillet of creamy butternut sauce with cauliflower gnocchi.

Can you add protein to this dish?

You can also add something like sausage to this dish to bulk it up a bit more.

Can you make this recipe ahead of time? How do you reheat it?

You can easily reheat this dish in a pan for a few minutes or until warm.

What do you serve with this butternut gnocchi?

This recipe can be eaten as a main dish, like pasta! It would also be the perfect side dish for the holidays if you want to mix it up from traditional mac and cheese.

A bowl of creamy butternut sauce with cauliflower gnocchi.

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Cauliflower Gnocchi with Creamy Butternut Sauce

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  • Author: Michelle
  • Prep Time: 30
  • Cook Time: 25
  • Total Time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: 3 servings 1x
  • Category: Sides
  • Method: Stove Top
  • Cuisine: Global
  • Diet: Gluten Free
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Ingredients

Units Scale

For the sauce

  • 1 lb butternut squash, cubed
  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp dried sage
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • Salt and pepper (omit pepper for AIP)
  • 1–2 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional, omit if desired)

For the skillet

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 4–6 sage leaves
  • 10–12 oz cauliflower gnocchi (Trader Joe’s brand, or this for AIP)
  • 4 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
  • 2 tsp thyme, for garnish

Instructions

  1. To make the sauce, add the butternut squash to a pot and cover it with coconut milk,  white wine and seasonings (reserving the nutritional yeast). Bring to a boil and reduce to a low simmer for 10 minutes or until the squash is very fork tender. Allow to cool slightly before transferring to a blender and blending the remainder of the ingredients until very smooth. Add nutritional yeast to taste.
  2. Prepare the crispy sage by heating the olive oil over low heat. Add the sage and cook for about 1-2 minutes on each side, or until crisp. Set aside.
  3. If using homemade gnocchi, boil the gnocchi as directed and bake in the oven before adding to the pan.
  4. If using frozen, storebought gnocchi, add the gnocchi to the pan with the olive oil and cook for a few minutes on each side to allow to crisp.
  5. Pour the sauce over the gnocchi and stir to coat. Top with cooked and chopped bacon and crispy sage leaves and fresh thyme.

Notes

Nutritional yeast is optional for a cheesy flavor.

The Trader Joe’s gnocchi is not AIP. Use the homemade version to keep this recipe AIP.

All nutrition facts are estimated and will vary.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 serving
  • Calories: 456
  • Fat: 36.2g
  • Carbohydrates: 28.4g
  • Fiber: 6g
  • Protein: 10.8g