Trader Joe's Pumpkin Gnocchi with Caramelized Onion Sauce

I love pairing these Trader Joe's Pumpkin Gnocchi with an incredibly cheesy caramelized onion cream sauce. They have just the right amount of pumpkin taste and they make the perfect easy fall recipe that tastes so cozy and delicious.

Why You'll Love them

If you haven't had Trader Joe's Pumpkin Gnocchi, get ready because they are one of my favorite Fall season finds! 

Unlike their cauliflower gnocchi (which is located in the freezer section), you can find these in the refrigerated section.

So what makes them so great? Tender gnocchi are infused with a delicious pumpkin puree that contains a slight hint of cinnamon and cane sugar. The mix of pumpkin filling and spices are absolutely perfect together - not to sweet and not too savory.

To balance out the pumpkin mixture, I love pairing this easy pasta recipe with a rich parmesan and caramelized onion cream sauce to balance it all out. With a few simple ingredients, the sauce comes together like magic. 

The results are so warm and cozy and I know you're going to love it!

Oh, and since most of their pumpkin flavor items are seasonal, be sure to check out some of my other favorite finds. I recommend the Trader Joe's Pumpkin Bagels, the pumpkin brioche bread, their non-dairy pumpkin oat beverages, the butternut-squash mac and cheese and their fall harvest salsa. Of course, you can't go wrong with their Pumpkin filling Ravioli! Oh, and added bonus - I've got a recipe for that too!

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Trader Joe's Pumpkin Gnocchi: This recipe was written for this flavor but they would also be delicious if you made them yourself OR used another flavor gnocchi.
• Olive Oil: You can use any neutral oil you prefer.
• Salted Butter: If you want to use unsalted butter, that's fine - just add a pinch of salt. 
• Onion: I recommend using sweet onion as they tend to caramelize faster but feel free to use white onion or yellow onion. 
• Thyme: Not into thyme? Swap it for sage leaves! You can make the sauce as written, just swap the herbs. Or you could follow the sage butter in this Butternut Squash Ravioli recipe. 
• Heavy Cream: If you're not into heavy cream, you can leave it out and just add more butter. They're also delicious toasted up in a simple brown butter sauce. 
• Parmesan Cheese: Since parmesan cheese is so nutty, it's a great way to compliment the flavors of the pumpkin gnocchi. But if you'd rather have something stronger, try adding gorgonzola for a tasty gorgonzola cream sauce. It's also absolutely delicious with their pumpkin gnocchi!
• Black Pepper: Pepper is optional. Leave it out if you don't like it. 
• Kosher Salt: I always recommend kosher salt since it makes the food taste more like itself than salty -- if that makes sense!! But you could definitely use another type of salt if that's what your taste buds prefer - just be sure to use sparingly. 
• Red Pepper Flakes: Adding a pinch of red pepper flakes is optional but it does add depth to the dish without making it too spicy. 

​Step by Step Instructions

Here's how to easily make Trader Joe's Pumpkin Gnocchi.

Caramelize Onions: Since onions take so long to caramelize, we'll start here. Dice your onion very finely. Then melt some butter and olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Cooking with both of these fats helps keep the onions form burning. Then add onions, a pinch of salt and a pinch of red pepper flakes and stir. Stir often, for about 30-40 minutes, or until the onions are tender and caramelized. If they start to burn or stick, add ¼ cup of water at a time and stir as you add it. 

Boil Gnocchi: Fill a large pot of water and bring to a boil. Add a hefty pinch of salt then add gnocchi. As the package directions state, you only need to boil the gnocchi for a few minutes - 2-3 to be exact. So I don't recommend doing this until the onions are totally caramelized. 

Add Herbs: Once the onions are caramelized, it's time to add the herbs. You can use thyme or sage - whatever you prefer. If you're using dried herbs, that's fine, too! Cook them down for a few minutes until you start to smell them and they become soft.

Add Gnocchis: When the gnocchi are done, quickly strain them from the water and add them to the caramelized onions. A little extra pasta water is good for the sauce so try not to get them too dry. Add remaining butter and toss to coat. I like to brown the gnocchi a little bit during this step to make them even more flavorful. 

Make the Sauce:  Once the gnocchi are slightly toasted, add the heavy cream and stir. Once the sauce is coating the gnocchi, add the parmesan cheese and toss once more. You can loosen the sauce with pasta water if needed.

Season, Serve or Save: Taste the pasta dish and season one last time with salt and pepper. Place the gnocchi on a serving platter or in bowls and serve with more parmesan cheese on the side. You can place any leftovers in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days - although they are best served fresh.

What to Pair them with

If you're looking for more easy recipes to pair this with, try my:

• Kale Butternut Squash Salad with Feta, Avocado & Hot Honey Vinaigrette
• Dutch Oven Beef Stew Recipe with Lipton Onion Soup Mix
• Sausage, Kale and White Bean Soup
• Shortcut "Fried" Goat Cheese Balls Recipe With Spicy Honey

And If this sounds good, I also have an incredibly pumpkin bread muffin recipe that you will love!

Recipe

Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Gnocchi with Caramelized Onion Cream Sauce

I love pairing these Trader Joe's Pumpkin Gnocchi with an incredibly cheesy caramelized onion cream sauce. They have just the right amount of pumpkin taste and they make the perfect easy fall recipe that tastes so cozy and delicious.

5 from 3 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Course pasta, side

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings 4 people

Equipment

• Nonstick Skillet

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 4 tablespoon Salted Butter divided
• 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
• 2 medium Sweet Onions finely diced
• ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt plus more for serving/boiling water
• ¼ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
• ¼ cup Water
• ½ teaspoon Fresh Thyme Leaves
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• ½ cup Parmesan Cheese grated
• 2 boxes Trader Joe's Pumpkin Gnocchi

Instructions

 

• Add salted butter and olive oil to a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
• Add onions, kosher salt and red pepper flakes and stir. Turn the heat down to medium-low and caramelize, stirring often, for 30-40 minutes. If starting to stick or burn, stir in ¼ cup water at a time as often as needed.
• Once caramelized, add the fresh thyme and cook for 2 more minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil with a hefty pinch of salt. Once the onions are caramelized, boil the gnocchi for 2-3 minutes or until they’re tender and floating.
• Remove the gnocchi from the water and transfer them to the caramelized onion skillet and toss with the remaining butter - cooking for a few minutes to slightly toast the gnocchi in all of the onion-y goodness.
• Add the heavy cream to the gnocchi and toss before stirring in the parmesan cheese.
• Season with salt and pepper before serving.

Video

Keyword dinner, fall food, gnocchi, pasta

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