Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Bolognese Sauce
Our sweet potato gnocchi helps add a bit more nutritional interest to this classic comfort pasta
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Traditionally, gnocchi is made with regular potatoes, while bolognese sauce can include whole milk or cream. By using sweet potatoes, lean ground turkey and skim milk, we’ve added a bit more nutritional interest. This sweet potato gnocchi is not only deliciously savory and fluffy, but it’s easier to make than one would think.
This recipe makes about 8 cups of our light Bolognese Sauce – 4 cups more than you’ll need. Use the extra sauce as a topping for your own homemade pizza.
Ingredients
- 1 large sweet potato
- 2 medium Russet or Idaho potatoes
- 2 cups plus 2 tbsp whole-wheat flour, divided, plus additional flour for dusting on hands and cookie sheets
- Olive oil cooking spray
- 1 medium yellow or white onion, diced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 1 lb lean ground turkey breast
- 1 cup skim milk
- 1 28-oz can no-salt-added crushed tomatoes
- 1 6-oz can tomato paste
- 1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
- 2 Tbsp. fresh basil, minced
- Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste (optional)
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Use a fork to poke holes in all potatoes. Bake on a cookie sheet, lined with foil, for 45 minutes. Remove potatoes from oven, let cool, remove skins and slice. Add potato slices to a food processor fitted with a standard blade and purée for 3 minutes or until smooth.
- To make gnocchi, put potato purée in a large bowl and mix in 2 cups flour, a 1/4 cup at a time (you will get a very sticky consistency). Dust hands with a bit of flour and form puree into teaspoon-sized oval-shaped balls. You will periodically need to dust your hands with more flour while making balls. Once all balls are made (you will have 90 to 100), take a fork and, pressing lightly, make indentations around the circumference of the balls, being careful not to flatten them. Dust 2 plates or a cookie sheet with flour and place gnocchi on them to air-dry so they will not be quite as fragile.
- While gnocchi are drying, fill a large stockpot with water and bring to a boil over medium-high. Once dry, add gnocchi to stockpot in small batches of about 10 to 15. When they float to the surface, after about 3 minutes, remove gnocchi with a slotted spoon.
- To make sauce, heat a medium saucepot over medium-high. Let heat for 1 minute, then mist with cooking spray. Add onion, celery and carrots and saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Add turkey and stir, breaking meat up into pieces with a spoon or spatula as it cooks, about 5 minutes.
- Once turkey is cooked, add remaining 2 tbsp flour. Whisk in milk and stir until thickened.
- Pour in tomatoes, tomato paste and 1/2 cup water. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir. Add Italian seasoning and basil. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and cook for another 5 minutes.
- To serve, place 1 cup gnocchi in a bowl and top with 1 cup sauce. Garnish with additional basil, if desired.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size 1 cup
- Calories 430
- Carbohydrate Content 79g g
- Fat Content 2g g
- Fiber Content 13g g
- Protein Content 27g g
- Sugar Content 10g g