Like clockwork, September hits and I’m back to browning butter and cooking with sage. Look, I know it’s very early into the month. I also know we still have Labor Day coming up. But I can’t help but be excited for the warming fall comfort food I love so much. Here in Colorado, the temperatures have dropped and summer is definitely on it’s way out. I know most of you are most likely still enjoying eighty degree days, but hopefully, you can enjoy your warm temperatures and your ricotta gnocchi too. I think you can, I see this as the perfect summer meets fall dinner. I mean you’ve got your summer garden herbs mixed together with September’s delicious mushrooms. Then all tossed in a nutty warming browned butter with softy, pillowy ricotta gnocchi.
The inspiration for this ricotta gnocchi with herby mushrooms…
Our overflowing herb garden that’s honestly the prettiest I’ve seen in a while. It’s the lushest it’s been all summer and bursting with some of my favorite warming herbs – thyme, sage, rosemary, and oregano. Our basil on the other hand is slowly starting to whittle down. BUT, we still have a few new plants popping up! Crossing my fingers we can make these herbs last through September. You just never know with the cold temperature we get up here this time of year. Anyway, with so many herbs I knew some kind of herby sauce was in order. I’ve never made ricotta gnocchi before, so I thought why not toss some homemade gnocchi with all these herbs. Sounds pretty good, right? And since our local Colorado mushrooms are flourishing right now, that was my vegetable of choice. Of course, after deciding on that, tossing everything in browned butter just came naturally.
All the details…
First, this gnocchi recipe is easier than you’d think and worth any extra time spent in the kitchen. Trust me on this. Second, to sum this up real quick, you’re basically just mixing ricotta cheese with flour, parmesan, and eggs. Yes, this gnocchi has just four ingredients. And while it takes some hands-on time, it’s really fairly simple to make. For whatever reason, gnocchi gets a bad rap for being difficult. But it’s actually simple and always so much better when made at home. At least in my opinion. The dough comes together in no time. Once you’ve formed the dough, then it’s time to shape the gnocchi. When it comes to forming the gnocchi, I keep it very, very simple. I like to roll the gnocchi dough into a long rope and then just cut that rope into pieces. And that’s it. No fancy tools, no fancy rolling method. Just keeping it simple. Once you’ve rolled and shaped the gnocchi they can be covered and kept in the fridge for a day or so. Then just boil them off before you’re ready to eat. Now, for that sauce. It’s a nutty sage browned butter sauce with lots of golden mushrooms and thyme too. It’s truly the best sauce you’ll ever toss your gnocchi with. Caramelized mushrooms, browned butter, garlic, thyme, and crispy sage. Just five ingredients, but when put together they create a rich, warming butter sauce that pairs so well with the light and airy gnocchi. You could stop here and the recipe would be great….
But…you need to make some breadcrumbs.
Are these needed? Nope. But are they sooo delicious? YES. These are simple, just toast up some sourdough bread with garlic, break into crumbs, and toss with Asiago cheese. These are very simple but they add a nice texture to the top of the gnocchi. Put it all together and oh my…SO GOOD!
Recap…
…extra soft and pillowy. …has light ricotta cheese and salty, nutty parmesan. …tossed in an addicting nutty browned butter sauce. …with golden mushrooms and thyme …and topped with crispy, fried sage. …plus cheesy, garlic breadcrumbs. Every last bite is mouth-watering, that’s really all you need to know. Make this tonight, this weekend, or just sometime soon. It’s a delicious bowl of some really good homemade gnocchi…with lots buttery sauce. Of course! Tip? Pour yourself a glass of wine or make your favorite cocktail and enjoy a bowl full of ricotta gnocchi. Ideal kind of September night. Looking for other September dinner recipes? Here are a few ideas: Herby Buttered Balsamic Mushroom Ravioli Sage Lemon Butter Chicken Piccata with Mashed Cauliflower Creamy Butternut Squash Alla Vodka Pasta Pesto Polenta with Thyme Roasted Mushrooms and Chickpeas Lastly, if you make this ricotta gnocchi with herby mushrooms and sage browned butter, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
