What to Serve With Pumpkin Gnocchi? 18 Best Foods

Pumpkin gnocchi is the delicacy of pumpkin season. Made with genuine pumpkin sauce, creamy, rich, and incredibly versatile, they offer countless pairing options. Pairing pumpkin gnocchi is seemingly easy, but you may quickly get it all wrong without the necessary guidance. So, what to serve with pumpkin gnocchi? 

Pumpkin gnocchi goes excellent with sauces, cheeses, meats, bread, and salads. They don’t pair with any type of sauce or bread, but there are many options you can choose from. They require a rather specific type of cheese as well as meats. However, they are very versatile and easy to pair. 

When it comes to pairing pumpkin gnocchi, there are too many options, so you may find yourself confused and feeling as if pairing pumpkin gnocchi is the hardest decision you need to make. Since they offer vast opportunities, you may easily make the wrong choice. Since a bit of guidance always comes in handy, in the following paragraphs, I will share some pumpkin gnocchi pairing ideas to help you make the most of the magical pumpkin season.

What Sauce Goes With Pumpkin Gnocchi? 

Although pumpkin gnocchi is already juicy, creamy, and rich, there is no such thing as too much sauce, so the more, the better. Luckily, there are a lot of sauces that go perfectly with pumpkin gnocchi, so you can take your pick and enjoy. 

Pancetta and Parmesan Sauce 

This is one of the most decadent and rich sauces you can think of. The smoky flavor of the pancetta mixed with the rich and aromatic parmesan cheese is an absolute slam dank. You can pour your gnocchi inside the saucepan or have the sauce on the side; either way, it works perfectly. 

All you need to do is sizzle diced pancetta in a saucepan and pour some heavy cream. Add the parmesan, stir and watch the magic happen. Season with your favorite spices and enjoy.

Mushroom Sauce

Mushroom sauce is one of the simplest sauces you can make, yet one of the most delicious ones. You can make this using cream of mushroom soup as the base or combine fresh copped mushrooms with heavy cream. 

Either way, you will have a delicious sauce in under 20 minutes. Even though you don’t have to, you can grate some aromatic cheese inside the sauce for extra character. 

Spinach and Garlic Sauce 

With nothing more than spinach, garlic, heavy cream, a blender, and a saucepan, you can make this heavenly sauce and be surprised at how good something so simple can taste. Blend fresh spinach and a few garlic cloves. 

Add oil to the mixture and pour it into a saucepan for some sizzling. Add heavy cream and let it homogenize. Season with only salt and pepper and have all the fun in the world. 

What Meat Goes With Pumpkin Gnocchi? 

Regarding meat, pasta is one of the most versatile ingredients. They go with the vast majority of meats, but a few flatter it exceptionally well. 

Prosciutto 

Prosciutto is an absolute must on this list. Even though prosciutto doesn’t do well when cooked, you can make yourself a nice prosciutto plate to enrich the already decadently juicy pumpkin gnocchi. 

Ground Beef

Whether you cook the ground beef with the pumpkin gnocchi, add it afterward, or even make those cute little meatballs, it works imaginable. Add some herbal spices to the ground beef while cooking it or beforehand, and enjoy the flavors it releases into your pumpkin gnocchi. 

Turkey

To each his own, and therefore you may not find turkey to be the most delicious meat on this list, but you have to hand it to it for being the most appropriate. It is a borderline crime to omit the turkey when speaking of pumpkin season dishes. 

You don’t have to roast an entire turkey just to pair it with a plate of pumpkin gnocchi; this is a great way to use up your turkey leftovers. Top your pumpkin gnocchi with a few thin turkey slices and let them do their magic. 

What Salad Goes With Pumpkin Gnocchi? 

Pumpkin gnocchi goes excellent with lots of salads. However, since they are already creamy, you should add some texture contrast and make a fresh salad for some extra character and flavor. 

Arugula and Cherry Tomatoes 

The bitterness of the arugula toned down with the cherry tomatoes’ sweetness, balanced with balsamic crème and olive oil with herbs, is a fantastic pair for pumpkin gnocchi. The contrast of textures, with the salad being more on the crunchy side and the pumpkin gnocchi entirely on the creamy end, will further amplify the flavors included in both the pumpkin gnocchi and the salad. 

In addition, the bitterness of the arugula will complement the tenderness of the pumpkin gnocchi, creating a perfect balance of opposing flavors. 

Cabbage and Lettuce 

Cabbage and lettuce are probably one of the simplest imaginable salads that go with virtually everything. Therefore, have it in mind to pair your pumpkin gnocchi with. All you need to do is grate some cabbage, mince the lettuce, mix everything in a bowl and add salt and balsamic crème. 

It is also a great idea to add pumpkin seeds to this salad as they give it a nice crunch and some texture contrast. 

Spinach and Peanuts 

This one is my favorite to combine with pumpkin gnocchi. The crunch of the spinach mixed with the peanuts that are a spice in themselves and topped with balsamic crème and a few drops of soy sauce create a perfect balance between these seemingly contrasting flavors. 

To spruce things up, add sunflower, pumpkin seeds, flaxseed, and sesame. 

What Spices Go With Pumpkin Gnocchi? 

Pumpkin gnocchi is delicious even with no special seasoning, but getting the spices right can significantly improve the taste. In addition to the old married couple, among spices, salt, and pepper, there are also other spices you can add to make this dish even more delicious. 

Nutmeg  

Nutmeg is a very versatile spice used in both sweet and savory dishes. Nutmeg alone has somewhat of a bitter taste but mixed with pumpkin gnocchi, it transforms into a magician that magically augments the other included flavors. 

It also contributes to the slight bitterness that comes in very handy in adding some edge to the dish.

Herbal Spice Mix 

A combination of basil, rosemary, and oregano may be all you need to take your pumpkin gnocchi up a notch. This spice blend perfectly fits a wide range of dishes, especially pasta. It will inject freshness and crispiness into your pumpkin gnocchi, drawing out the best of them.

Cumin 

Although cumin is best known for its use in pastry-making, it is also an excellent addition to pumpkin gnocchi. It has a very particular aroma and taste that get transferred onto the pumpkin gnocchi, making them taste even more impressive. Less than a pinch of cumin is enough. 

What Fish Goes With Pumpkin Gnocchi?

Even though the flavor of pumpkin is quite restrictive in terms of fish, there are still some options worthy of exploring if you want to combine your pumpkin gnocchi with fish.

Salmon 

Buttery, nutty, and creamy salmon is known as one of the least fishy types of fish. It doesn’t have that typical fishy smell; therefore, it is easily combinable with many dishes, pumpkin gnocchi among them.

Since salmon works excellent when cold, you can top your plate of pumpkin gnocchi with a few salmon filets and integrate them inside the plate as you eat. 

Trout 

Trout is another not-fishy fish that doesn’t smell like a fisherman’s boat. Instead, it is refined, soft, and smells similar to the salmon, which is expected as salmon is a type of trout. Since the trout is slightly coarser than the salmon, have it on the side on a separate plate after each mouthful of pumpkin gnocchi.

Tuna 

Tuna can quickly turn your pumpkin gnocchi into a pumpkin gnocchi tuna salad. Feel free to use canned tuna and pour it on your pumpkin gnocchi plate. Mix it inside; voila, you have a carb and protein-rich meal.