Replace Potatoes With Carrots In Gnocchi For A Sweeter Pasta Dish

Nothing is quite as special as a fresh plate of soft, pillowy gnocchi. Starchy potatoes come together with a little flour, salt, and egg to create a meal that will melt in your mouth and satisfy your stomach. But potatoes are not the only ingredient that you can use to craft this irresistible pasta. To explore the sweeter side of these dumplings when cooking homemade gnocchi, try swapping the potatoes for carrots.

Carrots, like potatoes, are a vegetable that is considerably high in starch. This is what makes this substitution so achievable; starch is a crucial part of forming any kind of pasta dough. In addition, carrots have a higher sugar content than potatoes — with 4.7 grams per 100-gram serving compared to a potato's .9 grams for the same size serving. This brings a sweet and vegetal flavor to the pasta which can intrigue and entice a palate that is used to traditional gnocchi. It also offers a stunning orange color and opens the opportunity for many new flavor combinations based on how you choose to pair the dish with other sauces and accouterment.

Incorporating carrots into your gnocchi is a similar process to the traditional method that is demonstrated in Tasting Table's carrot gnocchi recipe by Michelle McGlinn. Simply peel and chop your carrots into chunks, then boil them until fork tender. Finally, mash them thoroughly and add them to your pasta dough as you would mashed potatoes. You can proceed with the remainder of the recipe as if it is a classic gnocchi dough.

You can enjoy these gnocchi with rich brown butter, as our recipe recommends, or with a wide variety of other toppings. One option is to pair the gnocchi with a thick and creamy goat cheese sauce, which would elevate the sweetness of the pasta with its tanginess, and to finish it with candied walnuts for added crunch. Alternatively, embrace the earthy nature of this root vegetable by tossing it in a smoky poblano pepper sauce with sweet corn and cotija cheese.

Alternatively, you can also use carrots in other pasta recipes, enlisting the veggie to construct anything from spaghetti to macaroni noodles. Or, if you prefer, you could enjoy the flavor carrots provide in the form of a carrot pasta sauce.