Roasted Butternut Squash and Gnocchi over Whipped Goat Cheese
This sheet pan meal features fall-seasoned butternut squash, crispy chickpeas, pillowy gnocchi, and broccoli all served over a bed of whipped maple goat cheese.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 585kcal
Equipment
- 1 food processor with standard blade attachment
Ingredients
For the sheet pan
- 1 pound butternut squash see note #1
- 15 ounce can chickpeas
- 1 tablespoon oil more as needed
- 1 teaspoon dry thyme
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or ¼ teaspoon table salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- dash of cinnamon
- 1 large broccoli crown
- 16 ounce package potato gnocchi
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice from one small lemon
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ⅓ cup roughly chopped raw pecans see note #2
For the whipped goat cheese
- 4 ounce log plain goat cheese see note #3
- 5 ounce container plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- pinch of salt
- olive oil as needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- Peel the butternut squash. Using a sharp knife, slice off the stem and bottom inch of the squash. Cut the squash in half to separate the stem and rounder base, then cut in half lengthways. Use a spoon or ice cream scoop to remove the seeds and stringy parts. Dice the squash into ½ inch pieces.
- Drain and rinse the can of chickpeas. Pat dry with a clean towel. Transfer to a parchment-paper-lined full sheet pan with the diced butternut squash. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of oil.
- In a small jar, whisk together the seasonings: thyme, garlic powder, ginger, onion powder, salt, black pepper, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Sprinkle half of this over the veggies, tossing with a spatula to coat well. Spread into an even layer, then bake for 10 minutes at 400F.
- Meanwhile, slice the broccoli crown into florets and then slice the florets through each stem.
- Remove the sheet pan from the oven after 10 minutes. Add the broccoli florets, gnocchi, another drizzle of oil, and the remaining spice blend. Toss to coat, then spread into an even layer. Return to the oven to roast for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small jar whisk together 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup.
- After 20 minutes, remove the sheet pan from the oven and add the pecans. Drizzle with the maple lemon mixture. Return to the oven for 5 minutes, or until the squash is blackened in places and the pecans are toasted.
- Meanwhile, make the whipped goat cheese. Add the goat cheese, Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, and a pinch of salt to a food processor with a standard blade attachment. Process for a minute, until completely smooth, adding a splash of olive oil if desired for a silkier texture. Taste for maple syrup and salt.
- Spread a scoop of goat cheese on the bottom of each plate. Serve a few scoops of roasted squash and gnocchi on top. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Butternut squash: If using frozen squash, cook it for the length as the broccoli and gnocchi (20-25 minutes at 400F). It does not need to be thawed first, but note that it doesn't crisp as well as fresh squash.
- Pecans: If using roasted/toasted pecans instead of raw, they do not need to be cooked. This recipe also works well with walnuts.
- Goat cheese: Not a fan of goat cheese? Try this with an equal amount of ricotta (for a more subtle, sweeter flavor) or feta (for a saltier, more intense flavor). Or try this whipped tofu ricotta for a dairy-free option.
- For leftovers, keep the whipped goat cheese and roasted ingredients stored separately. The goat cheese is best served chilled. Also, it doesn't reheat very well.
- Keep leftovers refrigerated for 3-4 days. I like to reheat roasted veg and gnocchi in the air fryer at 350F for just a few minutes, but you can also reheat them in a skillet over medium heat.
Nutrition
Calories: 585kcal | Carbohydrates: 87g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 1097mg | Potassium: 783mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 12818IU | Vitamin C: 87mg | Calcium: 232mg | Iron: 7mg
