Vegan Butter and Sage Gnocchi

Vegan butter and sage gnocchi made with crispy fried sage leaves and fresh sage. A quick Italian classic with big flavor and minimal ingredients.

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Gnocchi and sage have always been a match made in heaven. In Italy, this combination has been loved for ages as gnocchi burro salvia (gnocchi with sage butter). This vegan butter and sage gnocchi is my plant-based take on that classic.

It's perfectly ok to replace butter with a mix of olive oil and vegan butter, but this is not the only change I made to the classic recipe. I like serving gnocchi with both fresh sage AND crispy fried sage leaves to get the most out of this spectacularly scenting and tasting herb.

If you haven't eaten crispy fried sage leaves sprinkled with a bit of salt yet, you are so, so in for a treat! This crunchy goodness is fast and easy to make - you just fry sage leaves in hot oil for a couple of minutes. It's a perfect little snack on its own, and superb with gnocchi.

Ingredients You'll Need

• Vegan gnocchi
  See section below for more details.

• A beautiful bunch of sage
  You'll need a couple of sprigs of sage, with about 15 large leaves for frying. Also, set aside a small handful of fresh leaves to tear and mix into the dish at the end.

• Olive oil
  A good-quality olive oil is essential; this is the primary oil we'll use to fry the sage leaves and, if you prefer, to crisp up the gnocchi.

• Nutritional yeast flakes
  Just 2 tablespoons are needed. These will give the dish a delicious, parmesan-like aroma.

• Vegan butter or butter-flavored oil
  We'll add vegan butter at the end to finish the dish. Alternatively, you can use rapeseed oil with a butter flavor (commonly known as Swedish Alba oil), which is a popular option in Germany, though other butter-flavored rapeseed oil brands are available, such as Rapsgold Rapsöl and the organic brand Teutoburger Rapskernöl.

Note on Gnocchi

You can easily make vegan gnocchi at home, but I usually don't bother because they're widely available in stores and surprisingly good. I prefer organic ones, and if I can find some made by an Italian company (like Probios gnocchi), I'll definitely choose those - they never disappoint. Plus, the Probios gnocchi are gluten-free, and you can't even tell because they are crafted so well. The brand also offers whole-grain vegan gnocchi that taste amazing, but sadly, I've only seen them in Italy, not in Germany.

If you need to avoid gluten, many brands now offer gluten-free vegan gnocchi, both in stores and online).

As for preparation: gnocchi can be boiled or pan-fried. The package will tell you which method to use.

Boiled gnocchi give you a lighter, creamier dish. Pan-fried gnocchi are crispier and more golden. Both work beautifully here. It just depends on the mood.

And if you're in the mood for a bit of gnocchi fun, join me in answering the question: are gnocchi pasta or not?

🍽 Recipe

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Vegan Butter and Sage Gnocchi

A vegan butter gnocchi dish with both fresh sage leaves and crispy fried sage chips! Delicious, hearty comfort food that will entice you to overindulge.

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time40 minutes mins

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: gnocchi, plant-based, sage

Servings: 3

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 large bunch of sage 15 large leaves for frying + a generous handful of smaller leaves
• ▢ 5 tablespoons olive oil for frying
• ▢ 700 g vegan gnocchi check store-bought varieties for eggs, especially fresh ones from the fridge section
• ▢ 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
• ▢ Salt and pepper to taste
• ▢ 1 tablespoon vegan butter or butter-flavored oil like Swedish Alba oil

Instructions

• Strip the sage leaves from their stems and rinse well under running water. Set aside 15 large leaves for frying and chop the smaller leaves finely for later.
• Pat the large leaves dry using a kitchen towel-I like to place them between two towels and press gently to remove excess water. They must be dry to prevent splattering during frying.
• Heat 5 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan. Lay the large sage leaves flat in the pan without overlapping. Fry for 1-2 minutes per side, keeping a close eye on them-they should crisp up while staying green. Burnt leaves turn brown and lose their sage aroma. Remove the crispy leaves, place them on a paper towel, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
• Cook or fry the gnocchi according to the package instructions. If you're frying the gnocchi, you can use the same pan and oil you used for frying the sage leaves.
• Toss the gnocchi with the chopped fresh sage, vegan butter (or butter-flavored oil), and nutritional yeast. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve the gnocchi topped with the crispy sage leaves.

How to Serve Vegan Butter and Sage Gnocchi

You can serve up your buttery sage gnocchi with a fresh, simple green salad for a classic vibe.

Or, let's be real, on those lazier nights, just slice up some tomatoes or cucumbers and call it a day.

If you're feeling a little extra, a side of tangy sauerkraut or punchy kimchi would totally take this to the next level.

Other Gnocchi Recipes and Italian Inspired Dishes

You might also like the following easy recipes:

• Lemony Gnocchetti With Sage
• Easy Gnocchi With Brussels Sprouts
• Gnocchi in Creamy Tomato Sauce
• Zucchini Tomato Dish With Polenta
• Vegan Asparagus Risotto
• Avocado Panzanella

Enjoy,
Ramona

PS: If you try it, tell me in the comments how it turned out. I'm always curious.

♥