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Pumpkin Gnocchi Bake

Pumpkin gnocchi bake with Italian sausage and a creamy pumpkin sage sauce, topped with a golden mozzarella-parmesan crust. Baked until the gnocchi are cooked through and the sauce is bubbling for an easy one-dish comfort dinner.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 760
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pumpkin sage cream sauce and bake
  • 1.5 lb potato gnocchi
  • 1 lb Italian sausage
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
  • 4 clove garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp fresh sage chopped
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 cup shredded mozzarella
  • 0.5 cup parmesan grated
  • 0.5 salt to taste
  • 0.5 black pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Preheat and cook the sausage
  1. Preheat oven to 400F and grease a 9x13 baking dish so the gnocchi won’t stick.
  2. Brown the Italian sausage in a large skillet, then drain the fat and set the sausage aside.
Make the pumpkin sage sauce
  1. Melt the butter and sauté the garlic and sage for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
  2. Add the pumpkin puree, heavy cream, and chicken broth along with nutmeg and red pepper flakes.
  3. Simmer the sauce for 3-4 minutes, then season with salt and pepper.
Assemble and bake
  1. Toss the uncooked potato gnocchi in the sauce directly in the baking dish, then add the browned sausage and mix until coated.
  2. Scatter the mozzarella and parmesan over the top to form a cheesy layer.
  3. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the gnocchi are cooked through, the sauce is bubbling, and the cheese is golden.

Notes

For best texture, bake in a fully preheated 400F oven and don’t cover so the top can brown. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat in the oven at 350F until warmed through. Freezing: no, because cream-based sauces and gnocchi can become grainy after thawing. Dietary swap: use lactose-free heavy cream and lactose-free cheeses if needed.