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Pumpkin Gnocchi Bake

Pumpkin gnocchi bake with creamy pumpkin sage sauce, layered with Italian sausage and finished with a golden mozzarella-parmesan crust. Baked until the gnocchi are cooked through and the sauce bubbles for a comforting, casserole-style meal.
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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: 740
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Potato gnocchi
  • 1.5 lb potato gnocchi
Italian sausage
  • 1 lb Italian sausage, crumbled
Pumpkin puree
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
Heavy cream
  • 1 cup heavy cream
Chicken broth
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
Garlic
  • 4 garlic, minced
Fresh sage
  • 2 tbsp fresh sage, chopped
Butter
  • 1 tbsp butter
Nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
Red pepper flakes
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
Mozzarella
  • 2 cup shredded mozzarella
Parmesan
  • 0.5 cup parmesan, grated
Salt and pepper
  • 1 Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat oven to 400F and grease a 9x13 baking dish, so it’s ready for direct assembly.
Cook the sausage and build the sauce
  1. Brown the Italian sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then drain off fat and set the sausage aside.
  2. Melt the butter in the skillet and sauté the garlic and sage for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant and lightly softened.
  3. Add the pumpkin puree, heavy cream, chicken broth, nutmeg, and red pepper flakes, then stir to combine.
  4. Simmer the sauce for 3-4 minutes, and season with salt and pepper until the flavor is balanced.
Assemble and bake
  1. Toss the uncooked potato gnocchi directly in the baking dish with the sauce, then add the sausage and mix evenly so every dumpling is coated.
  2. Scatter the shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan over the top for a thick, melty layer.
  3. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 400F until the gnocchi are cooked through, the sauce is bubbling around the edges, and the cheese is golden.

Notes

For the creamiest texture, stir well after you combine gnocchi with sauce so none of the dumplings sit dry at the bottom. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days; reheat in the oven or microwave until hot. Freeze is not recommended because the cream sauce can separate when thawed. Dietary swap: use turkey sausage if you want a lighter meat option with a similar savory flavor.