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Creamy Butternut Squash Gnocchi With Sausage And Sage

Creamy butternut squash gnocchi with sausage and sage is made by simmering roasted squash puree with heavy cream until smooth, then tossing with pillowy gnocchi. Finished with crispy fried sage leaves and parmesan shavings for a rich Italian-American skillet meal.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main
  • 1 lb potato gnocchi
  • 1 lb Italian sausage casings removed
  • 2 cup butternut squash puree roasted and blended
  • 3 garlic minced
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup parmesan grated
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 12 fresh sage leaves
  • 0.5 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 extra parmesan for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Brown sausage and crisp sage
  1. Brown the Italian sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat until browned. Drain off excess fat and set the sausage aside.
  2. Melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in the same skillet, then fry fresh sage leaves until crisp and fragrant, about 1–2 minutes. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels.
Make the creamy squash sauce
  1. Sauté the minced garlic in the same butter for 1 minute over medium heat, until fragrant but not browned. Immediately add the butternut squash puree and heavy cream.
  2. Stir in the grated parmesan, nutmeg, and red pepper flakes, then simmer for 5 minutes until smooth. Keep the heat at a gentle simmer and stir to prevent sticking.
Cook gnocchi and assemble
  1. Cook the potato gnocchi according to package instructions. Add the gnocchi directly to the simmering sauce.
  2. Return the sausage to the skillet and toss until the gnocchi is coated and hot throughout. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Top with the crispy sage leaves and extra parmesan before serving. Add any remaining parmesan shavings as desired.

Notes

Pro tip: simmer the sauce gently (don’t boil) so the cream stays silky when you toss in the gnocchi. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat on the stovetop with a splash of cream or milk to loosen the sauce. Freezing isn’t recommended because gnocchi can turn gummy after thawing. For a dairy-light swap, use half-and-half in place of heavy cream and choose a lactose-friendly parmesan.