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Pumpkin Gnocchi Bake

Pumpkin gnocchi bake with a creamy pumpkin sage sauce, Italian sausage, and a golden mozzarella crust. Toss gnocchi in the sauce, bake until bubbling, and serve straight from the pan for a cozy Italian-American main.
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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: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pumpkin Gnocchi Bake
  • 1.5 lb potato gnocchi
  • 1 lb Italian sausage, crumbled
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
  • 4 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
  • 0.25 Salt to taste
  • 0.25 pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat the oven to 400F and grease a 9x13 baking dish with a thin coating so the gnocchi won’t stick.
Brown sausage
  1. Brown the Italian sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then drain excess fat and set the sausage aside.
Make the pumpkin sage sauce
  1. Melt the butter, then sauté the garlic and sage for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
  2. Add the pumpkin puree, heavy cream, chicken broth, nutmeg, and red pepper flakes, stirring until fully combined.
  3. Simmer the sauce for 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened, then season with salt and pepper.
Assemble and bake
  1. Toss the uncooked potato gnocchi directly in the baking dish with the warm pumpkin sauce until coated, then mix in the browned sausage.
  2. Scatter the mozzarella and parmesan evenly over the top so the cheese browns in patches.
  3. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 400F until the gnocchi are cooked through, the sauce is bubbling at the edges, and the cheese is golden.

Notes

Pro tip: for the sauciest bake, use the sauce while it’s hot so the gnocchi cooks evenly from the inside out. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat in a 350F oven until warmed through. Freezing isn’t recommended because gnocchi can become grainy after thawing. For a lighter option, swap heavy cream for half-and-half (reduce to 3/4 cup) and use part-skim mozzarella.