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Pumpkin Gnocchi Bake

Pumpkin gnocchi bake with Italian sausage in a creamy pumpkin-sage sauce, topped with a golden mozzarella-parmesan crust. Baked until the sauce bubbles and the pillows of gnocchi cook through.
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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 gnocchi bake components
  • 1.5 lb potato gnocchi Uncooked.
  • 1 lb Italian sausage Crumbled.
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
  • 4 garlic Minced cloves.
  • 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
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Preheat and brown 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 crumbled sausage aside.
Make the pumpkin sage sauce
  1. Melt the butter, then sauté the garlic and chopped sage for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and lightly softened.
  2. Add pumpkin puree, heavy cream, chicken broth, nutmeg, and red pepper flakes, stirring until combined.
  3. Simmer the sauce for 3-4 minutes, then season with salt and pepper until well balanced.
Assemble and bake
  1. Toss the uncooked potato gnocchi directly in the baking dish with the pumpkin sauce, then add the browned sausage and mix to coat.
  2. Scatter mozzarella and parmesan over the top for a browned, cheesy crust.
  3. Bake at 400F for 30-35 minutes until the gnocchi are cooked through, the sauce is bubbling, and the cheese is golden, with a visibly set top layer.

Notes

For extra creamy texture, stir the sauced gnocchi thoroughly right after assembling so every piece is coated. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat in a 350F oven or microwave until hot. Freezing is not recommended because the gnocchi texture can turn grainy after thawing. Dietary swap: use lactose-free cream and lactose-free mozzarella/parmesan for a lactose-reduced version.