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Pumpkin Gnocchi Bake

Pumpkin gnocchi bake with creamy pumpkin sage sauce and a golden mozzarella crust. Baked until pillowy gnocchi are cooked through and the sauce is bubbling for a comforting Italian-American main dish.
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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: 850
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pumpkin sage sauce and bake
  • 1.5 lb potato gnocchi Uncooked; toss directly in the baking dish.
  • 1 lb Italian sausage, crumbled Brown in a skillet and drain excess fat.
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree Use plain canned pumpkin puree.
  • 1 cup heavy cream Use full-fat for the creamiest sauce.
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth Low-sodium if you want more control over salt.
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced Minced for quick sautéing.
  • 2 tbsp fresh sage, chopped Chopped fresh sage leaves.
  • 1 tbsp butter For sautéing garlic and sage.
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg Freshly grated if available.
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes Adjust to taste for heat.
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella Half melts into the top layer; keep extra for a deeper golden crust.
  • 0.5 cup parmesan, grated Grated; adds savory browning.
  • Salt and pepper to taste Season during the simmer and to preference.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Prep and brown the sausage
  1. Preheat the oven to 400F and grease a 9x13 baking dish with a light coating of oil or butter so nothing sticks.
  2. Brown the Italian sausage in a large skillet until cooked through, then drain off excess fat and set the sausage aside.
Make the creamy pumpkin sage sauce
  1. Melt the butter in the skillet and sauté the garlic and sage for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, making sure the garlic doesn’t brown.
  2. Add the pumpkin, heavy cream, chicken broth, nutmeg, and red pepper flakes and stir until fully combined.
  3. Simmer the sauce for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and you can season with salt and pepper.
Assemble and bake
  1. Toss the uncooked gnocchi in the sauce directly in the greased baking dish until coated, then fold in the browned sausage.
  2. Scatter the mozzarella and parmesan evenly over the top so it bakes into a golden crust.
  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

Pro tip: use a wide skillet so the sauce simmers evenly and coats the gnocchi; stir gently after adding gnocchi so they don’t break. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat in the oven at 350F until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended because cream sauces can separate after thawing. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream (texture will be slightly thinner but still creamy).