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Pumpkin Gnocchi Bake

Pumpkin gnocchi bake with a creamy pumpkin sage sauce and Italian sausage, finished with a golden mozzarella crust. Bake pillowy gnocchi in a 9x13 dish until the sauce bubbles and the cheese turns deep golden.
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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: 690
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pumpkin gnocchi bake
  • 1.5 lb potato gnocchi Use uncooked gnocchi.
  • 1 lb Italian sausage, crumbled Italian sausage, crumbled.
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree Pumpkin puree (canned).
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
  • 4 garlic, minced Fresh cloves.
  • 2 tbsp fresh sage, chopped
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 cup shredded mozzarella Shredded mozzarella.
  • 0.5 cup parmesan, grated Grated parmesan.
  • 0.25 salt and pepper to taste To taste.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat the oven to 400F and grease a 9x13 baking dish so the gnocchi don’t stick.
Cook sausage
  1. Brown the Italian sausage in a large skillet, then drain excess fat and set the sausage aside.
Build the pumpkin sage sauce
  1. Melt the butter and 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, then stir to combine.
  3. Simmer the sauce for 3-4 minutes and season with salt and pepper.
Assemble and bake
  1. Toss the uncooked gnocchi directly in the baking dish with the sauce until coated, then mix in the sausage.
  2. Scatter the mozzarella and parmesan evenly over the top for a browned crust.
  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: If your sauce seems very thick after simmering, splash in 1-2 tbsp extra broth before tossing with gnocchi so it bakes creamy. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 3 days; reheat in the oven at 350F until hot and the cheese re-melts. Freezing is not recommended for best texture. For a dairy-light option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream (texture may be slightly less rich).