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Pumpkin Gnocchi Bake

Pumpkin gnocchi bake with Italian sausage in a creamy pumpkin sage sauce, baked until the mozzarella turns golden and bubbly. Tender potato gnocchi cook through in the casserole-style sauce for a cozy, slice-and-serve dinner.
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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
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pumpkin gnocchi bake
  • 1.5 lb potato gnocchi Use uncooked gnocchi.
  • 1 lb Italian sausage Crumbled; brown and drain fat before mixing.
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree Plain pumpkin puree.
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
  • 4 cloves garlic Minced.
  • 2 tbsp fresh sage Chopped.
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 cup shredded mozzarella Freshly shredded melts best.
  • 0.5 cup parmesan Grated.
  • Salt and pepper To taste.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Preheat and prep the casserole
  1. Preheat oven to 400F and grease a 9x13 baking dish with a light coating of grease.
  2. Brown Italian sausage in a large skillet until browned, drain the fat, and set the crumbled sausage aside.
Make the pumpkin sage cream sauce
  1. Melt butter in the skillet, then sauté garlic and sage for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
  2. Add pumpkin puree, heavy cream, chicken broth, nutmeg, and red pepper flakes, stirring to combine.
  3. Simmer the sauce for 3-4 minutes, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
Assemble and bake
  1. Toss uncooked gnocchi in the sauce directly in the greased baking dish, then add the sausage and mix so the gnocchi are coated.
  2. Scatter shredded mozzarella and parmesan over the top in an even layer.
  3. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 400F until the gnocchi are cooked through, the sauce is bubbling, and the cheese is golden.

Notes

Pro tip: for best texture, bake until the sauce is actively bubbling around the edges and the cheese is deeply golden. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat in the oven or microwave until hot. Freezing: yes, freeze baked portions up to 2 months, then reheat until warmed through. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream for a slightly thinner sauce.