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Creamy Butternut Squash Gnocchi With Sausage And Sage

Creamy butternut squash gnocchi with sausage and sage is made with roasted squash puree simmered into a silky parmesan cream sauce. Pillowy potato gnocchi is tossed with browned Italian sausage and topped with crispy fried sage leaves and extra parmesan.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 820
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Potato gnocchi
  • 1 lb potato gnocchi
Italian sausage
  • 1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed
Butternut squash puree
  • 2 cup butternut squash puree (roasted and blended)
Garlic
  • 3 clove garlic, minced
Cream sauce base
  • 1 cup heavy cream
Parmesan
  • 0.5 cup parmesan, grated
Butter
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
Fresh sage
  • 12 fresh sage leaves
Nutmeg
  • 0.5 tsp nutmeg
Red pepper flakes
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper
  • 0.25 tsp Salt and pepper to taste
Extra parmesan for serving
  • 0.25 cup Extra parmesan for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Brown sausage and crisp sage
  1. Brown Italian sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through, then drain excess fat and set sausage aside.
  2. Fry sage leaves in butter over medium heat until crisped and slightly dark at the edges, then remove and set aside.
Make the creamy squash sauce
  1. Sauté garlic in the same butter for 1 minute, stirring until fragrant but not browned.
  2. Add butternut squash puree and heavy cream, then stir to combine and warm the mixture.
  3. Stir in parmesan, nutmeg, and red pepper flakes, then simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce turns smooth and coats the back of a spoon.
Cook gnocchi and finish
  1. Cook potato gnocchi according to package instructions, then add the gnocchi directly into the simmering sauce.
  2. Return browned sausage to the skillet and toss everything together until the gnocchi is evenly coated.
  3. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then top with crispy sage leaves and extra parmesan before serving.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the sauce warm but not boiling after simmering so the cream stays silky when the gnocchi is added. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of cream or water. Freezing isn’t recommended because gnocchi can turn grainy when thawed. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream, noting the sauce will be slightly less rich.