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Creamy Butternut Squash Gnocchi With Sausage And Sage

Creamy butternut squash gnocchi with sausage and sage is a comforting Italian-American skillet dinner with pillowy gnocchi coated in a smooth, parmesan-rich cream sauce. The sauce is simmered to silkiness, while sage leaves are fried crisp and finished with extra parmesan for a savory bite.
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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: 790
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

potato gnocchi
  • 1 lb potato gnocchi Use shelf-stable or refrigerated gnocchi; cook per package instructions.
Italian sausage
  • 1 lb Italian sausage Casings removed.
butternut squash puree
  • 2 cup butternut squash puree (roasted and blended) Thick, smooth puree blends into the sauce.
garlic
  • 3 clove garlic, minced
heavy cream
  • 1 cup heavy cream
parmesan
  • 0.5 cup parmesan, grated Plus extra for serving.
unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
fresh sage leaves
  • 12 fresh sage leaves
nutmeg
  • 0.5 tsp nutmeg
red pepper flakes
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
  • 1 Salt and pepper to taste
extra parmesan for serving
  • 2 tbsp Extra parmesan for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Brown sausage
  1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the Italian sausage until cooked through, then drain excess fat and set the sausage aside.
Fry sage
  1. In the same skillet, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Fry the fresh sage leaves in the butter until crispy and just fragrant, then remove and set aside.
Build the creamy sauce
  1. Reduce heat to medium and sauté the garlic in the same butter for 1 minute, stirring until fragrant. Add the butternut squash puree and heavy cream, then bring to a gentle simmer.
  2. Stir in the parmesan, nutmeg, and red pepper flakes until fully combined. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce is smooth and cohesive with a creamy sheen.
Finish the gnocchi
  1. Cook the potato gnocchi according to package instructions. Add the cooked gnocchi directly to the sauce and toss to coat.
  2. Return the browned sausage to the skillet and toss again until everything is evenly warmed and coated. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Top with the crispy sage leaves and shower with extra parmesan for serving. Serve immediately so the gnocchi stays tender and the sage remains crisp.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the heat at a gentle simmer after adding cream so the sauce stays silky. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; rewarm on low with a splash of cream or water to loosen the sauce. Freezing is not recommended because gnocchi texture can become grainy after thawing. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream and consider part-skim parmesan.