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Pumpkin Gnocchi Bake

Pumpkin gnocchi bake with creamy pumpkin sage sauce and a golden mozzarella crust—baked until the gnocchi are cooked through and the sauce bubbles. Toss the uncooked potato gnocchi right in the baking dish for easy, even coating.
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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 sage sauce base and topping
  • 1.5 lb potato gnocchi
  • 1 lb Italian sausage, crumbled
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
  • 4 garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp fresh sage, chopped
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 cup shredded mozzarella
  • 0.5 cup parmesan, grated
  • 0.25 tsp Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and start the sauce
  1. Preheat the oven to 400F and grease a 9x13 baking dish with a light coating of oil or butter so the gnocchi bake releases easily.
  2. Brown the Italian sausage in a large skillet, then drain excess fat and set the sausage aside so the sauce stays creamy instead of greasy.
  3. Melt the butter and sauté the garlic and chopped sage for 1-2 minutes until fragrant so the flavor infuses the pumpkin base.
  4. Add the pumpkin puree, heavy cream, chicken broth, nutmeg, and red pepper flakes and stir until combined.
  5. Simmer the sauce for 3-4 minutes, then season with salt and pepper to taste so it thickens slightly and tastes balanced.
Assemble and bake
  1. Toss the uncooked potato gnocchi directly in the baking dish with the warm sauce, then add the crumbled sausage and mix so every piece is coated.
  2. Scatter the shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan over the top so you get a bubbly, browned crust.
  3. Bake at 400F for 30-35 minutes until the gnocchi are cooked through, the sauce is bubbling around the edges, and the cheese is golden.

Notes

Pro tip: bake uncovered so the cheese browns deeply; if it darkens too fast, loosely tent with foil for the remaining time. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat in the oven or microwave until hot. Freezing isn’t recommended because gnocchi and cream sauce can change texture after thawing. For a lighter option, swap heavy cream for half-and-half (or a cooking cream) and use reduced-fat mozzarella.