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Creamy Butternut Squash Gnocchi With Sausage And Sage

Creamy butternut squash gnocchi with sausage and sage is a cozy Italian-American main made with a silky squash-cream sauce and pillowy, package-cooked gnocchi. Golden-orange sauce clings to browned sausage, finished with crispy sage leaves and a shower of 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: 720
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Gnocchi
  • 1 lb potato gnocchi
Sausage and aromatics
  • 1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
Creamy squash sauce
  • 2 cup butternut squash puree roasted and blended
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup parmesan, grated
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 0.5 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 Salt and pepper to taste
Sage garnish
  • 12 fresh sage leaves
  • 1 Extra parmesan for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Brown sausage and crisp sage
  1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, then brown the Italian sausage until cooked through. Drain off excess fat and set the sausage aside.
  2. In the same skillet, melt the unsalted butter and fry the fresh sage leaves until crisp and darkened at the edges, about 1–2 minutes. Remove the sage leaves to a plate to crisp further.
Build the creamy butternut squash sauce
  1. Reduce heat to medium and sauté the minced garlic in the butter for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the butternut squash puree and heavy cream.
  2. Add the grated parmesan, nutmeg, and red pepper flakes, then simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce is smooth. Keep the simmer gentle to prevent separation.
Cook gnocchi and finish
  1. Cook the potato gnocchi according to package instructions, then add the cooked gnocchi directly into the simmering sauce. Toss gently to coat as the sauce clings to the gnocchi.
  2. Return the browned sausage to the skillet and toss everything together until hot. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Serve immediately by topping with crispy sage leaves and extra parmesan. Add the sage right before serving for best crunch and aroma.

Notes

For the creamiest texture, warm the heavy cream before adding so the sauce stays smooth while simmering. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stove with a splash of cream or milk to loosen the sauce. Freezing is not recommended for best sauce texture. Dietary swap: use lactose-free cream and parmesan-style lactose-free cheese if needed.