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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 skillet dinner with pillowy gnocchi in a smooth orange cream sauce. It’s finished with crispy sage leaves and Parmesan for a rich, 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: 850
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Butternut squash gnocchi
  • 1 lb potato gnocchi
  • 1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed
  • 2 cup butternut squash puree (roasted and blended)
  • 3 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup parmesan, grated
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 12 fresh sage leaves
  • 0.5 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • extra parmesan for serving

Equipment

  • 1 large skillet

Method
 

Brown the sausage
  1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, then brown the Italian sausage until cooked through, about 6–8 minutes. Drain off excess fat and set the sausage aside.
Fry the sage
  1. In the same skillet, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat, then fry the fresh sage leaves until crisp and fragrant, about 30–60 seconds per side. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
Make the creamy squash sauce
  1. Add the minced garlic to the skillet and sauté for 1 minute. Stir in the butternut squash puree and heavy cream, then bring to a gentle simmer.
  2. Add the grated parmesan, nutmeg, and red pepper flakes, then simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often, until smooth and creamy. Keep the heat at a steady low simmer so it doesn’t separate.
Cook and combine
  1. Cook the potato gnocchi according to the package instructions, then add the cooked gnocchi directly to the sauce. Toss to coat so the sauce clings to the gnocchi.
  2. Return the sausage to the skillet and toss everything together until hot and evenly distributed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Top with crispy sage leaves and extra parmesan before serving.

Notes

For the smoothest sauce, simmer just until thickened—avoid boiling after adding the parmesan. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; rewarm gently on the stovetop with a splash of cream or milk. Freezing isn’t recommended because gnocchi can turn soft after thawing. For a lighter version, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream (texture stays creamy but slightly thinner).