Description
Creamy Pumpkin Sausage Gnocchi is a cozy one-pot dinner perfect for fall. Featuring hearty Italian sausage, soft gnocchi, and a luscious pumpkin cream sauce with kale and Parmesan, this comforting meal comes together in just 35 minutes. It’s a quick and satisfying recipe that brings autumn flavors to your table with minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
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16 oz mild Italian sausage, ground
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1 tbsp unsalted butter
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½ yellow onion, finely minced
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4 garlic cloves, minced
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½ cup dry white wine (or chicken stock)
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1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
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1 tsp Italian seasoning
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1 cup heavy cream
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4 cups kale, chopped (tough stems removed)
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16 oz fresh or frozen gnocchi, uncooked
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½ cup low-sodium chicken stock
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½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
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Salt and black pepper, to taste
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¼ cup fresh basil, thinly sliced (chiffonade)
Instructions
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Brown the Italian sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat, crumbling it as it cooks. Remove and drain excess fat.
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Melt butter in the same skillet. Sauté minced onion with a pinch of salt until soft (about 5 minutes).
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Add garlic and Italian seasoning, cooking until fragrant (30 seconds).
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Deglaze with white wine or chicken stock, scraping up browned bits. Simmer until reduced by half (2-3 minutes).
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Lower heat. Add chicken stock, heavy cream, and pumpkin puree. Whisk until smooth.
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Stir in gnocchi and kale, coating well. Cover and cook for 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until kale wilts and gnocchi softens.
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Return sausage to the pan and mix well.
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Season with salt and pepper. Add Parmesan and stir until melted.
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Garnish with fresh basil. Serve hot from the skillet.
Notes
Substitute white wine with chicken stock if preferred.
Don’t skip deglazing to incorporate flavorful browned bits into the sauce.
Frozen gnocchi can be added directly to the pan without thawing.
Adjust sauce consistency with extra chicken stock if too thick.
Swap kale for spinach or Swiss chard for variation.
This dish is best fresh; leftovers store well for 2-3 days but are not freezer-friendly.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American