It’s time for a serious self-esteem, kitchen-confidence, OMG I AM SUCH A GOOD COOK boost! One Skillet Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Italian Sausage.
It’s an easy recipe that cooks in one pan, but the moment you take a bite, you will want to hire yourself to be head chef in an Italian restaurant.
I’ve become more confident in the kitchen over the years and feel like I more or less know what to expect when I approach a recipe.
Every now and then, however, a recipe will catch me off guard in a very very good way.
This Italian sausage butternut squash gnocchi is one of those recipes.
I mean, I didn’t think it was going to be bad by any means.
Butternut squash (my fave fall veg), Italian sausage (all things good), and gnocchi (pure comfort food) are all involved.
Add some butter and a handful of Parmesan cheese, and you have a dinner dream team.
I was not, however, expecting this simple sausage and vegetable gnocchi to blow me away like it did.
I took a bite and had to pause to ask myself if I had really made it.
I suppose we are all allowed to blow ourselves away in the kitchen every now and then, but my goal has always been for other people to feel that way about a recipe.
This Italian sausage and butternut squash gnocchi made me feel that way about myself.
It was a cool sensation, and I can’t wait for you to try this recipe and experience it too!
5 Star Review
“Your description is spot on, I tasted this after making it and was blown away! It is so easy, so unique and everyone in the house loved it. This dish is truly gourmet!”
— Sarah —
How to Make Butternut Squash Gnocchi
Culinary rock star feelings aside, this is a delicious meal that is so easy to make, it almost feels like cheating.
- The entire recipe cooks in one skillet, including the gnocchi.
- Since it’s packed with both lean protein and veggies, it works as an all-in-one meal, no extra sides required (just like with this Cauliflower Pasta and Sweet Potato Pasta).
- It tastes like fall comfort on a plate and had me convinced for a moment that I was back in Italy.
The Ingredients
- Gnocchi. Delightful, pillowy-soft potato gnocchi is a true crowd-pleaser. It pairs perfectly with the Italian sausage and butternut squash.
- Italian Turkey Sausage. For a boost of protein and even more comforting flavor, this recipe also includes Italian sausage. I use chicken or turkey sausage 99% of the time. It’s leaner than pork sausage but still delivers on flavor. Pinky promise, you won’t notice the swap.
Tip!
For more delicious Italian sausage recipes, check out my Italian Sausage Rice Casserole, Italian Sausage and Peppers, Crock Pot Sausage and Peppers, and Skillet Lasagna with Italian Sausage.
- Butternut Squash. Sweet, flavorful, and nutritious. Butternut squash is packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
- Spinach. For an extra boost of nutrition. Spinach is rich in fiber and vitamins.
- Butter. Since this recipe obtains its soul-satisfying flavor from only a few ingredients, make sure you use a good-quality butter. It makes a world of difference!
- Sage. For quintessential fall flavor.
- Nutmeg. Adds an irressitable warmth and coziness to the dish. Plus, it tastes fantastic with the butternut squash!
- Parmesan. The perfect finishing touch!
The Directions
- Brown the sausage and remove to a plate.
- Sauté the squash and onion with the garlic, sage, and spices.
- Add the chicken broth and gnocchi. Stir in the sausage and spinach. Top with Parmesan. DIG IN!
Storage Tips
- To Store. Refrigerate leftover gnocchi in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days.
- To Reheat. Rewarm gently in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of extra chicken broth or water to keep it from drying out.
- To Freeze. Freeze leftovers in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Meal Prep Tip
Brown the sausage up to 1 day in advance. Refrigerate it in an airtight storage container.
What to Serve with Butternut Squash Gnocchi
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
- Dutch Oven. Perfect for making this recipe!
- Cheese Grater. You can use a box grater or a microplane grater.
- Sharp Chef’s Knife. The ideal tool for cutting the butternut squash.
The Best Dutch Oven
This beautiful and high-quality Dutch oven will cook beside you for a lifetime. It can go from stovetop to oven.
I am so excited for you to try this butternut squash gnocchi recipe! If you do give it a go, please let me know how it turned out in the comments section below.
Hearing from you makes my day even more than a second helping of this gnocchi did (and you know how strongly I feel about it by now?).
Frequently Asked Questions
Gnocchi is a soft, pillowy, Italian-style dumpling that’s made from potatoes. It’s typically eaten like pasta with a sauce.
For this recipe, I recommend using premade, shelf-stable gnocchi, which you can find near the pasta in your grocery store.
I prefer to use Italian turkey or chicken sausage because they have less fat. However, you can certainly use Italian pork sausage if you prefer.
Yes, you can cut a butternut squash yourself or use pre-cut butternut squash cubes. Depending upon the size they are cut, you may need to adjust the saute time accordingly.
One Skillet Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Italian Sausage
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 1 pound ground sweet Italian turkey sausage removed from casings if needed
- 1 small butternut squash about 1 1/4 pounds, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 3 1/2 cups cubes total; if you have a little extra, use a very large skillet and add it all if you really love squash, or reserve the extra for another time)
- 1 small yellow onion diced, about 1 cup
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus additional to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon rubbed sage or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 pound potato gnocchi*
- 5 cups loosely packed baby spinach about 5 ounces or 5 generous handfuls
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan optional—we loved it both with and without
- Pinch red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a very large skillet with a tight-fitting lid over medium high. Once the butter is melted, add the sausage. Cook, breaking apart the meat, until it is browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a plate.
- Reduce the skillet heat to medium. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons butter. Once melted, add the squash and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender and golden, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic, salt, pepper, rubbed sage (if using fresh sage, wait to add it until the end), and nutmeg. Continue cooking until the garlic is softened and fragrant, about 1 additional minute.
- Add 1 1/2 cups chicken broth and gnocchi to the skillet. Increase the heat to medium high. Stir to coat the gnocchi, then cover the pan. Cook, covered, until the gnocchi is just tender, about 5 minutes. Uncover and stir in the sausage. Stir in the spinach a few handfuls at a time, allowing it to wilt. If you’d like a looser sauce, add a bit more chicken broth. Sprinkle with Parmesan and season to taste with additional salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Enjoy hot.
Notes
- TO STORE: Refrigerate gnocchi in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days.
- TO REHEAT: Rewarm gently in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of extra chicken broth or water to keep it from drying out.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze leftovers in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- *You can find packaged gnocchi near the pasta in your grocery store.
- Nutritional info is calculated as 1 of 5, or about 1 1/2 heaping cups
Nutrition
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DELISH!! I was worried that the stock would make things come out too watery but I just added parmesan while it was still in the pan and it thickened up nicely. I can’t wait for leftovers tomorrow!
Hi Selen! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Awesome!
Hi Kim! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Made this recipe for the first time tonight! Super easy and incredibly delicious! Comfort food perfect for a cold November night :) Used honey garlic sausage which turned out wonderful!
Hi Sarah! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Oh that was delicious! Thank you so much!
Hi Joy! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
My son and I made this tonight. 3 of us loved it, and the 4th was willing to eat a small bowl (he hates squash). In our family, that reaction warrants 5 stars and an addition to the regular dinner rotation. We’re always looking for tasty vegan recipes to serve to my mother in law, so replaced the sausage with a blend of crumbled tofu and tempeh that we spice up and bake in the oven as a ground beef replacement, and it worked great! We kept the butter and parmesan for this first try, but I think we’ll be able to replace the butter with olive oil and a pinch more salt, then hold the parmesan on her portion so we can make it for her next time she visits.
Hi Alison! That makes me so happy to hear! Thank you for this kind review!
Oh my gosh! This dish is so delish.
I did substitute with Gluten Free Gnocchi
by DELALLO. Still so so good.
The whole family loved it.
I will make this again!
Hi Betta! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
This is one of the best things I’ve ever made! It all just balances out and I love it. Thank you!
Hi Zion! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I’m a vegetarian, so I skipped the sausage, but added white cannelini beans at the end. AMAZING!!!
Hi Diane! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
My husband I made this tonight and it was absolutely delicious!!!! I cut the butter down to 3 tbsp (instead of 5) but otherwise didn’t need to make any changes! Normally I find recipes don’t have enough seasoning but this one is full of flavor and lacked nothing! This is going into our permanent rotation as it is fairly easy and scrumptious!!! Thanks so much Erin!
Hi Colleen! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Made this for the first time tonight, and was so glad I did!! My two teens, that don’t get very excited about squash, both really enjoyed it!! Great textures and flavors!! Will definitely make again♥️ I did end up using a little more broth, probably closer to two cups.. 😊
Hi Kristin! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I’m glad I impulsively brought home a butternut squash, because this recipe blew my expectations away!! I used 3 of the 5 tbsp of butter called for, and ground turkey with some added Italian seasonings (to mimic Italian turkey sausage that I can never find). Fantastic recipe, thank you for another winner, Erin!
Hi Morgan! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Hello, I used your recipe as a starting point, what I did was take chicken thighs and cook them in the frying pan with onions and garlic and butter and then I added marinated Portabella mushrooms cut up in strips I had marinated the Portabella mushrooms and a vinaigrette and oil delicious I then added the sage from the garden and fried that up until it was cooked proceeded to add the one cup of chicken broth and then then I I used butternut squash gnocchi I found the broth was too much so I added more gnocchi and also had to add cornstarch to thicken the sauce and then proceeded to add spinach and Parmesan cheese it was delicious oh yes I also added plum tomatoes I had chopped up some tomatoes and put them in when I was cooking the mushrooms and onions your recipe is wonderful for a starting point next time I’ll have to try just following a recipe which I don’t do very often but I got to say mine was spectacular thanks for the idea
Hi Maryellen! If you give this recipe a try, let me know how it goes!
Made this with half the butter, it is DELICIOUS!
Hi Robin! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
When you say wait until the end to add fresh sage, you mean after the gnocchi is cooked? Alllll the way at the end? Or just at the end of the squash cooking?
Hi Ivy! You can add the fresh sage at the end with the Parmesan. Hope you enjoy it!
I loved this dish! I halved the recipe. I used ground turkey instead of sausage. I needed to cook the squash a little longer, fortunately I waited to add the gnocchi. I used frozen spinach and gluten free gnocchi. I also added toasted pine nuts after the Parmesan cheese. This will be a new regular in our meal rotation for sure!
Hi Louise! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!