Butternut Squash Gnocchi

I’ve been sharing a lot of sweet recipes the last few months, so for October, here’s a new dinner idea. Butternut squash was one of the few things the critters did not decimate in our garden this year. Along with the sage. This was the natural choice to use from our harvest. I use a combination of hot and sweet sausage when I make this, but I also go light on the red pepper flakes. Feel free to spice things up! If you want to add something extra, add some chopped kale when you stir in the gnocchi. If kale isn’t your thing (and that’s just fine), stir in a couple of handfuls of fresh spinach for the last minute or so of cooking, just to wilt it. This is a good recipe that comes together quickly and uses what’s in season. Hope you enjoy it!

  • 1 pound Italian sausage, hot or sweet (your choice)
  • 3 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, and diced (about 2 ½ cups)
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
  • 3 Tablespoons minced shallot
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 pound shelf stable gnocchi
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 Tablespoon freshly chopped sage
  • ½ Tablespoon freshly chopped thyme
  • Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to garnish
  1. In a Dutch oven or high-walled skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add in sausage and cook through, breaking up larger pieces as it cooks.  Use a slotted spoon to remove the sausage from the pan and set aside in a bowl, leaving the oil in the pan.
  2. Lower heat to medium and add the butter.  Once butter is melted, add the squash, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.  Sauté for 4 minutes and add the minced shallot and garlic and sauté an additional minute.
  3. Add the sausage back to the pan, along with the gnocchi.  Pour in the chicken broth and allow it to come to a gentle boil.  Reduce the heat to low and cover.
  4. Let the gnocchi cook for 8 minutes, stirring every few minutes.  After the gnocchi is cooked through, stir in the sage and thyme and taste.  Adjust seasoning, if needed.
  5. Serve with the freshly grated Parmesan.