Are you ready to embrace the coziest flavors of the season in one incredible, comforting bowl? This amazing, from-scratch-tasting Roasted Butternut Squash Gnocchi is the ultimate fall dinner! We’re talking soft, pillowy potato gnocchi, tossed with tender sautéed kale in the most luscious, velvety, and deeply flavorful roasted butternut squash and sage sauce you’ve ever had. It’s a restaurant-quality meal that is surprisingly easy to make at home.
This isn’t just another pasta recipe; it’s your new go-to for a quick, easy, and stunningly delicious one-pan (mostly!) dinner. We’ll show you the simple but crucial secrets to a flawless, from-scratch cream sauce that is bursting with the best flavors of autumn. This is a satisfying meal that is perfect for a busy weeknight but elegant enough for a special occasion.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: The Ultimate Cozy & Elegant Fall Pasta
What makes this Butternut Squash Gnocchi so spectacularly delicious is its incredible, deep flavor and its wonderfully velvety texture. This recipe is a masterpiece of cozy, autumnal flavors. The heart and soul of the dish is the luscious, from-scratch roasted butternut squash sauce. The secret to the incredible, deep flavor is roasting the butternut squash, which caramelizes its natural sugars and makes it wonderfully sweet and tender. The roasted squash is then blended with savory broth and salty Parmesan cheese into a perfectly smooth and creamy sauce, infused with the classic, earthy aroma of fresh sage and thyme. This beautiful, vibrant orange sauce is the perfect partner for tender, store-bought gnocchi and wilted, garlicky kale.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 45 minutes |
| Active Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
| Servings | 4 |
The Essential Ingredients for This Cozy Skillet
This iconic dish uses a handful of high-quality pantry staples and fresh ingredients to create its signature comforting and savory flavor.
- The Roasted Butternut Squash Sauce (The Star of the Show!):
- Fresh Butternut Squash: This is the sweet and savory star of our dish. The number one secret to the absolute best, most intense flavor is to roast the squash on a sheet pan in a hot oven. This simple step is the key that deeply caramelizes its natural sugars, creating a flavor that is worlds away from simply boiling or simmering it.
- The “Secret” Creaminess: This sauce achieves its luxurious texture without any heavy cream! The creaminess comes from the brilliant technique of blending the tender, roasted squash with the savory broth and salty Parmesan cheese until it is impossibly smooth and velvety.
- Fresh Herbs: The classic, non-negotiable herb pairing for any butternut squash dish. The warm, earthy, and slightly peppery aroma of fresh sage and thyme is the perfect complement to the sweet, roasted squash.
- The Gnocchi & Kale:
- Store-Bought Potato Gnocchi: This is a brilliant and easy shortcut that makes this soup so special! Using a 1-pound package of your favorite brand of store-bought, shelf-stable or refrigerated potato gnocchi provides the perfect, tender, and pillowy bite.
- Kale: A generous amount of fresh, chopped kale adds a beautiful, deep green color, a wonderful, earthy flavor, and a fantastic boost of nutrients to the dish.
Step-by-Step to the Best Roasted Butternut Squash Gnocchi
This elegant, one-pan (mostly!) meal is incredibly simple to prepare.
Step 1: Roast the Butternut Squash
First, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
On a large, parchment paper-lined baking sheet, add your 4 cups of cubed butternut squash. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a generous pinch of salt and pepper.
Roast for about 25 minutes, until the squash is completely fork-tender and has beautiful, caramelized brown edges.
Part 2: Cook the Gnocchi and Sauté the Kale
Step 1: While the squash is roasting, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook your 1 pound of gnocchi according to the package instructions. Gnocchi cook very quickly! You will know they are done when they float to the surface of the water, which usually takes about 2 to 3 minutes. Drain the cooked gnocchi and set them aside.
Step 2: In the same pan you plan to finish the sauce in, add the final 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, and your 2 cups of kale. Sauté until the kale has wilted and is tender. Remove the kale from the pan and set it aside with the gnocchi.
Part 3: Build and Blend the Sauce
Step 1: In a skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over a medium heat. Add your 1 medium diced shallot and 1 tablespoon of minced garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add in the 2 tablespoons of fresh thyme and 2 tablespoons of fresh sage and sauté for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, until the herbs are very fragrant.Step 2: Carefully transfer your sautéed shallot mixture and your roasted butternut squash to a blender. Add 1 1/2 cups of milk (or broth), the 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes, and the 1/2 teaspoon of salt.Pro Tip: For the absolute smoothest, most velvety, restaurant-quality sauce, a high-speed blender is a fantastic tool.Step 3: Blend the sauce until it is completely smooth and creamy, which will take about 1 minute. Add more milk or broth as needed to thin out the sauce to your desired consistency.Step 4: Add the blended sauce to a pot on the stove over a low heat and mix in the 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese until it is melted.
Part 4: Combine and Serve
Add your cooked gnocchi and the sautéed kale to the pot with the finished sauce and stir everything together gently to combine.
Serve the hot butternut squash gnocchi immediately in warm, shallow bowls. Garnish each serving with an extra sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese and some more fresh thyme, if you desire.
Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Sage (The Ultimate Fall Comfort Food!)
A creamy, vegetarian, and comforting fall pasta dish featuring potato gnocchi in a homemade butternut squash sauce. The recipe involves roasting cubes of butternut squash until tender and sweet. A flavorful sauce is then created by blending the roasted squash with sautéed shallots, garlic, fresh thyme, and sage, along with milk and Parmesan cheese until it’s velvety smooth. The finished sauce is tossed with cooked gnocchi and wilted kale for a complete and satisfying one-pan (mostly) meal.
Ingredients
- 4 cups cubed butternut squash
- 5 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 pound gnocchi
- 1 medium shallot, diced
- 2 Tablespoons minced garlic, divided
- 2 Tablespoons fresh thyme
- 2 Tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups milk (of choice)
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
- 2 cups kale, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, toss the cubed butternut squash with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for about 25 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork.
- While the squash is roasting, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the gnocchi according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- In a skillet over medium heat, sauté the diced shallot with 1 tablespoon of minced garlic and 2 tablespoons of olive oil for about 5 minutes until soft. Add in the fresh thyme and sage and sauté for another 2-3 minutes.
- Make the Sauce: Add the sautéed shallot mixture and the roasted squash to a blender. Pour in 1 1/2 cups of milk, the red pepper flakes, and salt. Blend for about 1 minute until completely smooth, adding more milk as needed to thin out the sauce.
- Pour the blended sauce into a clean pot on the stove and stir in the 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese until melted.
- In the same skillet used for the shallots, sauté the chopped kale with the final tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of minced garlic until the kale has wilted.
- Add the cooked gnocchi and the sautéed kale to the pot with the sauce and stir everything to combine.
- Serve hot, topped with fresh grated Parmesan if desired.
Notes
- Roasting the butternut squash, rather than boiling it, is a key step that caramelizes the squash and brings out its natural sweetness for a deeper flavor in the sauce.
- A high-powered blender is recommended to get the butternut squash sauce perfectly smooth and creamy.
- This is a great ‘Meatless Monday’ or vegetarian main course option.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
- Make-Ahead: For a super-fast and impressive weeknight meal, you can get a head start by preparing the entire creamy butternut squash sauce up to 3 days in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When you are ready to eat, simply reheat the sauce gently on the stovetop while you cook your fresh gnocchi.
- Storage: Store any leftover gnocchi and sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: The best way to reheat this dish is to do so gently in a skillet on the stovetop over a low heat. Because the gnocchi may have absorbed much of the sauce as it sits, you will need to add a generous splash of broth or milk to loosen the sauce and bring back its original, creamy consistency.
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Creative Recipe Variations
- Add a Savory Protein: For a hearty, non-vegetarian version, this creamy pasta is absolutely fantastic with about 1/2 to 1 pound of browned and crumbled sweet or spicy Italian sausage or some crispy, diced pancetta.
- Add a Toasted Nut: For a wonderful textural contrast and an extra layer of fall flavor, you can sprinkle the finished dish with a handful of toasted, chopped walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts.
- Make it Vegan: For a delicious and easy vegan version, simply substitute the butter with olive oil, use your favorite unsweetened plant-based milk instead of the dairy milk, and use a dairy-free Parmesan cheese substitute. Be sure to also use a brand of gnocchi that does not contain any eggs or dairy.
Enjoy The Ultimate Cozy Fall Dinner!
You’ve just created a truly special dish that is a perfect harmony of wholesome, classic ingredients and delicious, satisfying flavors. This classic Roasted Butternut Squash Gnocchi is a testament to the power of a simple, from-scratch-tasting meal to be both incredibly fast and wonderfully elegant. It’s a rewarding and deeply satisfying recipe that is sure to become a new family favorite for all the cozy days of the year.
We hope you enjoy every last, perfect, and delicious bite!
If you enjoyed making this recipe, please leave a comment below or share it with a friend who loves an easy and impressive meal!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What is the absolute, number one secret to a super flavorful butternut squash sauce?
The secret is to roast your butternut squash! By roasting the squash cubes in a hot oven until they are tender and have beautiful, caramelized brown edges, you are coaxing out their natural sugars and creating a deep, sweet, and complex flavor that you simply cannot achieve by boiling or simmering the squash.
Q2: Can I use frozen butternut squash for this recipe?
Yes, you can! You can absolutely roast frozen butternut squash. It may take an extra 10-15 minutes in the oven to become fully tender and caramelized.
Q3: How do I keep my gnocchi from being gummy or mushy?
The key to perfect gnocchi is to not overcook them. Whether you are using shelf-stable or fresh, refrigerated gnocchi, they cook very quickly. As soon as they float to the surface of the boiling water, they are done! Be sure to remove them from the water immediately.
Q4: What is the best and easiest way to peel and cut a butternut squash?
The safest way is to first create a stable base. Use a large, sharp chef’s knife to carefully trim off a thin slice from the bottom and the top stem end of the squash. Then, you can use a sturdy vegetable peeler to peel the tough outer skin. Once it is peeled, you can stand the squash up on one of the flat ends and confidently use your sharp knife to cut it in half, from top to bottom, and then scoop out the seeds before you cube it.
Q5: Can I make this sauce ahead of time?
Yes, the butternut squash sauce is a perfect make-ahead component! It freezes beautifully. Let it cool completely, and then you can store it in a freezer-safe container or a resealable bag for up to 3 months. Let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then reheat it gently on the stovetop.