Gnocchi with Pumpkin Sauce

5 from 1 vote

A creamy gorgonzola pumpkin sauce served with sausage and gnocchi. This delicious pumpkin sauce is made with a butter and sage base and caramelized pumpkin puree for the perfect funky creamy pasta sauce.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Main Course, Pasta

Cuisine: American, Italian

Servings: servings

Calories: 498kcal

Author: Vincent DelGiudice

Cost: $15

Equipment

1 large pot
1 large saucepan

Ingredients

1 lb gnocchi
¾ cup pumpkin puree
1 lb sweet Italian sausage
8 sage leaves
½ cup gorgonzola
3 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ cup unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Place a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Drizzle the pan with olive oil. Once hot, remove the casing from the sausage and break it apart while adding it to the pan. Sear the sausage untouched until they develop a crust. Use a wooden spoon to break up the sausage until browned.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and boil the gnocchi until it begins to float.
Use a slotted spoon to remove the sausage and set it aside. Lower the heat to medium-low. Add the butter to the pan. Once the butter stops bubbling, Add the sage and garlic to saute. Stir often until the garlic begins to brown.
Remove the sage and garlic. Add the pumpkin to the pan. Stir the pumpkin well to caramelize in the pan for about 2-3 minutes. Ladle a cup of pasta water from the gnocchi into the pan and combine well with the pumpkin. Season with salt.
Then add the gnocchi to the pan. Combine well with the sauce and stir in the gorgonzola. Gently stir to combine and melt the gorgonzola without breaking the gnocchi.
Stir the sausage back into the pasta and serve with extra gorgonzola.

Video

Notes

Sear the sausage untouched until it develops a crust. The more you stir the sausage, the more it will steam instead of getting a crusted edge. The crust will add flavor to the sauce.
Remove the sage and garlic from the pan after it has sauteed in the pan. It will flavor the butter but you don't need it for the final dish.
All gnocchi is different. Whether it is fresh or frozen, the rule of thumb is that once it floats, it's done.
The pasta water from the gnocchi will make up the sauce. Use it to add to the pumpkin puree and butter to make the sauce while tossing everything with gnocchi.
Gently stir the gnocchi when you add it back to the pan and when you stir it with sausage and gorgonzola. It can easily break apart if stirred too rough.

Nutrition