Description
Velvety butternut squash gnocchi paired with spicy Italian sausage creates a comforting autumn feast. Rich seasonal ingredients dance together, delivering a hearty meal that warms souls and satisfies deep hunger with each delectable bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat:
- 12 ounces (340 grams) Italian sausage, casings removed
Main Ingredients:
- 10 ounces (280 grams) potato gnocchi
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) butternut squash puree
Sauce and Seasoning:
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) heavy cream
- ½ cup (120 milliliters) chicken broth
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) fresh sage, chopped
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) olive oil
- Salt, to taste
- Coarsely ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Liberate the sausage from its casing, transforming it into delicate, uniform slices that promise rich, savory flavor.
- Warm olive oil in a spacious, high-sided skillet, creating a golden landscape for culinary magic.
- Carefully introduce sausage slices, allowing them to develop a deeply caramelized exterior by cooking undisturbed for 4 minutes, then gracefully flip to ensure even browning.
- Cascade gnocchi into the skillet, accompanied by velvety heavy cream and aromatic chicken broth, elevating the pan’s contents to a bubbling symphony.
- Reduce the heat and cloak the skillet, letting the ingredients meld and soften for approximately 5 minutes.
- Gently fold in the silky butternut squash puree and fragrant minced garlic, creating a luxurious sauce that promises depth and complexity.
- Maintain a gentle simmer, allowing the gnocchi to become tender and the sauce to thicken into a luscious embrace.
- Remove from heat and sprinkle half the sage and thyme, infusing the dish with herbaceous whispers.
- Season with salt and pepper, calibrating the flavors to perfection.
- Artfully garnish with the remaining herbs, transforming the dish into a visual and gustatory masterpiece ready to be savored.
Notes
- Prep shortcuts save time by removing sausage from casings before cooking for faster, even browning.
- Searing sausage first develops deep, rich flavors that infuse the entire dish with a delicious meaty base.
- Creamy sauce gets its luxurious texture from combining heavy cream and chicken broth with butternut squash puree.
- Low and slow simmering helps gnocchi become perfectly tender while allowing sauce to naturally thicken.
- Fresh herbs like sage and thyme transform the dish with bright, aromatic finishing notes that complement the rich, creamy elements.
- One-skillet method means minimal cleanup and maximum flavor concentration throughout the cooking process.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 590
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 40 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 21 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 39 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg