This one-pan butternut squash gnocchi is everything I love about cozy fall dinners…comforting, hearty, and full of flavor—yet on the table in about 35 minutes. Frozen butternut squash keeps things easy, while seasoned ground pork (or chicken, if that’s your thing) gives it a rich, savory base. The gnocchi cooks right in the skillet before a little cream cheese and Parmesan are stirred in at the end for a perfectly creamy sauce.

A bowl of butternut squash gnocchi with sausage, spinach, and roasted butternut squash, garnished with sage and grated cheese. A skillet of the same butternut squash gnocchi dish and a plate of cheese are nearby.

The butternut squash gnocchi skillet that is the (un)official dinner of fall.

This butternut squash gnocchi is exactly the kind of dinner I want once the weather starts to get that fall chill in the air. Cozy, saucy, feels a little special…but also doable enough that I can swing it for dinner on a Tuesday without destroying my kitchen. So everything happens in one skillet, and frozen butternut squash is our best little shortcut here. No peeling or wrestling with a whole squash required. It cooks right in the skillet before cream cheese and Parmesan help turn it into this creamy, savory sauce that gets all cozy with the gnocchi.

And yes, butternut squash soup is pure fall magic, I think it is SO good when we let it lean even more savory. The sausage-seasoned ground meat makes this hearty enough to actually be dinner, the spinach gets wilted right into the sauce because I will take an easy handful (or three) of veggies wherever I can get them, and the butternut squash is still very much part of the flavor—not just something I added so I could say there was a veggie in there. It actually reminds me a bit of my Butternut Squash Skillet Lasagna, which has that same creamy, savory squash situation going on with ground turkey and lots of cheesy lasagna goodness.

And a couple of testing wins worth mentioning: this works beautifully with gluten-free gnocchi with honestly no other adjustments needed (which feels like a rare little gluten-free miracle!) I also season the ground meat myself with all those sausage-y flavors rather than using pre-seasoned sausage, so you can go with whatever works for you. Ground pork is SO good paired with butternut squash and is my personal favorite, but ground chicken or turkey work great too. Since those tend to be a bit leaner, I like to add a little extra olive oil when cooking them to keep everything juicy, and once all those seasonings are in there? So, so good.

Let’s make dinner together. Just you and me….

Jump to Recipe Instructions
Top-down view of raw ground meat in a stainless steel skillet. The meat is topped with mounds of various seasonings including salt, dried herbs, and spices, resting on a thin layer of oil—perfect for creating a hearty base to pair with butternut squash gnocchi, ready to be cooked.
Start by cooking the ground pork with some seasonings.
A top-down view shows a hand using a paper towel to wipe grease from a stainless steel pan, prepping the workspace for the next step in making butternut squash gnocchi. Nearby, a separate bowl contains cooked, browned ground meat resting on a paper towel.
Once the pork is browned and cooked through , drain the fat and transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Wipe the skillet clean.
A person sautéing minced garlic in a large stainless steel pan on a stovetop, using a wooden spatula to stir the garlic in preparation for butternut squash gnocchi.
Reduce heat and add a little more oil. Add the garlic and cook until it is golden brown.
A hand pours liquid from a measuring cup into a skillet with sautéed orange cubed vegetables, possibly butternut squash or sweet potatoes, on a stovetop—perfectly preparing the flavorful base for homemade butternut squash gnocchi.
Add the broth and frozen squash. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes to soften.
A hand holds a glass bowl of raw butternut squash gnocchi over a stainless steel pot filled with broth and diced butternut squash, preparing to add the dumplings to the simmering liquid.
Add the gnocchi and cook for a few more minutes
A person stirs a pot of ground meat, butternut squash gnocchi, orange squash pieces, and cream cheese with a wooden spoon on a stovetop.
Add in the cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, cooked pork, remaining salt, sage, and ground pepper.
An overhead shot of a large metal skillet on a burner, filled with a mixture of butternut squash gnocchi, ground sausage, roasted butternut squash, and fresh spinach in a creamy sauce, with a wooden spatula mixing the ingredients.
Let the sauce thicken for a few minutes and then remove from heat. Stir in the spinach and let it wilt down.
A stainless steel skillet filled with butternut squash gnocchi, ground sausage, roasted butternut squash, and wilted spinach in a creamy sauce. A spoon rests in the dish, which is garnished with fresh sage leaves, thyme sprigs, and grated parmesan cheese.
Season to taste and serve with extra Parmesan on top. YUM!
5 from 9 votes

Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Sausage (one-pot!)

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Cuisine: American
Course: Main Course
Author: Taesha Butler
This one-pot butternut squash gnocchi is everything I love about cozy fall dinners…comforting, hearty, and full of flavor—yet on the table in about 35 minutes. Frozen butternut squash keeps things easy, while ground pork (or chicken, if that’s your thing) brings a rich, savory base. Everything simmers together with gnocchi before a little cream cheese and Parmesan are stirred in at the end for a perfectly creamy sauce.
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Ingredients
 

  • 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 pound lean ground pork, (see note to sub ground turkey or chicken)
  • 1 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
  • 1½ teaspoons dried sage, divided
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 4 cloves garlic , minced
  • 16 ounce bag frozen butternut squash, (see note to use fresh squash)
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 12-16 ounce package potato gnocchi, the shelf stable kind you find in the pasta aisle. Use gluten-free if needed.
  • 2 ounces cream cheese, I used reduced fat
  • ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese, + extra for serving
  • 2-3 cups baby spinach

Instructions
 

  •  Add 1 teaspoon oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the ground pork. Sprinkle the pork with ½  teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon dried sage, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, and ½ teaspoon garlic powder. Break into large crumbles.
  • Once the meat is browned and cooked through (about 7 minutes), drain off the excess fat, then transfer the pork to a plate lined with paper towels. Wipe extra fat from your skillet.
  • Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil to the pan. Add the garlic and cook until light golden brown. About 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Add the chicken broth and frozen squash. Bring to a simmer and then cook for 2 minutes to soften the squash. Add the gnocchi and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes to cook the gnocchi through.
  •  Stir in the cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, and cooked pork. Season with remaining ½ teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon dried sage, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Allow the sauce to thicken for 3 to 4 minutes. If the gnocchi has absorbed all the liquid, stir in an additional ½ cup of chicken broth or water.
  • Remove from heat. Stir in the spinach and let it wilt in the hot sauce for about 1 minute.
  • Taste the gnocchi dish and add more salt, pepper or seasoning, as needed.
  • Serve with additional Parmesan sprinkled on top. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Notes

  • To use ground turkey or chicken, increase the amount of olive oil to one tablespoon when browning the meat. You won’t need to drain any fat after browning. Just transfer to a plate and proceed with the recipe as written.
  • To use fresh squash, cut the squash into small cubes. Add an additional cup of broth (3 cups total) then cover and simmer the squash until tender and easily mashed with a fork, about 15 minutes. Once the squash is cooked, proceed with the recipe as written.
  • Instead of cream cheese, you can use sour cream or whole milk, plain Greek yogurt.
  • Nutritional information is calculated based on the fat being drained from the pork after cooking.
Serving: 0.25the recipe, Calories: 547kcal, Carbohydrates: 56g, Protein: 32g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 88mg, Sodium: 1278mg, Potassium: 1024mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 14336IU, Vitamin C: 32mg, Calcium: 227mg, Iron: 7mg
Nutritional information provided here is only an estimate shared for convenience and as a courtesy. Information will vary based on ingredients + brands used to create the recipe.