Sheet-Pan Gnocchi with Sausage, Butternut Squash & Sage Brown Butter

There's a particular kind of weeknight that calls for dinner with no decisions in it. One pan, one oven, and something golden and crisp when the timer goes off.

This is that dinner. Shelf-stable gnocchi goes straight from the package onto the sheet pan — no pot of boiling water, no extra step — alongside cubes of butternut squash, wedges of red onion, and pinched-off pieces of Italian sausage. In the oven's high heat, the gnocchi turn crisp at the edges and tender in the middle, the squash caramelizes, and the sausage renders just enough to season everything around it.

Our version finishes with a quick sage brown butter, made in a small skillet while the pan roasts. It takes about five minutes and it's the difference between a good weeknight dinner and the one people ask about. A handful of baby kale goes in at the end for color, and a shower of Parmesan and lemon zest keeps the whole thing from tipping too rich.

Why It Works

High heat is the secret. At 450°F, everything on the pan browns rather than steams, as long as there's room to breathe. Spread the ingredients into a single layer and, if your pan is on the smaller side, use two. Crowding is the one way to end up with soft, pale gnocchi instead of crisp, golden ones.

Fennel seed earns its spot, too. It's the flavor that makes sausage taste like sausage, and a teaspoon on the pan carries it into the squash and gnocchi.

Ingredients

For the sheet pan

• 1 package (about 16 oz) shelf-stable potato gnocchi
• 3 cups butternut squash, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
• ¾ lb Italian sausage (sweet or hot), casings removed
• 1 medium red onion, cut into thin wedges
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp fennel seed
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 2 cups baby kale

For the sage brown butter and finish

• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 10–12 fresh sage leaves
• ¼ cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
• Zest of 1 lemon

Instructions

1. Heat the oven. Preheat to 450°F and set out a large rimmed sheet pan.
2. Toss the base. Add the gnocchi, squash, onion, garlic, and fennel seed to the pan. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss until everything is coated. Spread into a single even layer.
3. Add the sausage. Pinch the sausage into bite-size pieces, about the size of the gnocchi, and tuck them in between the vegetables.
4. Roast. Roast for 20 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the squash is tender and the gnocchi are starting to turn golden.
5. Add the kale. Scatter the kale over the pan and roast 3 to 5 minutes more, until it wilts and the sausage is cooked through.
6. Make the sage brown butter. While the pan roasts, melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the sage leaves and cook, swirling often, until the butter smells nutty and turns a deep golden brown and the sage is crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Watch closely at the end.
7. Finish and serve. Pour the brown butter and crisped sage over the pan. Top with Parmesan and lemon zest, toss gently, and serve straight from the pan.

Make-Ahead

Peel and cube the squash up to two days ahead and refrigerate it in an airtight container. Leftovers keep for up to three days; reheat them on a sheet pan in a hot oven to bring back some of the crispness.

Substitutions

Sweet potato or delicata squash both stand in nicely for butternut. Chicken or turkey sausage works if you'd like something lighter, and spinach can replace the kale.

Vegetarian Variation

Skip the sausage and add 8 ounces of mushrooms, cut into bite-size pieces, along with an extra pinch of fennel seed and salt.

Adapted from Fall Sheet Pan Gnocchi by Peter Som. Our version swaps shallots for red onion, trades the dried herbs and plain brown butter for a fresh sage brown butter, adds baby kale, and finishes with Parmesan and lemon zest in place of pecorino.