This Sheetpan Squash & Sausage Gnocchi delivers maximum fall comfort with minimal effort. One pan, 35 minutes, and dinner is ready. Perfect crispy gnocchi meets caramelized butternut squash and savoury sausage. This is the ultimate autumn weeknight meal.
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Why This Sheetpan Squash & Sausage Gnocchi Recipe Works Every Time
As a busy mom, I love a good sheetpan meal. Throw everything on a pan and let it basically cook itself? When everything cooks together at the same temperature, you get perfectly balanced flavours and textures with almost zero cleanup.
The Italian sausage & gnocchi combination creates restaurant-quality results at home. Golden gnocchi gets crispy edges while staying tender inside. Butternut squash caramelizes beautifully, developing sweet, roasted flavours.
Fresh kale adds a slight char that balances the richness. This complete meal requires just 10 minutes of prep time, but your family will think you spent hours in the kitchen.
Want more easy sheet pan dinners and fall recipes? Join Fraîche Table for weekly meal plans and family-friendly recipes that make healthy eating effortless!
Fun fact: this recipe actually comes straight from Fraîche Table — I just couldn’t resist sharing it here!
Tips for Perfecting Your Sheetpan Squash & Italian Sausage Gnocchi
Before you preheat the oven, here are a few simple tips that make this Sheetpan Squash & Italian Sausage Gnocchi foolproof:
Use Parchment Paper for Easy Cleanup
Line your entire sheetpan with parchment paper to prevent sticking. This simple step saves you from scrubbing caramelized bits later.
Cut Butternut Squash Uniformly
Dice your butternut squash into ½-inch cubes for even cooking. Keeping the pieces the same size means sweet, caramelized edges and tender insides — every bite is perfect.
Time Your Kale Addition Perfectly
Add kale during the last 5-7 minutes of cooking to prevent burning. This gives your kale incredible, crunchy texture.
Nutritional Benefits of Sheetpan Squash & Sausage Gnocchi
This recipe doesn’t just taste good — it’s secretly packed with nutrients, too (my favourite kind of meal).
Here’s why it’s such a win:
Butternut Squash:
- Full of vitamin A, vitamin C, fibre, and potassium — all-stars for heart health
- Boosts your immune system (perfect timing for fall and winter sniffles)
- Rich in beta-carotene, which supports healthy eyes
Italian Sausage:
- Brings protein and satisfying richness to keep you full longer
- Swap in chicken or turkey sausage for a lighter option with less saturated fat
- Seasoned with herbs and spices that don’t just taste amazing — they also have anti-inflammatory perks
Kale:
- A powerhouse of iron, vitamin K, and folate
- Surprising but true: kale has more vitamin C per serving than oranges!
- Roasting makes it crispy and way more appealing for picky eaters (kid-tested !!!!)
Comfort food that’s secretly good for you? That’s a weeknight WIN in my books!
Meal Prep & Storage for Sheetpan Squash & Italian Sausage Gnocchi
Storing leftovers: Pop any extras into the fridge for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to reheat, skip the microwave — a quick 5–7 minutes in a 400°F oven brings that crispiness right back.
Quick prep hack: Short on time? Dice your squash and prep your sausage the night before. It makes throwing this together on a busy weeknight almost effortless.
Feeding a crowd? This recipe doubles like a dream. Just grab a second sheet pan so everything has room to caramelize (no sad, steamed gnocchi here).
Variations for Your Sheetpan Gnocchi Recipe
Sometimes the best part of a sheet pan dinner is how flexible it is. This recipe is delicious as written, but it’s also super easy to tweak depending on what’s in your fridge (or what your family actually eats). Here are a few simple ways to mix it up:
Vegetarian option: Skip the sausage and swap in chickpeas, white beans, or even marinated tofu. You’ll still get all the flavour and protein without the meat.
Protein swaps: Want something lighter? Turkey or chicken sausage works beautifully (all the flavour, less saturated fat).
Seasonal veggies: No butternut squash on hand? Try sweet potatoes, acorn squash, or even Brussels sprouts. Just keep the ½-inch dice so everything roasts evenly.
Make it your own: A sprinkle of parmesan, a drizzle of balsamic glaze, or a pinch of chili flakes can take this recipe in a whole new (delicious) direction.
More Fall Recipes Your Family Will Love
Fall meals should feel as effortless as they are delicious. When you’re trying to feed the whole family on a busy weeknight (oh hello, soccer practice that went late), simple one-dish wonders are pure magic! Suddenly those hectic dinner hours feel totally manageable.
If effortless meals are right up your alley, here are some more recipes to try:
Sheetpan Squash & Sausage Gnocchi
This Sheetpan Squash & Sausage Gnocchi delivers maximum fall comfort with minimal effort. One pan, 35 minutes, and dinner is ready.
Ingredients
- 400 grams gnocchi
- 4 cups butternut squash peeled and diced into ½-inch cubes
- 4 Italian sausages casing removed and crumbled
- 1/4 cup red onion diced
- 1 tablespoon sage finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- 1 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
- 4 cups kale stems removed and torn into pieces
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese shredded, for serving
- 1/2 cup ricotta for serving
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Spread the gnocchi, butternut squash, crumbled Italian sausage, red onion, and sage leaves onto the prepared baking sheet. Season with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Toss to coat and spread into an even layer.
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Bake for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the gnocchi is golden and the squash is tender.
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Remove the pan from the oven and add the kale. Drizzle with the olive oil, toss lightly, and return to the oven for 5–7 minutes, until the kale is wilted and crisp at the edges.
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Divide between plates and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and dollops of ricotta before serving.
Delicious! I love the flavours in this. I made the recipe as written and will definitely make again.
I’m so glad you love it! xx
Hi Karen! I’m so glad you loved it! xx
This recipe is a bit confusing. Does everything go on the pan raw? Does the gnocchi need to be boiled first? I really want to try this recipe but I’m just not sure how it all goes together….
Hi! Sorry for any confusion, the store-bought gnocchi and all ingredients just go onto the pan raw! They will cook beautifully from there. Let me know how it goes! xx
Thanks Tori! This recipe was delicious and the flavours were beautiful, however we did find the gnocchi to be a bit dense. Definitely making this again, but I’ll likely boil the gnocchi a little bit first! Xo
What type of gnocchi did you use?! I’m so glad you loved it!
This was so delicious. Only critique is I felt it needed more gnocchi to make it go further, so I cooked some extra after. We did goat cheese instead or ricotta and it was amazing.
Hi Jenna! I’m so glad you loved it. It would be FABULOUS with goat cheese too, I’ll have to try that! And great call on the gnocchi, this recipe goes so quick!!!