This pumpkin gnocchi bake is comfort food at its finest! It’s simple yet sophisticated, with creamy goat cheese dollops and sage.
Looking for a cozy fall dinner idea? Have we got the thing for you. This gooey gnocchi drenched in savory pumpkin sauce with creamy pockets of goat cheese is like a cozy fall hug.
This recipe is so delicious, we find ourselves sneaking bites from the pan after we think we’re done. It’s become a family favorite and we make it on repeat every fall. It’s also easy to make, defying the notion that gnocchi can’t be simple. Here’s how it’s done!
Featured reader comment
“Made this for lunch today, added some Field Roast vegetarian apple and sage sausage – really really excellent!” -Emma
Basic steps for this pumpkin gnocchi bake
Sometimes you stumble upon things better than you bargained. This pumpkin gnocchi bake turned out much better than we were hoping. It’s become a hands-down favorite, with pillow potato gnocchi drenched in savory pumpkin sauce and creamy pockets of goat cheese.
It’s made with packaged gnocchi for ease of preparation: and these days, you can find some really great packaged gnocchi at the grocery. Of course you can make your own if you’d like, too! Here are the main steps to this recipe:
- Make a quick pumpkin sauce: Mince garlic, then heat olive oil in a skillet. Sauté garlic for 1 to 2 minutes, then carefully add canned pumpkin puree, vegetable broth, chili powder, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Simmer about 10 to 15 minutes until the sauce becomes thick, then stir in a bit of Greek yogurt.
- Cook the gnocchi: Meanwhile, boil the gnocchi in a large pot of salted boiling water, about 2 to 3 minutes, until they float.
- Bake the gnocchi: Place the pumpkin sauce and gnocchi in a baking dish. Top with dollops of goat cheese and fresh thinly sliced sage. Bake 15 minutes until heated through and bubbly.
We hope you’ll find it as tasty and cozy as we do. It’s perfect as a fall dinner, or even a vegetarian Thanksgiving main dish.
Substitute for goat cheese
Goat cheese features prominently in this recipe. But if you’re not a goat cheese fan, never fear! You can substitute other cheeses in this recipe. For this use of goat cheese, we’d use fresh mozzarella torn into pieces: then it would become gooey when baked in a similar way to the goat cheese.
Another option could be ricotta cheese: but we’d add some salt and pepper to season it first, since it has a much more bland flavor than goat cheese. Or, you could try our Easy Creamy Gnocchi recipe instead, which uses Pecorino Romano cheese.
Is goat cheese healthy?
You might be wondering, is goat cheese healthy? Or at least, is it better for you than cow’s cheese? There are several great things about goat cheese versus a standard cow’s cheese like cheddar or mozzarella. Goat cheese (via Prevention):
- Has more vitamins and minerals than cow’s cheese. Goat’s milk is richer in essential nutrients than cow’s milk (like vitamin A & B, calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium).
- Has slightly less calories than cow’s cheese. Goat cheese has just 75 calories per ounce—less than cow cheeses like mozzarella (85), Swiss (108), and cheddar (115).
- Is easier to digest. Goat cheese has less lactose than cow’s milk and a slightly different protein structure. That means even people who are lactose intolerant many times can digest goat cheese.
Dietary notes
This baked gnocchi recipe is vegetarian. For gluten-free, find gluten-free gnocchi.
Frequently asked questions
Pumpkin gnocchi bake is a comforting and flavorful dish made with pillowy potato gnocchi, creamy pumpkin sauce, and melted cheese, often baked in a casserole dish. It’s a perfect fall or winter meal that combines seasonal flavors with hearty ingredients.
Yes, you can definitely use homemade gnocchi if you prefer. However, store-bought gnocchi works just as well and saves time in the kitchen.
Pumpkin gnocchi bake is a hearty and satisfying dish that pairs well with a simple fall salad or winter salad, or roasted vegetables. You can also serve it with crusty bread to soak up the delicious sauce.
Pumpkin Gnocchi Bake
Print RecipeThis pumpkin gnocchi bake is comfort food at its finest! It’s simple yet sophisticated, with creamy goat cheese dollops and sage.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 3 garlic cloves*
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 15-ounce can pumpkin purée
- 1 ½ cups vegetable broth
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt
- 16-ounce package gnocchi (see Notes)
- 4 ounces goat cheese
- 2 teaspoons fresh sage, thinly sliced (about 5 medium leaves)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- Mince the garlic. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-low heat; add the garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes, or just until the garlic is fragrant but not browned.
- Carefully add the pumpkin purée and broth to the skillet and stir to fully combine. Add the chili powder, nutmeg, red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and several grinds of black pepper. Cover and bring it to a high simmer, bubbling constantly. then cook for 10 to 15 minutes until thickened. Once thickened, place ½ cup of the sauce in a small bowl and mix it with the Greek yogurt, then add the mixture back to the pan and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the gnocchi and boil until the gnocchi float, about 2 to 3 minutes. Drain in a colander.
- Place the gnocchi and finished sauce in a 9 x 9″ baking dish. Top with dollops of goat cheese and sliced sage. Bake 15 minutes until bubbly.
Notes
*If you’re making this for a crowd, it’s easy to double and use a 9 x 13 pan!