This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This baked pumpkin gnocchi is the perfect dinner recipe for fall. It’s a cozy, hearty pasta dish with a rich, creamy sauce, and it’s quick and easy to make.
Baked pastas are one of my favorite dishes when autumn rolls around. And pumpkin is the ultimate fall food. So it goes without saying that this baked pumpkin gnocchi recipe is a staple in my kitchen when the leaves start to fall.
The pumpkin cream sauce is rich and flavorful, and the gooey, melty, crispy cheese on top will make your mouth water. It’s cozy, comforting, and easy to make. What more could you want for a fall dinner?
Why Add Pumpkin?
Don’t worry, this recipe isn’t sweet at all. Squash is a common flavor in pasta dishes, and that’s where the pumpkin comes in. It adds richness, heartiness, and earthy autumnal flavors, but no sweetness. So fear not, you won’t be mistaking this dish for a pumpkin pie anytime soon!
Recipe Ingredients
Here’s everything you need to make this gooey baked pumpkin gnocchi. For the exact ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Gnocchi – You can make your own if you’re feeling ambitious, but I like to use pre-made gnocchi because it’s so convenient.
- Butter – You want to use salted butter for this recipe. If you don’t have salted butter, increase the salt when seasoning.
- All-purpose flour
- Whole milk
- Pumpkin puree – Make sure you use pumpkin puree, which is unseasoned and unsweetened, and not pumpkin pie filling.
- Shredded mozzarella cheese – You can also use fresh mozzarella.
- Finely grated parmesan cheese
- Kosher salt
- Dried thyme
- Black pepper
Can This Baked Pumpkin Gnocchi Recipe Be Made Gluten-Free?
You can easily turn this into a gluten-free recipe. There are two sources of gluten in this comforting baked gnocchi: the flour and the gnocchi. To make the dish gluten-free, replace the all-purpose flour with your preferred gluten-free flour (I like to use quinoa flour), and replace the gnocchi with gluten-free gnocchi.
How to Make Baked Pumpkin Gnocchi
This mouth-watering pumpkin gnocchi dish is very easy to make, and doesn’t take long.
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 375F.
- Cook the gnocchi. Follow the instructions on the package to cook the gnocchi.
- Make a roux. Melt butter in a sauce pan placed over medium heat. Then whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute.
- Add the milk and seasonings. Slowly whisk in the milk, then add the salt, pepper, and thyme. Let the mixture simmer for 1 minute so it can thicken.
- Add the rest of the sauce ingredients. Add the pumpkin puree, some of the mozzarella cheese, and some of the parmesan cheese to the pot. Whisk until the cheese is melted and everything is combined.
- Add the gnocchi. Remove the sauce from the heat, and stir in the cooked gnocchi, then pour into a 10-inch round baking dish.
- Cover with cheese. Top with the rest of the mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese.
- Bake. Put the baking dish in the oven, and bake until the cheese is melted and browned. This should take about 20 minutes. Serve hot.
Tips for Perfect Baked Pumpkin Gnocchi
Here are some tips for making this baked pumpkin gnocchi absolutely perfect.
- Add the milk slowly. When making the sauce, be sure to add the milk very slowly. Stop frequently to whisk in the milk and let it thicken before pouring in more. This process allows the sauce to thicken fully. If you add all the milk at once, the sauce will be thin, and the different ingredients won’t mix together all the way.
- Whisk constantly. You want to whisk very frequently when making the sauce. If you’re not constantly whisking, the sauce will get lumpy.
- Check the seasoning. This dish has a lot of different salt sources, from the butter, the mozzarella cheese, the parmesan cheese, and the kosher salt. Because butter and cheese can vary in their salt content, start with a small amount of salt when seasoning. Taste the sauce before adding the gnocchi, and add more salt as needed.
How to Serve
Because this dish is so rich and hearty, I like to serve it with something light and full of veggies, like a salad. Here are a few of my favorite salads to serve with baked pumpkin gnocchi.
- Vegan caesar salad
- Za’atar cucumber tomato salad
- Chopped endive and romaine salad
- Best summer tomato salad
- Shredded chicken kale caesar salad with parmesan crisps
How to Store Baked Pumpkin Gnocchi
You can store this recipe in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven.
More Savory Pumpkin Recipes to Try
If you liked this baked pumpkin gnocchi then I encourage you to check out some other savory recipes that use pumpkin. Here are some of my favorites.
- Pumpkin BBQ sloppy joe’s
- Crockpot turkey pumpkin chili
- Cheesy pumpkin and spicy sausage stuffed shells
- Nourishing pumpkin wild rice soup
- Pumpkin pasta with turkey sausage
Baked Pumpkin Gnocchi
Equipment
Ingredients
- 32 ounces (907 g) gnocchi
- 3 tablespoons (42 g) salted butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups (355 ml) whole milk
- ¾ cup (184 g) pumpkin puree
- 2 cups (224 g) shredded mozzarella, divided
- 4 tablespoons (20 g) finely grated parmesan, divided
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 °F (191 °C)
- Cook the gnocchi according to package directions in salted water.
- In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and let it cook for about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the milk, letting it thicken slightly between additions. Once it’s all added, stir in the salt, pepper, and thyme, and let it simmer for 1 minute to thicken slightly.
- Whisk in the pumpkin puree, ¾ cups (84g) mozzarella cheese, and 2 tablespoons (10g) parmesan. Whisk until the cheese is melted and the sauce is creamy.
- Remove from heat. Toss the cooked gnocchi in the pumpkin sauce and pour into a 10” round baking dish/oven-safe skillet.
- Top with remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until the the cheese is melted and browned.
