This fall inspired Sheet Pan Gnocchi and Meatballs is a delicious fall dinner! Tender gnocchi, butternut squash, Brussels sprouts, red onion and sage chicken meatballs add tons of flavor, and everything is topped with a simple lemony sauce. If you're a fan of sheet pan meals and haven't tried making a sheet pan gnocchi recipe, let this be your sign to try it!
Quick Look: Fall Sheet Pan Gnocchi and Meatballs
- 🧁 Serves: 4
- ⭐ Features: Fresh ✓ Healthy ✓ Easy Clean Up ✓
- ⌛️ Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🍪 Cook Time: 30 minutes
- 🕑 Total Time: 40 minutes
- 🏆 Why make THIS version? The combination of seasonal produce with sage chicken meatballs is only made better by the drinkable sauce everything is topped with!
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As a dietitian, I love a good sheet pan recipe for weeknight dinners. And this one is a perfect mid-week meal if you want to use up some seasonal fall ingredients. It's a complete meal with vibrant color and flavors and you can sub in different veggies with whatever you have in your fridge.
If you love the simplicity of easy sheet pan dinners with roasted vegetables, try my maple balsamic chicken thigh version next. For another one-pan fall dinner with butternut squash and turkey, try this skillet version for a quick weeknight meal.
Looking for more healthy fall dinner recipes? I have whole collection of cozy, seasonal meals to try!
Jump to:
- Quick Look: Fall Sheet Pan Gnocchi and Meatballs
- Key Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Gnocchi and Veggie Ingredients
- Recipe Variations
- How to Make Fall Sheet Pan Gnocchi and Meatballs
- Mallory's Dietitian Tip!
- Expert Tips
- Fall Sheet Pan Gnocchi and Meatballs FAQs
- More Fall Dinner Recipes
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Key Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
This Fall Sheet Pan Gnocchi and meatballs is made with fresh ingredients. Below are some notes. Check the recipe card at the bottom for the measurements.
Gnocchi and Veggie Ingredients
- Gnocchi - gnocchi is a potato pasta made with potatoes, flour, and egg. It's perfect for a sheet pan meal like this because it cooks in the same amount of time as the meatballs and veggies. And it gets a little crisp and tender! Use shelf-stable gnocchi from the pasta aisle and add it to the pan straight from the package, with no boiling needed.
- Butternut Squash - adds sweetness and vitamin A. If you love the combination of roasted Brussels sprouts and butternut squash, you'll also want to try this fall harvest pasta salad with roasted seasonal vegetables.
- Brussels Sprouts - to add dietary fiber, vitamin K and antioxidants. Brussels sprouts are also delicious simply roasted alongside other fall vegetables, like in these roasted Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes with apple, cranberries and pecans.
- Red Onion - for added flavor.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil - for extra crispy vegetables.
- Seasonings - the seasonings used in this recipe are dried thyme, rosemary, and garlic powder.
- Kosher Salt & Black Pepper
Sage Chicken Meatball Ingredients
These are essentially my baked chicken sage meatballs with parmesan and lemon, adapted here to cook right alongside the gnocchi and fall vegetables.
- Ground Chicken - a lean protein that is the base of this meatball recipe. Ground turkey breast works if you prefer turkey meatballs.
- Fresh Sage & Fresh Parsley - fresh herbs that add tons of fall flavor to the meat mixture.
- Parmesan Cheese - grated parmesan adds flavor as it melts in the oven. If possible, buy a block of parmesan and grate it yourself.
- Panko Breadcrumbs - to help bind the meatballs together and keep them moist.
- Egg - egg also binds the meatballs so you don't get a crumbly end result.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil - just a drizzle of olive oil adds moisture.
- Lemon Juice - fresh lemon juice adds acidity that helps to tenderize the chicken. It also pairs nicely with the fresh sage and parmesan.
- Garlic Powder & Onion Powder - for an extra boost of flavor.
- Salt & Black Pepper - a pinch of salt and black pepper is all you need to tie it all together.
If you enjoy making baked chicken meatballs, these easy baked chicken meatballs with feta are another flavorful option for meal prep.
Lemon Maple Dijon Sauce Ingredients
- Fresh Lemon Juice - tart lemon pairs great with the vegetables and sage in this recipe.
- Pure Maple Syrup - to add a hint of sweetness.
- Dijon Mustard - for more flavor.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil - to add healthy fats.
- Seasonings - garlic powder, kosher salt & black pepper.
- Water - you may need a little liquid to thin out the sauce as needed.
Recipe Variations
The beauty of Sheet Pan Gnocchi and Meatballs is you can customize it to your taste! Below are some ideas.
- Summer - use chicken or gluten-free turkey parmesan meatballs made with fresh basil and Italian seasoning and replace the fall veggies with sweet cherry tomatoes and red bell pepper or pre-chopped broccoli. Top with red sauce or pesto.
- Spicy - add a little heat with red pepper flakes on top!
- Maple Balsamic Vinegar - instead of the lemon maple Dijon, use this maple balsamic dressing.
- Sweet Potatoes - You can also swap in roasted diced sweet potatoes for the butternut squash if that's what you have on hand.
How to Make Fall Sheet Pan Gnocchi and Meatballs
Below are the instructions for how to make this recipe with photos that I hope are helpful! Don't forget to check out the recipe card at the bottom for the full recipe.
- Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400℉ (200°C) and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the veggies, gnocchi, olive oil, and seasonings in a large bowl. Add them to the large sheet pan in a single layer, leaving space for the meatballs.
- Step 2: In another bowl, make the sage chicken meatballs by combining the ingredients using either your hands, a wooden spoon, or a spatula. I use my hands for this part. Careful not to overmix - just mix until everything is combined. Overmixing will result in tough meatballs.
- Step 3: Scoop about 2 tablespoons of the meat mixture at a time with a small cookie scoop, form into balls, and nestle them between the gnocchi and vegetables on the prepared sheet pan with the pasta-vegetable mixture. Continue until you have 18 meatballs.
- Step 4: Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. The meatballs are done cooking when the internal temperature reaches 165℉ (75°C) with a meat thermometer. Cooking time will vary depending on the size of the meatballs and the oven.
5. Step 5: While the mixture cooks, make the sauce by combining the ingredients in a small bowl or mason jar with a whisk.
Step 6: When everything comes out of the oven, add the sauce and extra parmesan on top of the gnocchi dish before serving. *Option to serve the sauce on the side.
Hint: be sure to use a large lined sheet pan big enough that everything can be in a single layer!
Mallory's Dietitian Tip!
This Sheet Pan Gnocchi and Meatballs is a balanced meal with protein, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, healthy fats, and important micronutrients. Balanced meals like this help keep you satisfied and full longer and give you energy!
Expert Tips
- Cut the vegetables into similarly sized pieces to ensure everything cooks evenly.
- Use a large sheet pan to make sure everything fits in a single layer. I use a half sheet sized. If you don't have a half sheet pan, you can use two smaller ones.
- Finely chop the fresh herbs for the meatballs so they evenly disperse.
- Don't overmix the meatballs because it will cause them to get tough. Once the ingredients are well combined, you're good to go!
- Use a cookie scoop to make evenly-sized meatballs to ensure they cook equally. You can also use an ice cream scoop or a large spoon.
Fall Sheet Pan Gnocchi and Meatballs FAQs
While healthy means something different to everyone, this is a nutrient-rich option. The vegetables provide dietary fiber to support gut health and several vitamins and minerals including vitamins C, K, A, and antioxidants. The meatballs are made using chicken, a high quality lean protein. And the gnocchi adds a carbohydrate source. Everything is topped with a dressing that contains heart healthy fats to keep you full for longer.
You can find gnocchi either in the refrigerated pasta section or with the other dry pastas at most grocery stores!
Gnocchi is a dumpling-like pasta made with potatoes and flour (and sometimes eggs). It is different that regular pasta in that it's made with potatoes as the main ingredient whereas regular pasta uses wheat flour as the main ingredient. Gnocchi is more dense and tender than pasta noodles.
You can find gluten-free gnocchi but in general it is not gluten-free. Wheat flour is typically used as a binder in gnocchi.
Refrigerator - Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
More Fall Dinner Recipes
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please leave me a review below or tag me in a photo or story on Instagram. Your reviews help support me and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love. 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian
📖 Recipe
Fall Sheet Pan Gnocchi and Meatballs with Lemon Sauce
Equipment
- 1 sheet pan (half sheet sized)
Ingredients
- 8 oz gnocchi (½ lb)
- 2 cups butternut squash, diced
- 2 cups Brussels sprouts, halved
- 1 small red onion, sliced (or half a medium onion)
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoon each: dried thyme, garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For Chicken Sage Meatballs
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1 egg
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
- 2 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon each: garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For Lemon Maple Dijon Sauce
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉ (200°C) and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the veggies, gnocchi, olive oil, and seasonings in a large bowl. Add them to the large sheet pan in a single layer, leaving space for the meatballs.
- In another bowl, make the sage chicken meatballs by combining the ingredients using either your hands, a wooden spoon, or a spatula. I use my hands for this part. Careful not to overmix - just mix until everything is combined. Overmixing will result in tough meatballs.
- Scoop about 2 tablespoons of the meat mixture at a time with a small cookie scoop, form into balls, and nestle them between the gnocchi and vegetables on the prepared sheet pan with the pasta-vegetable mixture. Continue until you have 18 meatballs.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. The meatballs are done cooking when the internal temperature reaches 165℉ (75°C) with a meat thermometer. Cooking time will vary depending on the size of the meatballs and the oven.
- While the mixture cooks, make the sauce by combining the ingredients in a small bowl or mason jar with a whisk.
- When everything comes out of the oven, add the sauce and extra parmesan on top of the gnocchi dish before serving. *Option to serve the sauce on the side.
- Hint: be sure to use a large lined sheet pan big enough that everything can be in a single layer!
Video
Notes
- No need to boil the gnocchi before adding it to the sheet pan.
- Cut the vegetables into similarly sized pieces to ensure everything cooks evenly.
- Use a large sheet pan to make sure everything fits in a single layer. I use a half sheet sized. If you don't have a half sheet pan, you can use two smaller ones.
- Don't overmix the meatballs because it will cause them to get tough. Once the ingredients are well combined, you're good to go!
- Use a cookie scoop to make evenly-sized meatballs to ensure they cook equally. You can also use an ice cream scoop or a large spoon.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Erika
Wow! This was so delicious! Super flavorful with all the herbs and sauce. I love the cozy fall flavors. I’m trying to eat healthier, and this recipe was perfect with all the veggies and protein from the meatballs. I was a little short on butternut squash, so I added a couple of carrots, and it still turned out amazing. This is now a keeper recipe in our household!
Mallory
Hi Erica, thank you soo much for taking time to leave a rating and comment!! It truly means so much to me and I'm SO happy to hear that you enjoyed the recipe!! I love the idea of adding carrots..I may just have to try that next time. -Mallory
Amanda
Made this yesterday, so so delicious and great for meal prep 🙂
Mallory
Hi Amanda, thank you so much for taking time to leave a review!!! I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed it! ❤️ -Mallory
Julie Dowden
Mallory, this is excellent! I go to your website to plan my meals for the week. I have learned so much about healthy eating that tastes delicious! Thank you so much!!
Mallory
Hi Julie, thank you SOOO much! It means so much to hear frmo you and to know that you are learning about healthy eating from my site and especially that you come here for meal planning! Thank you for your kind rating and review. I hope you are doing amazing and thank you so much again! -Mallory