Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage Butter Sauce
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This butternut squash ravioli with sage butter sauce is an elegant fall dinner that’s bursting with incredible flavors! These handmade ravioli melt in your mouth, and the 4-ingredient brown butter sage sauce complements the ravioli in the most comforting way.
Serve this with crispy baked cod and pear gorgonzola salad for a beautiful autumn meal. Try my creamy butternut squash orzo next!
Quick Look: Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage Butter Sauce
- Prep Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Servings: 6-8 people
- Dietary Info: can be made Gluten Free if you use GF pasta, and can be made Vegetarian if you skip the Parmigiano cheese.
- Method: Stovetop
- Technique: Make the homemade pasta dough, then make the butternut squash filling. Roll the dough through a pasta maker, then make the ravioli. Cook them in salted boiling water, then toss gently in the sauce.
- Flavor & Texture: These tender ravioli are stuffed with a flavorful squash mixture and cooked to perfection, then are tossed in a buttery herb sauce and topped with cheese.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This butternut squash ravioli with a sage brown butter sauce is the perfect elegant, Italian-inspired autumn dinner. My family is always excited every time I make this special meal for them!
Learn my tips for making homemade pasta dough the authentic Italian way, then I’ll show you how to roll it out and make perfect ravioli. Once you start making your own pasta, you will want to do it again and again! Plus, the brown butter sage sauce is super easy and it takes just 4 simple ingredients.
I hope this recipe helps you discover that making ravioli from scratch is delicious and rewarding! If you want to have fun with other ravioli recipes, don’t miss my Homemade Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli and Pumpkin Ravioli. Save my guide on how to cook frozen ravioli for later, too!
Made With Amore,
“This ravioli is so full of flavor and is as deliciously authentic as anything I’ve eaten in Italy. The flavors of the butternut, browned butter and sage marry so well together, this is a recipe I will come back to often, it was a big hit with my entire family! So delicious!!”
– Mckenzie
Table of Contents
- Quick Look: Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage Butter Sauce
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple Ingredients
- Variations & Substitutions
- How to Make Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage Butter Sauce
- Suggested Tools for Making Ravioli
- Butternut Squash Ravioli FAQs
- Serving Suggestions
- Expert Tips
- Other Italian Pasta Recipes You’ll Love
- Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage Butter Sauce Recipe
Simple Ingredients
The ingredients for homemade ravioli are simple. It takes only a few ingredients and a bit of time to get this delicious pasta meal on your table!
- Ravioli Dough: Use my homemade pasta dough recipe for the best results. I highly recommend using 00 flour or all-purpose for the dough. You’ll also need some semolina flour for dusting.
- Butternut Squash: You can start with raw squash and cook it in the oven, or use leftover whole roasted butternut squash.
- Brown Butter Sauce: You’ll need good quality salted butter, fresh sage, and black pepper to create this simple yet mouthwatering sauce.
- Parmigiano Cheese: These Italian cheese is the perfect garnish for serving! (In the US, you’ll find this cheese called Parmesan.) Here’s why you should grate your own cheese instead of getting pre-shredded.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations & Substitutions
- Don’t want to make pasta? Use wonton wrappers instead and fill them with the butternut squash filling. You can also use pre-made butternut squash ravioli from the refrigerated or frozen section of your grocery store. (Trader Joe’s has a great butternut squash ravioli!)
- Butternut Squash Substitute: You can use any type of squash for this filling and use the same method. Pumpkin or sweet potato would also make a wonderful ravioli filling option!
- Other Filling Options: Try the ricotta and spinach filling from my Homemade Ravioli Recipe, or go for prosciutto and cheese, ricotta and mushroom, or a mixture of cheeses.
- Other Sauce Options: The best sauces for butternut squash-filled ravioli are cream or butter-based sauces. Try the easy creamy sauce from my Pappardelle Pasta with Mushrooms, or make this fresh and indulgent Lemon Brown Butter Sauce with Lobster Ravioli.
How to Make Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage Butter Sauce
- Start with making homemade egg pasta dough. My Homemade Pasta Recipe walks you through the entire process step by step with photos; it’s my go-to recipe. Let the dough rest and make the ravioli filling.
- Roast the peeled and cubed butternut squash at 400°F for about 30 minutes until soft. Set aside to cool. Saute onion until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- In a food processor or blender, combine the cooked squash, onion and garlic, cheese, salt and pepper, and nutmeg. Pulse until smooth. Cover and place in refrigerator until ready to use for filling ravioli.
- Divide the pasta dough into four parts. Roll each piece in the pasta machine to 6-7 thickness (be careful not to roll it too thin). Only roll dough one section at a time, and cover the rest of the dough with plastic wrap as you fill the pasta sheets with filling, or the dough will dry out.
- Place a teaspoon of filling on the pasta. (Don’t overfill; they will explode when you cook them!)
- Use a ravioli mold or ravioli stamps (affiliate) to cut out the ravioli and achieve the shape you desire.
- Cook the ravioli in batches in a large pot of salted boiling water. They’re done when they rise and float to the top; about 3-5 minutes. Taste for perfect ‘al dente’ texture. You want a slight bite and soft tender texture. (Read How to Cook Fresh or Frozen Ravioli for precise details!)
- Place brown butter sauce ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat until butter turns dark brown and golden color. (You can also microwave for 1 minute at a time until the butter turns slightly brown; be careful not to burn!) Add fresh ground pepper to taste, if desired.
- Toss the hot ravioli in the brown butter sage sauce. Do this in batches to prevent them from sticking.
- Top with extra grated Parmigiano cheese and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Suggested Tools for Making Ravioli
- Pasta Machine (affiliate): I love this, as it’s a big time saver! I like to roll my pasta out to number 6-7 on my machine. (Typically, pasta machines go from 0/1 to a 9/10.) Rolling the dough too thin results in the filling breaking the dough.
- Rolling Pin: You can also make homemade pasta with a rolling pin; instructions for that are on my pasta dough recipe as well!
- Ravioli Shaping: You can use a ravioli mold or ravioli stamps (affiliate) to make the ravioli and achieve the shape you desire.
Butternut Squash Ravioli FAQs
A buttery or cream-based sauce tastes the best on butternut squash ravioli. I like using a simple mixture of browned butter, fresh sage leaves, black pepper, and finely grated Parmigiano (Parmesan) cheese.
Serve butternut squash ravioli with a tossed green salad, roasted vegetables, and fresh homemade bread. I love serving this with salads like beet salad with goat cheese or fall harvest salad, and a roasted veggie like roasted green beans or vegetable au gratin. Enjoy some no knead ciabatta bread on the side.
If you aren’t eating the ravioli the same day, it is best to freeze them right away for another time. If the fresh ravioli sit in the fridge for too long, the filling might make the pasta dough soggy.
To freeze ravioli, sprinkle them with semolina flour. Lay them flat on a cookie sheet in an even layer and freeze. Once they are frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 2 months.
To cook ravioli from frozen, do not thaw or defrost! Simply cook straight from frozen in salted boiling water. Cook for about 5-6 minutes until they rise to the top and are al dente.
Serving Suggestions
Serve fresh ravioli with one of my Best Side Dishes to Serve with Ravioli and a piece of Italian Focaccia Bread. If you want to add protein, make some Breaded Chicken Cutlets. Serve with a slice of Italian Apple Cake or Classic Italian Tiramisu for dessert.
My Pro Tips
Expert Tips
- Use semolina flour to prevent sticking when rolling out the pasta dough.
- Make sure the filling is not too wet. If it is, the ravioli won’t seal, and the filling will leak out of the fresh pasta.
- Make sure the filling doesn’t puncture the pasta dough. Avoid putting raw vegetables or large chunks of cooked meats in the filling.
- Cook the ravioli in batches in a large pot of boiling salted water. If you put too many in at once, they will stick together and not cook evenly. Stir gently at the beginning of cooking.
- Lightly coat cooked ravioli in the sage brown butter sauce while waiting for the rest of the pasta to cook. This will prevent them from sticking together. Use a slotted spoon or strainer to transfer the cooked ravioli to the pan of sauce.
Other Italian Pasta Recipes You’ll Love
💙 MADE THIS RECIPE AND LOVED IT? 💙 Please leave a ⭐️STAR rating and COMMENT below- I love connecting with you! Tag me with your creations on Instagram and find me on Pinterest.
Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage Butter Sauce
Ingredients
For the Pasta Dough
- 14.1 ounces Caputo 00 flour, you can also use all purpose flour; weigh on a scale for accuracy
- 4 large eggs
- semolina flour, for dusting
For the Butternut Squash Filling (Enough for ~50 Small Ravioli)
- 1 medium butternut squash, about 4 cups, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling the squash
- ½ cup onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons Parmigiano cheese, or Pecorino Romano cheese
- 1 pinch nutmeg, to taste
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the Brown Butter Sauce
- 4 tablespoons good quality salted butter
- 5-6 fresh sage leaves
- freshly ground black pepper, if desired
- Parmigiano cheese, for serving
Instructions
Preparing the Pasta Dough
- Make 1 batch of this homemade pappardelle pasta dough with my recipe; just don't cut it in strips. Let the dough rest in a ball while you make the ravioli filling.
Make the Filling
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
- Peel the butternut squash and cut it into 1-inch cubes, discarding seeds. (You can also use pre-cut butternut squash.) Toss with a bit of olive oil, spread on the foil-lined tray, and bake for about 30 minutes until soft and golden. Set aside to cool slightly.
- In a small skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until slightly golden, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Set aside.
- In a food processor or blender, combine the cooked squash, onion, garlic, Parmigiano, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Pulse until smooth. Cover and place in refrigerator until ready to use for filling the ravioli.
Making the Ravioli
- Divide the rested dough into four parts. Roll each piece in the pasta machine to 6-7 setting or desired thickness (not too thin). Only roll dough one section at a time, and cover the rest of the dough with plastic wrap as you fill the pasta sheets with filling, or the dough will dry out.
- Place the prepared pasta sheet on top of the ravioli maker in a single layer. (The dough will hang over the edges.) Place the plastic holder with indent over the pasta sheet. Using light pressure press down on the dough. This creates little pockets for the filling.
- Fill the ravioli with a small mound of filling, about 1 heaping teaspoon per ravioli. Do not overfill, or they will be hard to seal and spill out the sides.
- Place the second sheet of dough directly over the first. Get rid of air pockets by pressing down gently on the dough. With a rolling pin, press down gently and roll on top of the second pasta sheet to cut and seal the edges.
- When you're done, turn over the ravioli maker and the individual ravioli will pop out sealed and cut! If they don't come out, gently wiggle them until they come off from the mold.
- Place the uncooked ravioli on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper and semolina flour. Cover with a clean and light kitchen towel until ready to cook.
- To cook the ravioli, boil them in batches in a large pot of salted water for about 3-5 minutes, or until they float to the top. Coat each batch with the brown butter sauce when it's done cooking to prevent sticking.
Making the Brown Butter Sage Sauce
- Place all brown butter sauce ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat and cook until the butter turns dark brown and golden color. (You can also microwave it for 1 minute at a time until the butter turns slightly brown; be careful not to let it burn!) Add fresh ground pepper to taste, if desired.
- Toss the hot ravioli in brown butter sage sauce and top with extra grated Parmigiano cheese. Serve immediately and enjoy. Mangia! (Eat!)
Notes
- Use semolina flour to prevent sticking when rolling out the pasta dough.
- Make sure the filling is not too wet. If it is, the ravioli won’t seal, and the filling will leak out of the fresh pasta.
- Make sure the filling doesn’t puncture the pasta dough. Avoid putting raw vegetables or large chunks of cooked meats in the filling.
- Cook the ravioli in batches in a large pot of boiling salted water. If you put too many in at once, they will stick together and not cook evenly. Stir gently at the beginning of cooking.
- Lightly coat cooked ravioli in the sage brown butter sauce while waiting for the rest of the pasta to cook. This will prevent them from sticking together. Use a slotted spoon or strainer to transfer the cooked ravioli to the pan of sauce
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I got the opportunity to learn how to make this from Elena her self. To say this ravioli is life-changing would be an understatement. Beyond incredible.
This ravioli is so full of flavor and is as deliciously authentic as anything Iโve eaten in Italy. The flavors of the butternut, browned butter and sage marry so well together, this is a recipe I will come back to often, it was a big hit with my entire family! So delicious!!
So happy everyone loved it. It is perfect for the fall season. I feel like I am home in Italy every time I eat any homemade ravioli. Now you need to try the ricotta and spinach variety! Enjoy.
This pasta was heavenly!! So so yummy. Thank you so much for having us in your class- so fun to see you work your magic!
Happy you love it Rach! It is a well-loved recipe. Here’s to creating more memories in the kitchen!
What a fun class! So glad we were able to come and learn from a pasta/Italian pro! Can’t wait to make this at home ASAP! And the crispy sage–heavenly! Thank you so much.
You are welcome it was a wonderful class. The sage brown butter is heaven. Try it with the butternut squash risotto recipe. You will LOVE! It is perfect for the fall/winter season.
This recipe was delicious and the ravioli class was so fun! Iโll definitely be subscribing to make sure I get all future recipes! Thanks Elena for making cooking fun and delicious
So happy you loved the class and recipe. Here is to many more pasta memories!
This ravioli is without a doubt one of the best dishes I have eaten. The bonus is you don’t have to go to an expensive Italian Restaurant. Elena makes it fun and very easy to make. If you get a chance to sign up for one of her pasta making classes…do it without hesitation. You come away with the confidence to make your own yummy pasta and then there is no going back!!
So happy you loved the restaurant-quality ravioli recipe! They are easier to make than you’d think and you can’t beat homemade ravioli with the experience it brings as well as a delicious meal.
Every minute was so fun! Thanks for sharing your talents with us your, you are adorable!
Thanks Michelle! So lovely to see you.