Butternut Squash Ravioli In Brown Butter Sage Sauce

Butternut Squash Ravioli, in a decadent and rich brown butter sage sauce, is the perfect fusion of Italian culinary tradition and vibrant flavors of fall. This butternut squash ravioli sauce is ready in only 20 minutes.

More Fall Pasta Recipes: Pumpkin Pasta Sauce, Squid Ink Pasta, and Penne Pomodoro.

Butternut Squash Ravioli

We opted to go with store bought butternut squash ravioli vs. homemade ravioli. We wanted to provide a quick recipe vs. a labor intense one.

Any brand of pre-made ravioli works in this recipe; any pasta stuffed with a mixture of pureed butternut squash, cheese, and aromatic herbs can’t let ya down. 

We usually pick up a few packages of Trader Joe’s butternut squash ravioli, when in stock, or Rana butternut squash ravioli.

Ingredients

Here are the main simple ingredients to make this quick and easy butternut squash sauce. The entire list of ingredients, for this butternut squash ravioli recipe, is in the recipe card below:

• Butternut Squash Ravioli (store-bought ravioli or homemade ravioli)
• Unsalted Butter
• Fresh Sage Leaves
• Parmesan Cheese or Parmigiano Cheese

Sage Butter

Sage brown butter is a decadently rich and aromatic sauce originating from Italy, often used to heighten the flavors of pasta dishes, vegetables, or meats.

The process involves gently browning butter until it reaches a nutty aroma, after which fresh sage leaves are added and cooked until crisp. 

Sage browned butter sauce adds the perfect balance of sweetness and nuttiness to the dish. It’s a giant step up from the classic garlic butter sauce.

Sauce For Butternut Squash Ravioli

When it comes to making the actual squash ravioli sauce, it’s imperative to brown the butter properly. Burnt butter is not what we’re going for. When browning the butter, keep the below tips in mind:

1. Don’t go over medium heat. Medium-low heat is preferred.
2. Stir constantly to avoid scorching.
3. Don’t panic when you start seeing dark flecks appearing in the bottom of the skillet. Those are toasted milk solids.
4. Aim for a rich acorn brown color. 

This butternut squash ravioli sauce recipe is best enjoyed after making for the best texture. Sage butter sauce does thicken as it sits, so keep some reserved pasta water handy to thin, if needed.

How To Make 

Butternut squash ravioli with sauce is surprisingly easy to make, considering the final flavor and texture of the dish. Here’s a brief overview of the key steps. The full list of instructions are in the recipe card below:

Boil the Ravioli – Boil the raviolis in salted water for 4 minutes, until al dente.

Make the Sage Brown Butter – This is the foundation of the butternut squash sauce. You’ll brown the butter before adding the sage and garlic.

Make the Sauce – Add the parmesan cheese, pasta water and cooked ravioli.

Finishing Touches – Sprinkle sea salt, black pepper and fresh parmesan cheese over the warm noodles and serve immediately for best texture.

Add-in Ideas

Bulk up this butternut squash ravioli with sauce with any of the below:

• Nuts – walnuts or pine nuts would both work well.
• Pangrattato (Italian Bread Crumbs)
• Crispy Pancetta – dice it up and throw in the butter, right before the sage.
• Italian Sausage
• Chicken
• Spinach
• Kale

Variations

Homemade Butternut Squash Ravioli – feel free to make your own ravioli! 

Mushroom Sauce – instead of sage brown butter sauce, consider a creamy mushroom sauce.

Side Dish Ideas

Here are some side dish ideas that would compliment butternut squash ravioli:

• Crusty Bread (Tip- dip it in the sage-infused butter)
• Garlic Bread with Parmesan Cheese
• Roasted Brussel Sprouts – Adds a little crunch to contrast the soft ravioli.
• Grilled Asparagus – A light, healthy side dish that adds a color and crunch.
• Autumn Salad – Make a salad with goat cheese, cranberries and nuts
• Sautéed Mushrooms – Another garlic butter dish is never a bad thing.

Expert Tips

• Frozen ravioli – you can absolutely use frozen ravioli. Just add a minute to the cook time. 
• Generously salt the water with kosher salt before boiling.
• Don’t over-boil the pasta – it will tear and the ravioli filling will spill out.
• Use water, Instant Pot Bone Broth or Vegetable Stock if you forgot to reserve pasta water and you wish to thin the sauce.
• Watch the butter as it cooks. It can be a perfect nutty brown butter one minute, and burnt the next.
• Leftover cooked ravioli will last 3-5 days in the refrigerator.

Drink Pairings

Our favorite wines to pair with sage butter pasta sauce: Dry Chenin Blanc, Dry Riesling, Grüner Veltliner or Viognier.

Butternut Squash Ravioli With Sauce