Butternut Squash Ravioli is your favorite fall pasta … PLUS homemade dough that puts the shop-bought stuff to shame! A few things make this filling extra good - steaming (not roasting) the squash, real Parmesan, and a whisper of cinnamon you won't even clock as cinnamon. Because tender little pasta pillows deserve the BEST filling!
Butternut Squash Ravioli
Silky homemade pasta, stuffed with a butternut squash and ricotta filling that's creamy without being heavy, then tossed through brown butter until it's downright dangerous to walk away from. That's this recipe here - Butternut Squash Ravioli with Brown Butter Sage Sauce. A proper weekend project that pays you back tenfold.
Yes, it takes a bit of time. But most of that time is hands-off (dough resting, squash simmering) and none of it requires special skill. If you can knead bread dough and use a fork, you're qualified.
Let's talk about that brown butter
Butter melted is just melted butter. Butter cooked a little further starts foaming, the milk solids drop and turn golden, and suddenly you've got something nuttier and way more interesting. It happens in minutes, so stay by the stove - walk away and it goes from golden to burnt shockingly fast. Add the olive oil once it's browned to stretch the sauce and mellow it out. Want more sage flavor? Once the butter's browned, bump the heat slightly and fry a few whole sage leaves right in it - they go crisp, the oil soaks up their flavor, and it's a small move with a big payoff.
What you need for Butternut Squash Ravioli
This recipe calls for a few things that instant ravioli never bothers with - fresh sage, real Parmesan, a touch of cinnamon. These are exactly what makes homemade taste like homemade. Don't skip them!
- Butternut squash - fresh is best, but frozen works too (just drain off any extra water before mixing the filling, or you'll end up with a soggy mess);
- Water - just enough to steam the squash gently in a covered pot. No caramelization here - we want the squash flavour clean so it doesn't fight the cheese;
- Ricotta cheese - full fat, please. Low fat ricotta is watery and won't hold the filling together properly. In a pinch, small curd cottage cheese blitzed a few times in the food processor works too;
- Parmesan - grate your own if you can. Pre-grated stuff is coated in anti-caking powder and never melts into the filling the way freshly grated does;
- Sage - this is THE herb for butternut squash, full stop. Parsley or chives work if sage isn't your thing, but you're missing out;
- Garlic - fresh, jarred, whatever's in your fridge. Nobody's checking;
- Sea salt - my go-to, but table salt works 1:1. Using kosher? Cut back to ¾ teaspoon in the filling since the crystals are bigger;
- Cinnamon - just ½ teaspoon, and it's not there to make things sweet. It's there to make people ask "wait, what IS that?" while they go back for seconds;
- All-purpose flour - pantry-standard, no special trip needed. If you happen to have 00 flour sitting around, use it - it's milled finer and gives you a silkier dough;
- Eggs - large, straight from the fridge is fine;
- Olive oil - a decent one, in a tin or dark bottle with a single country of origin. It's going into the dough AND the sauce, so don't reach for the cheap stuff; and
- Salted butter - the star of the sauce. Unsalted works too, just season the finished sauce to taste.
How to make Butternut Squash Ravioli
Steam the squash - covered pot, medium heat, about 15 minutes until a fork slides through with zero resistance. Rushing this step just gives you gritty filling later.
Mash and mix the filling - smash the cooled squash with a fork (a little texture is good, don't overwork it), then stir through the ricotta, Parmesan, sage, garlic, salt and cinnamon. Into the fridge it goes while you tackle the dough.
Build the pasta dough - flour and salt in a bowl, well in the centre, eggs and oil go in, then it's whisked and kneaded until smooth and tacky (not sticky - there's a difference and your hands will know it);
Chill the dough - 20 minutes minimum. This is non-skippable - the gluten needs to relax or the dough will spring back on you every time you try to roll it thin;
Roll it thin - through a pasta machine, widest setting down to the thinnest, folding once early on for clean edges. You'll know it's thin enough when you can see your hand through it;
Fill and seal - dollops of filling on one sheet, a second sheet on top, press out every bit of trapped air (this matters - air pockets can blow out the seal in boiling water).
Then cut into individual ravioli.
To do it by hand: I used a finger to run water around the seams before I folded the dough in half. Then I used my fingers to shape around the squash filling.
Boil, then sauce - ravioli go into boiling water for about 3 minutes until they float, then straight into a skillet of brown butter and olive oil for a proper toss.
Butternut Squash Ravioli with Brown Butter Sage Sauce
Ingredients
Filling
- ½ lb butternut squash diced into ½ inch cubes (about half a squash)
- ⅓ cup water
- 1 cup ricotta cheese full fat
- ⅓ cup parmesan cheese finely grated
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage finely chopped
- 2 teaspoon garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Pasta Dough
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Brown Butter Sage Sauce
- ½ cup salted butter 1 stick
- ¼ cup olive oil
- fresh sage leaves for garnish
Instructions
Make the Filling
- Add the butternut squash and water to a large pot, cover, and simmer over medium heat for about 15 minutes, until the squash is very soft and easily pierced with a fork.
- Mash the squash with a fork and let it cool completely.
- Once cooled, mix in the ricotta, parmesan, sage, garlic, salt, and cinnamon until evenly combined.
- Refrigerate the filling while you make the pasta dough.
Make the Pasta Dough
- Whisk the flour and salt together in a large bowl.
- Make a well in the center and add the eggs and olive oil.
- Beat the eggs and oil with a fork, gradually drawing in flour from the edges until a shaggy dough forms.
- Knead the dough until smooth and elastic, tacky but not sticky, dusting hands lightly with flour only if needed.
- Press the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
- Divide the chilled dough into 4 equal pieces on a lightly floured surface.
- Pass each piece through a pasta machine at the widest setting 2-3 times.
- Fold the sheet into thirds for clean edges, then pass it through 2-3 more times.
- Gradually narrow the machine setting, passing the dough through each level, until the sheet is thin enough to see your hand through it.
Fill and Shape the Ravioli
- Lay one pasta sheet on a lightly floured surface.
- Add scant tablespoon-sized dollops of filling about 1 inch apart across the sheet.
- Lightly brush the exposed pasta between the filling mounds with a little water to help the top sheet seal completely.
- Top with a second pasta sheet and press gently around each mound of filling to push out any trapped air before sealing.
- Cut into individual ravioli with a ravioli cutter or sharp knife, pressing the edges firmly to seal.
- For a crimped edge, press the tines of a fork along each knife-cut side.
Cook and Serve
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer just before adding the ravioli.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat, stirring gently with a rubber spatula until it foams and the milk solids turn light golden brown.
- Stir the olive oil into the browned butter and keep the sauce warm over low heat.
- Lower the ravioli into the simmering water in batches so they have room to move freely, and cook for about 3 minutes, until they float to the surface.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the ravioli directly into the sauce.
- Toss gently to coat, garnish with fresh sage, and serve immediately.
Success tips
- Don't rush the squash - it needs to be seriously soft, easily pierced, no resistance. Short on time? Microwave it with a splash of water for 10 minutes at 50% power instead;
- Flour lightly, not heavily - too much flour while kneading dries the dough out and makes it crack instead of stretch;
- Tacky is the goal, not sticky - humid kitchen? Add flour a tablespoon at a time until it behaves. Dry kitchen? You might need a few drops of water;
- Chill the dough. Always. It's the difference between dough that rolls out easily and dough that fights you the whole way;
- Long pasta sheets are unwieldy - cut them in half. There's zero prize for wrestling a three-foot strip of dough; and
- Press before you cut - any air trapped around the filling can pop the seal open in the boiling water. Press firmly but gently around each mound first.
What to serve with Butternut Squash Ravioli
This pasta is rich enough to be the star, but a few sides round out the meal properly.
Also good with:
- a simple green salad - olive oil, lemon juice, done. You need something bright to cut through the butter;
- crusty bread - for mopping up every last bit of that brown butter sauce (non-negotiable in my kitchen, sauce this good does not get left behind);
- a crisp white wine - something with a hint of apple works beautifully against the sage and butter; and
- roasted butternut squash on the side - olive oil, salt, dried sage or Italian seasoning, roasted 20-30 minutes until golden - for anyone who wants double the squash.
Variations
- Swap the brown butter for a butternut squash pasta sauce, a good tomato sauce, or pesto if you want something more herb-forward;
- Use acorn squash or pumpkin instead of butternut (strain canned pumpkin well first - it holds a shocking amount of water); and
- Finish with toasted pumpkin seeds, pine nuts or walnuts for crunch. Texture matters as much as flavor here.
Storage
Once cooled completely, leftover ravioli keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To reheat:
- Stovetop: Warm in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water, covered, for 8-10 minutes.
- Microwave: Heat on a microwave-safe plate at 50% power for 4 minutes, then let stand 1 minute.
To freeze: Arrange uncooked ravioli on a parchment-lined sheet pan and freeze for 1 hour, until solid. Transfer to a labeled freezer bag and store up to 2 months. Cook straight from frozen - no thawing needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use cottage cheese instead of ricotta?
Small-curd cottage cheese works in a pinch. Pulse it a few times in a blender or food processor first for a smoother texture.
Why steam the squash instead of roasting it?
Steaming keeps the flavor clean and lets the ricotta and Parmesan lead. Roasting adds caramelization that competes with the filling instead of supporting it.
What if my dough feels too sticky?
Add flour one tablespoon at a time while kneading. Humidity in your kitchen affects this more than the recipe itself does.
Do I need a pasta machine?
No - a rolling pin gets the job done, just with a thicker, more rustic sheet of pasta.
Can kids help make this?
The dough is genuinely kid-friendly to knead and shape, and kids who help fill the ravioli are often more willing to eat the squash inside it.
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