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There is something undeniably comforting about a bowl of creamy butternut squash ravioli bathed in golden brown butter. Add in sweet dried cranberries, candied pecans and crispy sage and you've got a meal that feels gourmet but is simple enough for a weeknight. This recipe includes directions for making your own homemade butternut squash ravioli, but you could also make it using your favorite fresh store-bought ravioli to make this delicious recipe even simpler.
This butternut squash ravioli is rich and creamy and decadent. It is topped with a brown butter sauce, and then cranberries, candied pecans and crispy sage which all add texture to the salty, slightly sweet butternut squash and mascarpone filling. Smooth, creamy, crunchy, salty, sweet, tart- you'll find every single one of these in this one recipe!
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Quick and Elegant- If you make the ravioli ahead of time, you can have a beautiful and impressive meal in less than 30 minutes.
- Versatility- Of course it can be an amazing main course meal with a salad. But, it would also be perfect served as a single ravioli for an amuse-bouche presented to each guest before the main course. No matter how you serve it, I am pretty sure you are going to get requests for more.
- Meal Prep- These ravioli can last in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also make the ravioli and then freezer them before you boil them, and freeze them for up to 6 months! Then when you want to eat them, simply boil the frozen ravioli and make the sauce at that time.
- Fall Flavors- This Roasted Butternut Squash Ravioli has a nutty sage brown butter Sauce and is with topped dried cherries and candied pecans to create huge of flavor and texture. It is so decadent! The salty, slightly sweet filling of the butternut squash and mascarpone combined with the rich, buttery sage sauce is elevated by the texture of the dried cherries and candied pecans. It is something that I believe you will want to add to your arsenal of go to fall recipes.
I posted a recipe for a super easy fresh pasta dough a while back and that is the perfect start to this recipe. It is super easy, but it does take a little bit of time. So, if you are short on time, you can use your favorite store bought ravioli and follow the recipe for the crispy sage, cherries, candied pecans and brown butter sauce. It will still be delish!
If you choose to make your own ravioli, you can have fun with the ravioli shapes. I like using my heart shaped cookie cutter for special date night dishes. (Honestly, I may be more impressed by it than Trav, but it's still fun!๐)
Ingredients
- Fresh Pasta- Use this super easy pasta recipe, or use your favorite store bought ravioli
- Butternut Squash
- Marscapone
- Garlic
- Shallot
- Nutmeg
- Grated Parmesan
- Brown Sugar
- Olive Oil
- Salt
- Butter
- Candied Pecans
- Dried Cherries or Cranberries
- Fresh Sage
How to cook Butternut Squash
There are tons of different ways to cook butternut squash. It can be cubed and roasted, it can be roasted whole, or as we are doing in this recipe, it can be halved and roasted.
By cutting the squash in half and roasting, it keeps the moisture in and creates a creamier, moister (ew, sorry), and more tender squash which is the perfect texture for a butternut squash ravioli filling.
This method is incredibly easy and a lot less time consuming, and labor intensive than having to peel, cut, and cube the squash. So it is a win all around!
Option 1: Roasting Butternut squash Halves (recommended)
To cut the squash, cut ยฝ inch off of the top and bottom so that both ends are flat. This will give you a sturdy end to stand the squash on while you cut it in half the long way.
Scoop out the seeds and the stringy part and toss, (or set the seeds aside to roast later!).
Rub cut sides with olive oil and sprinkle them with a little salt and pepper. Then place the squash, cut side down on a baking sheet or baking dish.
In the little indent in the squash, where the seeds and stringy part was, place the garlic cloves and shallot. This little cave will help roast soft and creamy garlic and shallots that you don't even have to peel! They will cook in their skin and then will be soft and easy to peel when they are cooked.
Roast in a 400ยฐF preheated oven for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, use a knife to pierce the squash to check its doneness. The skin should be slightly browned and the knife should easily slice all the way through the squash.
Option 2: Roasting diced butternut squash
These days, there are so many places that you can buy already peeled and cubed butternut squash. How nice is that!? So if you'd like to go this route, easy peasy!
Toss 4 cups of cubed squash with a couple tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper and the fresh thyme leaves.
Place it on a parchment lined baking sheet with the whole (unpeeled) shallot and garlic cloves.
Roast in a 400ยฐF oven for 25-35 minutes, until you can easily pierce a piece of squash with your fork.
Option 3: Microwave Option
I would recommend one of the oven roasting methods if at all possible. Microwaving doesn't caramelize the squash quite like roasting it does, but in this recipe, that doesn't make too much difference. So, if you would rather microwave the squash, it is a good option.
To do this, cut and prep the squash as instructed above. Then, place it cut side down on a microwave safe plate and microwave on 100% power for 15-20 minutes, checking the squash every 5 minutes. When the flesh is soft and can be easily pierced with a knife all the way through, it is done.
How to make this ravioli filling
Once the squash, garlic and shallot are roasted, the hard part is over!
Simply process the squash, shallots, garlic, parmesan, brown sugar nutmeg, marscapone, and salt into a food processor for 30-60 seconds until the filling is smooth and creamy.
If you don't have a food processor, no big deal! You can use a stand mixer, hand mixer, or even a plain old potato masher and some elbow grease! I have found that mixers don't work too well for this because there isn't much liquid and it has a hard time blending. But there are definitely options! However you do it, just process it until everything is well combined and lump free.
Once it is done, put it in the fridge to chill while you roll out your pasta sheets.
How to roll out the pasta
Fresh pasta is so incredibly easy to make, and actually really fun. The hardest part, which doesn't have to be hard at all, is kneading the dough. But you can use a stand mixer with a dough hook to make this a breeze.
Otherwise just roll up your sleeves, take off your rings and bracelets and get to kneading! I promise it's worth it. ๐
Check out this recipe for the fresh pasta dough.
Follow the instructions through step 10. If you don't have a pasta roller, and you have a little more energy left, you can roll the dough with a rolling pin. I'm not going to lie, this is not super fun. So, if you have the option at all, I recommend buying a pasta roller.
There are stand mixer attachments, but they tend to be pretty pricey, and you have to have a stand mixer that is compatible, but what I use and highly recommend, is this Marcato Atlas Pasta Roller. It is relatively inexpensive, and you can find it on Amazon with that affiliate link. It rolls several different pasta shapes such as fettuccine and spaghetti, and in this case, sheets for ravioli.
So once you have followed the pasta recipe through step 10, you should have 4 long sheets of pasta dough.
How to fill the ravioli
Lay your four sheets of pasta on a well floured surface. Otherwise your pasta will stick to the counter and it is hard to get off without ruining your ravioli shape.
Spoon about a tablespoon of filling 2 inches apart on 2 of the sheets of pasta. Then take the other two sheets and place them on top.
Lightly press the pasta down around the filling dots. This will keep the filling from leaking out when it is boiling in the water.
How to Cut out the ravioli
You can find ravioli cutters in kitchen stores, or on Amazon, but there are other options! You can use a pizza roller, a knife, or a cookie cutter. I love using a heart shaped cookie cutter when I'm cooking for date night. It takes zero effort, but adds a sweet touch!
Cut your ravioli out, making sure that all of the edges are sealed. It's the absolute worst when you lose a ravioli to a leaky seal, and it is so simple to avoid.
In the pictures below, with the heart shaped ravioli, I pressed the edges with my fingers, but in the square ravioli, I used a fork to press down on the edges. Not only does it seal them up, but it adds a pretty decorative edge to the pasta. It's just another way to add a little something special with minimal effort!
How to Put it all together
Step 1: Cook the Ravioli
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Then lower the heat so that it is a very slow boil. Add a large pinch of salt. Cook the ravioli for 4 minutes.
Step 2: Brown the Butter
While the ravioli is boiling, make the brown butter sauce.
In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Once melted, add sage leaves and let them crisp for about 1 minutes while the butter begins to foam. Remove the sage leaves and set aside on a paper towel. Stir the butter occasionally, watching for it to turn golden brown and smell nutty (about 4โ5 minutes).
The milk solids will brown and settle on the bottom. These brown bits are where some of the good flavor comes from!
Step 3: Add Flavor and Texture
Stir the dried cherries and candied pecans into the brown butter. Let them warm through for about a minute, then add the cooked ravioli directly into the pan. Toss gently to coat.
Step 4: Serve
Plate the ravioli, spooning extra brown butter and toppings over each serving. Finish with the crispy sage leaves, some freshly grated Parmesan, and cracked pepper.
Serve and enjoy!
Frequently asked questions
The uncooked ravioli can be frozen for up to 2 months in a zip-loc freezer bag or snap lock container. When you are ready to eat it, you can boil it from frozen, then follow the recipe for the sauce and yummy toppings.
Butternut squash ravioli goes well with green salads, such as this Roasted Delicata Squash Salad with Maple Dijon Dressing, and a big piece of crusty bread to sop up all of the good sauce.
More Fall Recipes
- Butternut Squash Soup with Crispy Black Lentils- This is my current favorite recipe. If nothing else, make the crispy lentils! They are so so so good.
- Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese- A delicious way to sneak nutrition into mac and cheese.
- Roasted Delicata Squash Salad with Maple Dijon Dressing- The best fall salad!
- Dead Man's Last Request Bourbon Cocktail- This is a super spooky fall cocktail.
I hope you enjoyed this yummy fall recipe! I'd love to hear from you in the comments below. Thank you and thank you for visiting Mollie in Montana~*!โฅ๏ธ
๐ Recipe
Butternut squash Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 lbs butternut squash, cut in half the long way (you can also use pre-cut chunks of butternut squash)
- Use the recipe linked in the instructions section below or the notes at the bottom for pasta dough.
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 shallot bulb (half of a shallot)
- ยฝ teaspoon sea salt
- ยฝ cup mascarpone
- ยผ cup grated parmesan
- ยผ cup brown sugar
- โ teaspoon nutmeg
Sage Brown Butter Sauce
- ยฝ cup butter
- 10-20 sage leaves
- ยผ cup dried cherries or cranberries
- ยผ cup candied pecans
Instructions
- preheat oven to 400โ.
- Cut top and bottom ยฝ inch off of butternut squash, and then cut the squash in half vertically so you have two long halves. Scrape out the seeds and stringy part.
- Rub cut side of squash with olive oil and salt and pepper.
- Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet with the cut side down.
- Drizzle the garlic cloves and shallot with oilve oil and place them in the indent (cave) of the squash.
- Prick the skin of the squash with a couple of times with a fork and bake the squash for 40 minutes until the skin is starting to brown.
- Let the squash, shallots and garlic cool for about 30 minutes.
- While the squash is cooling, use this recipe to make the pasta. While the pasta dough is resting, continue making the filling.
- To make the filling, scrape the cooked butternut squash, shallots, and garlic into a food processor. Add the marscapone, parmesan, salt, brown sugar and nutmeg and process for 30-60 seconds until filling is smooth and creamy.
- place the filling in the fridge while you roll out your pasta. Follow the pasta recipe up through step 9 where you make the pasta sheets.
- Place the 4 pasta sheets on a generously floured counter.
- Place 1 tablespoon portions of filling, about 2 inches apart, on two of the pasta sheets.
- Carefully lay the remaining two pasta sheets over the pasta with the filling. Gently press the pasta down around each of the filling mounds to create a seal.
- Then, use a ravioli stamp, pizza cutter, knife or cookie cutter to cut out each of the raviolis. Be careful to leave about ยฝ inch of pasta around the the filling so it doesn't leak.
- Let the raviolis rest while you bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- While the water is heating, melt ยฝ cup butter in a large skillet on medium high heat.
- Once the butter has melted, add the sage leaves and let them fry for 30 seconds, then remove them and let them cool on a paper towel. Turn the burner off while you wait for the pasta.
- Once the water has come to boil, turn it down so that it is a very slow boil. If it is too violent of a boil, it will break the raviolis. So you want a gentle boil.
- Add the raviolis and boil for 4 minutes. While they are boiling, turn the burner with the melted butter on to medium low heat.
- When the ravioli is done, drain it and add it to the pan with the melted butter. Add the dried cherries, and candied pecans and gently toss so that the raviolis are evenly coated with the butter sauce.
- Spoon everything onto a serving dish, and top with crispy sage and shaved parmesan cheese.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
Notes:
- Fresh Pasta Recipe
- Storing Options- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days. The sauce doesnโt freeze well, but unbaked ravioli can stored be stored in a ziploc freezer bag or snap lock container and frozen for up to 2 months.
- To reheat, gently warm in a skillet on the stove. Add a little olive oil or butter to refresh the sauce.
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