Butternut Squash Ravioli Sage (Printable Version)
Tender ravioli stuffed with roasted butternut squash and creamy ricotta in sage-infused brown butter sauce.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta Dough
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
02 - 3 large eggs
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Filling
04 - 1 medium butternut squash (approximately 1.5 lbs), peeled and cubed
05 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
06 - 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
07 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
08 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
→ Sage Butter Sauce
11 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter
12 - 12 fresh sage leaves
13 - Salt, to taste
14 - Black pepper, to taste
→ For Serving
15 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese
16 - Freshly ground black pepper
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss cubed butternut squash with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread evenly on a baking sheet and roast for 25 to 30 minutes until tender and caramelized. Allow to cool slightly.
02 - On a clean surface, mound flour and create a well in the center. Add eggs and salt into the well. Gradually incorporate the flour into the eggs using a fork, then knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth. Wrap in plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
03 - Mash the roasted butternut squash until smooth. Stir in ricotta, Parmesan, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper until well combined and creamy. Set aside.
04 - Roll out the rested dough on a floured surface to about 1/16 inch thickness. Place small mounds (approximately 1 teaspoon) of filling 1.5 inches apart on one sheet. Brush around the filling with water, cover with another sheet, and press to seal. Cut into ravioli shapes using a cutter or knife. Place on a floured surface and cover with a towel.
05 - In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add sage leaves and cook until butter turns golden brown and sage crisps, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
06 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil. Cook ravioli in batches for 2 to 3 minutes until they float. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer directly to the sage butter sauce. Toss gently to coat.
07 - Plate ravioli while warm. Garnish with extra grated Parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
# Expert Insights:
01 -
- The butternut squash becomes naturally sweet and creamy when roasted, so the filling practically makes itself.
- Brown butter with sage is honestly one of the easiest sauces that tastes like you spent hours on it.
- Homemade ravioli feels fancy but isn't actually complicated once you get the hang of sealing them.
- This dish converts skeptics—I've watched people who claim they don't like squash come back for seconds.
02 -
- The pasta dough needs that 30-minute rest—skipping it makes rolling nearly impossible, and I learned this the hard way.
- Brown butter goes from golden to burnt in about 30 seconds, so don't walk away; stand there and watch it happen, and pull it off heat when it smells nutty and looks amber colored.
- If you're nervous about sealing ravioli, slightly damp fingers and a fork work just as well as a fancy cutter—I've made beautiful ravioli with both methods.
03 -
- If your butter starts to smell burnt rather than nutty, pour it out and start fresh—there's no fixing it, and burnt butter will ruin the whole dish.
- Gently moving the ravioli with a wooden spoon as they cook prevents them from sticking to the bottom of the pot.