Have you ever noticed that butternut squash and classic butternutter cookies have surprisingly similar shapes? It always makes me wonder which came first—the name or the inspiration. Whether it’s butternut squash, butternutter cookies, or peanut butter, the similarities always make me smile.
This year’s garden was especially generous thanks to Farmer Fred’s growing expertise. Our squash patch produced an incredible harvest of butternut squash, acorn squash, colorful gourds, and enormous pumpkins. With such an abundant crop, there has been no shortage of delicious ways to enjoy this versatile winter squash.
Butternut squash is one of my favorite seasonal ingredients because it’s naturally sweet, creamy, and packed with nutrients. I love roasting it with herbs for a savory side dish or adding a drizzle of maple syrup and a sprinkle of cinnamon for a comforting fall favorite. It also transforms beautifully into silky butternut squash soup and makes an irresistibly creamy filling when blended with cheese for homemade butternut squash ravioli.
Even after preparing it in so many different recipes, we’re still blessed with plenty of squash to share. I love donating fresh produce to our local food pantry so others can enjoy the harvest too. And if there are still a few butternut squash left after that, don’t be surprised if homemade butternut squash ravioli becomes this year’s holiday gift!
Key Takeaways:
- Roasting butternut squash creates a sweeter, more flavorful filling than steaming or boiling.
- Brown butter and fresh sage are the classic pairing that enhances the squash’s natural sweetness.
- Ricotta and Parmesan add creaminess while helping bind the filling together.
- Nutmeg, garlic, and black pepper provide warmth and balance without overpowering the squash.
- Fresh pasta offers the most tender texture, but wonton wrappers or refrigerated pasta sheets make excellent shortcuts.
- Properly sealing the ravioli prevents the filling from leaking during cooking.
- Cook ravioli gently in lightly boiling water until they float, usually within 3 to 5 minutes.
- Homemade ravioli freezes well before cooking, making it perfect for meal preparation.
- Toasted walnuts, pecans, or pumpkin seeds add a delicious crunchy contrast.
- This dish works equally well as an elegant holiday entrée or a cozy family dinner.
Overview
Butternut squash ravioli is a comforting pasta dish made with a creamy roasted butternut squash filling wrapped in tender pasta. The filling is commonly seasoned with Parmesan or ricotta cheese, nutmeg, garlic, and fresh sage to balance the squash’s natural sweetness. While homemade ravioli delivers the best flavor and texture, high-quality refrigerated or frozen ravioli also makes an excellent shortcut for busy weeknights. Brown butter with crispy sage remains the most popular sauce, but cream sauces, garlic butter, mushroom sauces, and light olive oil-based sauces pair beautifully as well. Roasting the squash instead of boiling it creates a richer, sweeter filling with less moisture, resulting in better-textured ravioli. Leftover ravioli can be refrigerated for several days or frozen for future meals, making this recipe ideal for meal prep and holiday entertaining.
How to Make Fresh Homemade Pasta
Fresh pasta comes together with just three basic ingredients: flour, eggs, and a pinch of salt. While salt is optional—since many cooks prefer adding it to the boiling water instead—it can be included directly in the dough if desired.
Vinny’s grandmother prepared this pasta the traditional way by mixing the eggs into the flour by hand and rolling the dough with a wooden rolling pin. After trying that method myself, I upgraded to a KitchenAid pasta roller and cutter attachment, which makes rolling and cutting fresh pasta much quicker while delivering consistent results.
If you’re looking for my favorite kitchen tools, appliances, and pantry essentials, be sure to visit my Shop My Kitchen page.
Choosing the Best Flour for Pasta
The type of flour you use has a big impact on the texture of homemade pasta. Finely milled Italian 00 flour is widely considered the best choice because it creates a silky, tender dough that’s easy to roll and produces delicate noodles.
If you don’t have 00 flour on hand, unbleached all-purpose flour is an excellent substitute. Simply add about 2 tablespoons of water to achieve the proper dough consistency.
Whole Eggs vs. Egg Yolks
Both whole eggs and egg yolks produce delicious fresh pasta, but each creates a slightly different texture.
Whole eggs add more moisture, making the dough softer, more elastic, and easier to roll. The extra hydration helps develop flexible gluten strands for smooth, tender pasta.
Egg yolks only create a richer, more luxurious dough because they contain more fat and less water. Pasta made with yolks alone has a deeper color and fuller flavor, but it also requires a longer resting time before rolling.
Why Resting the Pasta Dough Matters
After mixing the dough, let it rest for 30 to 60 minutes before rolling it out. This important step allows the flour to fully absorb the moisture while giving the gluten time to relax. As a result, the dough becomes smoother, more pliable, and much easier to roll into thin sheets without shrinking or tearing.
How I Make Perfect Homemade Ravioli
Below is the step-by-step process in photos. For consistently sealed, professional-looking ravioli, I use the Bellemain Ravioli Maker. It creates evenly shaped ravioli that stay securely sealed while boiling, making it one of my favorite kitchen tools. It’s simple to use, budget-friendly, and ideal for both beginners and experienced home cooks. You can find it in my Shop My Kitchen collection under Tools & Utensils.
How to Cook Butternut Squash Ravioli
Bring 4 quarts of salted water to a rolling boil. Carefully add the fresh butternut squash ravioli to the pot. The ravioli will initially sink, then rise to the surface as they cook.
Fresh ravioli: Cook for 5–6 minutes.
Frozen ravioli: Cook for 7 minutes.
Once cooked, drain gently and serve with your favorite sauce. For the ultimate flavor, pair these homemade ravioli with my rich Sage Brown Butter Sauce. Add sun-dried tomatoes for a touch of sweetness and finish with crispy bacon for extra texture and savory flavor.
As Farmer Fred always says, everything tastes even better with bacon!
How to Store Fresh Ravioli
Fresh homemade ravioli stays fresh in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days when stored properly. To prevent the pasta from drying out or sticking together, lightly coat a sheet of plastic wrap with cooking spray and place it on a plate. Arrange about 12 ravioli in a single layer, then cover them with another lightly sprayed sheet of plastic wrap. Continue stacking additional layers using the same method, making sure each layer is separated by the coated plastic wrap. This helps seal in moisture while keeping the ravioli easy to separate.
How to Freeze Ravioli
For the best results, arrange the ravioli in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until completely firm. Once frozen, transfer the ravioli to a vacuum-sealed freezer bag, remove as much air as possible, and seal tightly. Vacuum-sealed ravioli can maintain its best quality for up to 1 year in the freezer.
If you don’t have a vacuum sealer, store the frozen ravioli in a freezer-safe zip-top bag. Press out as much air as possible before sealing. While the ravioli will remain safe to eat for longer if continuously frozen, it is best enjoyed within 1 month for optimal texture and flavor, as freezer burn may begin to develop after 2 to 3 weeks.
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Sage Roasted Butternut Squash Ravioli with Browned Butter
Equipment
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- pasta roller
- Bellemain Ravioli Maker
Ingredients
Ravioli Pasta Dough or Wonton wrappers*
- 2 cups flour Italian 00 (9 ounces)
- 3 eggs large
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp water only add if you use unbleached all-purpose flour
Ravioli Filling
- ½ lbs ricotta cheese about 1 cup
- 1 cup Italian Blend of cheeses A 5 cheese blend
- ½ cup Butternut squash cut into 1-inch cubes and roasted
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp parsley fresh minced
- 1 tsp thyme fresh minced
- salt and pepper to taste
Roasted Butternut squash
Sage Browned Butter
- 4 tbsp butter
- ¼ cup fresh sage cut into ribbons
Instructions
Roasted Butternut squash
- preheat oven to 450 degrees
- toss butternut squash cubes with the sage, olive oil, salt, and pepper
- Roast squash for 20 minutes or until soft on a parchment-covered baking sheet.
- finely dice roasted squash prior to adding to filling.
Ravioli*
- If using Wonton Wrappers, instead of making the ravioli dough. Simply brush the edges of the wonton wrapper with the egg wash, put 1 - 2 teaspoons of the filling on the wrapper, fold the wrapper over to seal and cook the same as the ravioli.
- If making the ravioli dough from scratch:Mix all the pasta dough ingredients together in the bowl of the stand mixer. Knead the dough on medium-low until you have a smooth dough. About 2 minutes. Let the dough rest for 60 minutes
- Mix all the squash-cheese filling ingredients together and set aside.
- Divide the dough into 6 pieces and cover to keep from drying out. Then roll out each piece of dough using the pasta roller attachment until the desired thickness and length are achieved. You can also roll the dough by hand. I use a KitchenAid pasta roller. I start on the #1 setting and stop on the #6 setting. You want a rectangle of pasta that is at least 5 by 13 inches. Use the leftover pieces of dough by gathering them together and rerolling them.
- Spray the metal ravioli mold with some cooking spray and place a sheet of pasta dough over the mold.
- Place the plastic mold over the dough and press it gently down into the metal frame to form the pockets. Remove the plastic mold.
- Fill each ravioli pocket with 1 tbsp three-cheese filling mixture. Brush egg washes on all four sides of the pockets.
- Place one sheet of rolled pasta on top of the filled pockets and seal with a rolling pin. The metal frame will partially cut the ravioli apart when you roll the rolling pin over the filled pockets.
- Invert the metal ravioli frame over and remove. Use a pasta cutter with a scalloped edge to cut the ravioli apart. Save the scraps as they will be enough to make about 12 more ravioli.
- Place the ravioli on parchment paper on a baking sheet. The ravioli can be cooked and eaten now or refrigerated in a covered single layer for 3 days.
- Cook the pasta in 4 quarts of boiling water until the desired doneness. Cook 5 - 6 minutes for fresh pasta or 7 - 8 minutes for frozen pasta.
- Drain into a colander and run under cool water briefly to stop the cooking process.
- Serve with Sage browned butter, 6 pieces of bacon fried until crispy and crumbled on top of the ravioli, and 1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Click here for a video on how to make browned butter.
- Ravioli can be frozen and stored in the freezer in a vacuum bag for 1 year or in a ziplock bag for 3-4 weeks. This recipe yields about 48 ravioli.
Notes
Nutrition
FAQ:
Can I use regular flour instead of “00” flour for pasta dough?
How long should I rest the pasta dough before rolling it out?
How do I ensure my ravioli stay sealed during cooking?
How should I freeze ravioli for long-term storage?
What sauces pair best with butternut squash ravioli?
Final Thoughts
Homemade butternut squash ravioli is a delicious way to transform simple ingredients into an elegant meal that’s perfect for cozy family dinners, holiday gatherings, or special occasions. The naturally sweet, creamy filling pairs beautifully with a light brown butter sage sauce, creating a comforting dish that feels restaurant-worthy without being overly complicated.
Whether you’re using fresh homemade pasta or convenient store-bought wrappers, this recipe is easy to customize with your favorite herbs, cheeses, or toppings. Roasting the butternut squash first enhances its rich, nutty flavor while creating a smooth filling that complements every bite. Similar recipes often highlight roasted squash, sage, Parmesan, and butter as classic flavor pairings because they bring out the squash’s natural sweetness.
If you’re looking for a satisfying vegetarian pasta recipe that’s both comforting and impressive, this butternut squash ravioli deserves a place on your fall and winter menu. Serve it alongside a crisp green salad and warm crusty bread for a complete meal that everyone will remember.
