Are you ready to create the ultimate cozy and elegant pasta dish to celebrate the delicious flavors of fall? A meal so creamy, so luxurious, and so packed with the incredible, warm flavors of the season, it will taste like it came from a high-end Italian restaurant? This amazing, from-scratch-tasting Creamy Butternut Squash Ravioli is that perfect meal. We’re talking tender, cheese-filled ravioli, enrobed in the most luscious, velvety, and savory butternut squash and sage sauce you’ve ever had.
This isn’t just another pasta recipe; it’s your new secret weapon for a quick, easy, and stunningly delicious dinner. We’ll show you the simple but crucial secrets to a flawless, from-scratch cream sauce that is bursting with the best flavors of autumn. This is a satisfying, one-pan (mostly!) meal that is perfect for a busy weeknight but sophisticated enough for a special occasion.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: The Ultimate Cozy & Elegant Fall Pasta
What makes this Butternut Squash Ravioli so spectacularly delicious is its incredible, rich flavor and its wonderfully velvety texture. This recipe is a masterpiece of cozy, autumnal flavors. The heart and soul of the dish is the luscious, from-scratch butternut squash sauce. A savory base of sautéed shallots and garlic is simmered with tender cubes of butternut squash in a savory broth. The entire mixture is then blended into a perfectly smooth and creamy sauce, enriched with salty, nutty Parmesan cheese and infused with the classic, earthy aroma of fresh sage and thyme. This beautiful, vibrant orange sauce is the perfect partner for tender, store-bought cheese ravioli.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 35 minutes |
| Active Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
| Servings | 4 |
The Essential Ingredients for This Cozy Skillet
This iconic dish uses a handful of high-quality pantry staples and fresh ingredients to create its signature comforting and savory flavor.
- The Creamy Butternut Squash Sauce (The Star of the Show!):
- Fresh Butternut Squash: This is the sweet and savory star of our dish. For an even deeper, more caramelized flavor, you can roast the butternut squash instead of simmering it. However, the simmering method is a fantastic and fast way to get it perfectly tender for the sauce. Pre-cubed butternut squash from the grocery store is a brilliant time-saver!
- The “Secret” Creaminess: This sauce achieves its luxurious texture without any heavy cream! The creaminess comes from the brilliant technique of blending the tender, cooked squash with the savory broth and salty Parmesan cheese until it is impossibly smooth and velvety.
- Fresh Herbs: The classic, non-negotiable herb pairing for any butternut squash dish. The warm, earthy, and slightly peppery aroma of fresh sage and thyme is the perfect complement to the sweet squash.
- The Ravioli:
- Refrigerated Cheese Ravioli: This is a brilliant and easy shortcut that makes this soup so special! Using a 1-pound package of your favorite brand of high-quality, store-bought, refrigerated cheese ravioli provides the perfect, cheesy, and tender bite that makes this a complete and hearty meal.
Step-by-Step to the Best Butternut Squash Ravioli
This elegant, one-pan (mostly!) meal is incredibly simple to prepare.
Step 1: Cook the Ravioli and Build the Sauce Base
Step 1: First, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook your 16 ounces of cheese ravioli according to the package instructions.
Pro Tip: Just before you drain the ravioli, be sure to reserve at least 1/2 cup of the starchy, salty pasta water. This is a fantastic secret ingredient for thinning your sauce to the perfect consistency later.
Step 2: While the ravioli is cooking, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over a medium heat. Add your 2 diced medium shallots and sauté for about 5 to 7 minutes, until they have softened and are translucent.
Step 3: Add in the 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, the 1 tablespoon of chopped sage, and the 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme. Continue to sauté for an additional 1 to 2 minutes, until the herbs are very fragrant.
Step 4: Add in your 2 cups of cubed butternut squash and 1/2 cup of the chicken or vegetable broth. Cover the skillet and let the mixture simmer, stirring it occasionally, until the squash is completely fork-tender.
Part 2: Blend to Silky Perfection and Serve
Step 1: Carefully transfer your cooked squash and shallot mixture to a blender. Add all the remaining ingredients for the sauce: the remaining 1/2 cup of broth, the 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese, the 1/2 teaspoon of salt, the 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, and the 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
Pro Tip: For the absolute smoothest, most velvety, restaurant-quality sauce, a high-speed blender is a fantastic tool.
Step 2: Blend the sauce until it is completely smooth and creamy.
Step 3: Combine your beautiful, vibrant orange sauce with your cooked ravioli and toss gently to coat. If your sauce seems too thick, you can add a small splash of your reserved, starchy pasta water to thin it out to your desired, luscious and creamy consistency.
Serve the hot butternut squash ravioli immediately in warm, shallow bowls. Garnish each serving with an extra sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese and some more fresh thyme, if you desire.
Creamy Butternut Squash Ravioli (Easy Recipe!)
A quick and easy vegetarian pasta dish featuring refrigerated cheese ravioli in a homemade, creamy butternut squash sauce. This perfect fall meal starts by creating a flavorful sauce base of sautéed shallots, garlic, and fresh herbs like sage and thyme. Cubed butternut squash is then simmered in broth until fork-tender. The entire mixture is blended with Parmesan cheese until smooth and velvety. The finished sauce is then tossed with the cooked ravioli for a comforting and impressive dinner.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces refrigerated cheese ravioli
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2 medium shallots, diced
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 cups cubed butternut squash
- 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme
- 1 Tablespoon chopped sage
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Cook the cheese ravioli in a large pot of salted water according to the package instructions.
- While the ravioli is cooking, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced shallots and sauté for about 5-7 minutes, until softened.
- Add the minced garlic, chopped sage, and fresh thyme to the skillet. Sauté for an additional 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the cubed butternut squash and 1/2 cup of the broth. Cover the skillet and let it simmer until the squash is fork-tender, stirring occasionally.
- Carefully transfer the cooked squash and shallot mixture from the skillet to a blender. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of broth, the grated Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- Blend until the sauce is completely smooth and creamy, adding more broth if needed to reach your desired consistency.
- Drain the cooked ravioli and combine it with the blended butternut squash sauce. Toss gently to coat.
- Serve immediately, topped with more fresh thyme if desired.
Notes
- This is a quick weeknight meal that uses convenient, store-bought refrigerated ravioli.
- The creaminess of the sauce comes from blending the cooked butternut squash, which is a healthy alternative to using heavy cream.
- A high-powered blender is recommended to get the butternut squash sauce perfectly smooth.
- For a vegetarian version of this dish, be sure to use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
What to Serve With Your Butternut Squash Ravioli
This beautiful and rich dish is a fantastic, all-in-one vegetarian meal. To round it out, here are a few simple and classic pairings:
- Crusty Bread: A side of warm, crusty garlic bread is an absolute must-have for sopping up every last drop of that incredible, creamy and savory sauce.
- A Simple Green Salad: A crisp green salad, especially one with a bright and zesty apple cider vinaigrette, is the perfect, fresh counterpoint to the rich, hearty ravioli.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
- Make-Ahead: For a super-fast and impressive weeknight meal, you can get a head start by preparing the entire creamy butternut squash sauce up to 3 days in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When you are ready to eat, simply reheat the sauce gently on the stovetop while you cook your fresh ravioli.
- Storage: Store any leftover ravioli and sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: The best way to reheat this dish is to do so gently in a skillet on the stovetop over a low heat. Because the ravioli may have absorbed much of the sauce as it sits, you will need to add a generous splash of broth or water to loosen the sauce and bring back its original, creamy consistency.
For more recipe follow my pinterest account
Creative Recipe Variations
- Add a Savory Protein: For a hearty, non-vegetarian version, this creamy pasta is absolutely fantastic with about 1/2 to 1 pound of browned and crumbled sweet or spicy Italian sausage or some crispy, diced pancetta.
- Add a Toasted Nut: For a wonderful textural contrast and an extra layer of fall flavor, you can sprinkle the finished dish with a handful of toasted, chopped walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts.
- Add Some Crispy Sage: For an even more sophisticated, restaurant-quality touch, you can fry a few whole, fresh sage leaves in a little bit of butter in a separate skillet until they are crispy. You can then crumble the crispy leaves over the top of the finished ravioli for a beautiful and fragrant garnish.
Enjoy The Ultimate Cozy Fall Dinner!
You’ve just created a truly special dish that is a perfect harmony of wholesome, classic ingredients and delicious, satisfying flavors. This classic Creamy Butternut Squash Ravioli is a testament to the power of a simple, from-scratch-tasting meal to be both incredibly fast and wonderfully elegant. It’s a rewarding and deeply satisfying recipe that is sure to become a new family favorite for all the cozy days of the year.
We hope you enjoy every last, perfect, and delicious bite!
If you enjoyed making this recipe, please leave a comment below or share it with a friend who loves an easy and impressive meal!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What is the absolute, number one secret to a super creamy, velvety butternut squash sauce without using any cream?
The secret is to blend it well! By simmering your butternut squash until it is very, very tender, and then puréeing it in a high-speed blender with the savory broth and the salty Parmesan cheese, you are creating an impossibly smooth and naturally creamy sauce. The starches in the squash itself are the key to a beautiful, velvety texture.
Q2: Can I make this dish ahead of time for a party?
This dish is at its absolute creamiest and best when it is served fresh from the skillet. However, you can save a ton of time by preparing the entire creamy butternut squash sauce ahead of time and storing it in the refrigerator. Then, when you are ready to eat, you can simply reheat the sauce while you cook your fresh ravioli.
Q3: What is the best and easiest way to peel and cut a butternut squash?
The safest way is to first create a stable base. Use a large, sharp chef’s knife to carefully trim off a thin slice from the bottom and the top stem end of the squash. Then, you can use a sturdy vegetable peeler to peel the tough outer skin. Once it is peeled, you can stand the squash up on one of the flat ends and confidently use your sharp knife to cut it in half, from top to bottom, and then scoop out the seeds before you cube it.
Q4: What is the best kind of ravioli to use for this sauce?
A classic, high-quality, refrigerated four-cheese or a simple ricotta-filled ravioli is the perfect, classic choice. A butternut squash-filled ravioli would also be fantastic for an even more intense, double-dose of fall flavor!
Q5: Can I freeze this sauce?
Yes, the butternut squash sauce freezes beautifully! Let it cool completely, and then you can store it in a freezer-safe container or a resealable bag for up to 3 months. Let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then reheat it gently on the stovetop.