Description
This Butternut Squash Ravioli recipe features tender homemade pasta stuffed with a smooth, flavorful filling of roasted butternut squash, sage, shallots, and walnuts. The ravioli is served with a fragrant sage and garlic butter sauce enhanced by white wine, topped with crunchy walnuts and optional roasted squash cubes, sautéed kale, and grated pecorino cheese for added richness and texture. A perfect fall-inspired dish that is both comforting and elegant.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Ravioli
- 1 small butternut squash
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- 1 medium shallot, roughly chopped (scant ½ cup)
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled
- ¼ cup loose-packed fresh sage leaves
- 1 recipe Homemade Pasta dough
- ⅓ cup chopped walnuts
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- Pinch nutmeg
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
- Freshly ground black pepper
For the Sauce and Serving
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 10 fresh sage leaves
- 2 tablespoons dry white wine
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup roasted butternut squash cubes (optional)
- ½ bunch sautéed kale (optional)
- Grated pecorino cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat and Roast the Butternut Squash: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the butternut squash in half vertically, scoop out the seeds, then drizzle the flesh with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the squash halves cut-side down on the baking sheet. Prick the skin several times with a fork and roast for 40 minutes until tender.
- Roast Aromatics: Wrap the chopped shallot, garlic cloves, and sage leaves in foil along with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Place the foil packet in the oven and roast for 20 minutes. Once done, allow the roasted squash, shallots, garlic, and sage to cool for at least 30 minutes to make handling easier and to preserve flavor.
- Prepare Pasta Dough: Make the homemade pasta dough following your preferred recipe. Once prepared, wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap and let it rest while you prepare the filling, allowing the gluten to relax and making the dough easier to roll out.
- Make the Filling: In a food processor, pulse the walnuts until very finely ground. Add the roasted shallot, garlic, and sage to the processor. Measure 1½ packed cups of the roasted butternut squash flesh and add it to the processor. Include the apple cider vinegar, nutmeg, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Pulse everything until the mixture becomes very smooth. Chill the filling until ready to use to help it set and ease handling.
- Roll Out Pasta Sheets: Roll out the pasta dough into thin sheets according to your pasta dough recipe instructions, skipping step 5 (folding) and stopping after step 6 when you have flat sheets. Lay 4 sheets on a well-floured surface to prevent sticking.
- Assemble Ravioli: Use a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop to place evenly spaced dollops of filling onto 2 of the pasta sheets, leaving space between each dollop for sealing. Carefully place the remaining two sheets over the sheets with filling. Gently press around each filling mound to seal the ravioli, ensuring no air pockets remain. Use a ravioli stamp or cutter to cut out individual ravioli shapes. Proper sealing prevents filling leakage while cooking.
- Cook Ravioli: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the ravioli in batches, dropping them gently into the boiling water and cooking them for about 4 minutes, until they float to the surface and are tender. Drain carefully to avoid tearing.
- Prepare the Sauce: While the ravioli cook, heat 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced garlic and fresh sage leaves, cooking for 3 minutes until fragrant but not browned. Add the dry white wine, fresh thyme leaves, and sea salt, stirring and cooking for an additional 2 minutes to reduce slightly and develop flavor.
- Serve: Spoon the sage and garlic sauce over the cooked ravioli. Garnish with chopped walnuts and freshly ground black pepper. Add optional toppings such as roasted butternut squash cubes, sautéed kale, and grated pecorino cheese for extra flavor and texture. Serve immediately for best taste and texture.
Notes
- Roasting the squash and aromatics ahead of time enhances the natural sweetness and depth of flavor in the filling.
- Ensure the pasta dough is rolled thin enough to cook through quickly but sturdy enough to hold the filling without breaking.
- Use fresh sage for a fragrant, herbal note that pairs well with the sweetness of the squash.
- Walnuts add texture and a nutty contrast to the creamy filling; toast them lightly for extra flavor if desired.
- Optional additions like sautéed kale and pecorino cheese complement the dish and create more complex layers of taste.
- Be careful not to overfill ravioli to prevent bursting during cooking.
- If you don’t have a ravioli stamp, you can seal ravioli with a fork and cut into squares.
- Store any uncooked ravioli in the refrigerator covered with a towel to prevent drying, or freeze for longer storage.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 6 ravioli)
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 52 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
