My easy butternut squash ravioli recipe is made with wonton wrappers, the perfect shortcut instead of making your own pasta. This wonton ravioli is light and delicate, filled with roasted butternut squash, herbs, and Italian cheeses. It’s delicious served with sage butter or your favorite pasta sauce!
Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage Butter
On any given weeknight, and especially in the fall, you’ll find me savoring this easy butternut squash ravioli tossed in sage butter. The filling is light on cheese and heavy on sweet-savory roasted butternut squash, so every little parcel is light and flavorful.
My shortcut to quick, delicious homemade ravioli? Wonton wrappers. Not just for making Asian-style dumplings, these delicate, chewy dough wrappers hold the butternut squash filling perfectly and cook in minutes. You can save any leftover wrappers for wonton soup next week. Or, make ravioli soup with your leftover butternut squash ravioli!
The Best Things About This Butternut Squash Ravioli Recipe
We love butternut squash recipes in my house, especially butternut squash pasta and wholesome dinners like butternut squash mac and cheese and lasagna. Here’s what makes this ravioli recipe another family favorite.
- A shortcut to homemade pasta. Wonton wrappers make a great stand-in for pasta dough, saving the time it would take to make this ravioli completely from scratch.
- Roasting brings out the flavor. Roasted butternut squash adds so much more flavor than steaming. I roast it with sage and garlic, then mix the squash with Ricotta cheese, Pecorino Romano, and a pinch of nutmeg, but feel free to use Parmesan.
- Versatile. I serve my squash ravioli with sage butter (only two ingredients, and super quick!), but you can easily swap this for your favorite pasta sauce.
- Freezer-friendly. Make a double batch and freeze this butternut squash ravioli for later. It makes a wonderful make-ahead dish for busy weeknights, Thanksgiving dinner, and entertaining.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are quick details on what you’ll need to make this easy homemade ravioli. See the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Butternut squash: Choose a small to medium-sized butternut squash that’s heavy for its size. Peel and cut the squash into 1-inch cubes (see my tips for peeling and cutting squash).To save time, you can also use pre-cut butternut or frozen. This recipe is also a great way to use up leftover maple roasted butternut squash during the holidays.
- Oil: Olive oil, avocado oil, or your preferred cooking oil.
- Garlic: Peeled and smashed. Use the side of a large knife and press down on the garlic cloves to smash them.
- Ricotta: You’ll find this fresh, creamy, and mild Italian cheese in the dairy section at most major grocery stores and Italian delis. My favorite brand is Polly-O. Drain the excess liquid so your filling doesn’t become too watery. If you don’t have ricotta, cottage cheese, goat cheese, or feta is a good substitute here. Feta is saltier, so consider adding less salt to the filling, in this case.
- Pecorino Romano: You could also use Parmegiano or Grana Padano. For the best taste, grate the cheese fresh, though pre-grated also works.
- Nutmeg: If you have fresh nutmeg to grate, that’s always best! Otherwise, ground nutmeg is fine to use.
- Wonton wrappers: Look for these in the refrigerator aisle at the grocery store or at your local Asian supermarket. I use the square ones for ravioli.
- Egg: Lightly beaten for an egg wash.
- Butter and sage: I thought long and hard about the best sauce for my butternut squash ravioli and decided on a light sage butter. It was perfect! Please use fresh sage leaves for your sauce. If you wish to skip the butter, use olive oil and garlic instead.
How to Make Butternut Squash Ravioli (With Wonton Wrappers)
- Roast the butternut squash. Toss the cubed squash with olive oil, smashed garlic, and sage leaves, and spread it out on a sheet pan. Season with salt and pepper, then roast at 400ºF for 35 minutes, or until tender. Another option is to cook the squash in the air fryer.
- Make the filling. Next, mash the roasted squash with a fork or purée it in the blender. The smoother, the better. Stir in the ricotta and grated Pecorino cheese along with nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
- Fill the ravioli. Now, lay out your wonton wrappers. Brush the edges with an egg wash, and add about 1 tablespoon of butternut squash filling to the center of each wrapper. Fold the wrapper into a triangle around the filling, and press the edges together to seal. Keep your finished ravioli covered with a damp cloth while you fill the rest, to prevent the wrappers from drying out.
- Make the sage butter. Melt butter with sage leaves in a saucepan for the sauce. Keep the butter sauce warm over low heat while you cook your ravioli.
- Cook the ravioli. Finally, boil the ravioli in batches, cooking just until they bob to the surface (about 2 minutes, similar to gnocchi). Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked ravioli directly from the pot to the pan with your sage butter, and gently toss to coat. Enjoy!
Variations
As-is, this butternut squash ravioli is a tasty vegetarian pasta recipe. It’s very easy to adapt, though, if you wanted to add protein, seasonings, and more. Try the following:
- Add protein. Crisp up chopped pancetta in a pan or crumble oven-baked bacon on top of the ravioli. You can also add cooked Italian sausage, chicken, or turkey sausage.
- Spice. Add crushed red pepper flakes to the butternut squash filling or sage butter sauce.
- Different herbs. Instead of sage, use basil or parsley for another flavor profile.
- Nutty crunch. Sprinkle toasted pine nuts or chopped walnuts over the ravioli when serving.
What Other Sauces Go With Butternut Squash Ravioli?
Instead of sage butter, these are some other easy sauce swaps I’d recommend for this ravioli recipe:
- Tomato: Serve butternut squash ravioli with classic filetto di pomedoro or marinara if you prefer a tomato-based sauce.
- Butternut squash sauce: Alternatively, create a butternut squash sauce by doubling the roasted squash, puréeing it in the blender with some of the pasta water to loosen it, and adding Parmesan cheese.
- Browned butter: Add the butter to a saucepan and cook until it starts to foam. Swirl the butter while it continues to cook and starts to smell nutty. Instead of sage, add a sprinkle of chili flakes and toss with the ravioli.
- Parmesan: Otherwise, grate fresh Parmesan or Pecorino on top, drizzle the ravioli with olive oil, and add a squeeze of fresh lemon when serving.
What to Serve with Butternut Squash Ravioli
I like to serve this easy butternut squash ravioli with an autumn salad or roasted vegetables. Below are some more favorite side dishes to pair for a restaurant-quality pasta dinner.
Storage and Freezing
- Refrigerate. Store any leftover butternut squash ravioli in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat within 3 days.
- Freeze. After assembling the ravioli, place them flat on a sheet pan and flash freeze. Once frozen, transfer the ravioli to a freezer-safe bag or container and label with the date and name.
- Reheat from frozen. When you’re ready to cook the butternut squash ravioli, pop them straight into boiling water from the freezer and cook until they rise to the surface, about two to three minutes. Frozen ravioli will keep in the freezer for about three months.
Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage Butter
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 pounds butternut squash diced 1-inch
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed with the side of a knife
- 1/4 cup ricotta, I prefer Polly-o
- 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano, plus optional more for serving
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher and black pepper, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 24 square wonton wrappers
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 8 fresh sage leaves, divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- Place butternut, 4 sage leaves and garlic on a sheet pan and toss with 1 tablespoon oil. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper, to taste.
- Roast until tender, about 35 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and mash with a fork until very smooth (a blender would work too).
- Mix in ricotta and pecorino, season with nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon salt and black pepper.
- Place the wonton wrapper on a work surface, brush the edge lightly with egg wash and add 1 tablespoon filling onto the center.
- Fold over into a triangle and press the edges to seal. Cover with a damp cloth while you make the rest.
- Chop remaining sage leaves. Place butter and sage in a medium saucepan and melt over low heat. Keep warm over very low heat.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add half of the ravioli (they are very delicate) and cook until the rise to the surface, about 2 minutes.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove and add to the pan with the butter. Repeat with the remaining ravioli.
- Gently toss raviolis with the butter until warm, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Top with black pepper and serve with additional Pecorino Romano, if desired.
Last Step:
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Nutrition
FAQ
Sure! Making butternut purée is pretty simple and tastes better than canned. But if you must use canned, you’ll need about 1 ½ cups of purée. Season it with salt and pepper and add sautéed garlic to enhance the flavor, then proceed as directed.
Yes, you can freeze the ravioli for up to 3 months. I’d recommend doubling the recipe and making extra to freeze. It won’t take that much longer to assemble. See the Storage section below.
Absolutely. If you have a favorite homemade pasta recipe you’d like to use, go ahead and stuff it with the roasted butternut squash ravioli filling. I’ve also heard from readers who have used lasagna sheets! Note that the cooking times may vary.