Butternut Squash Ravioli with a Brown Butter Sage Sauce
Brown butter, crisp sage, Parmesan and a touch of lemon turn butternut squash ravioli into an easy, restaurant-worthy dinner. The deeply nutty butter balances the sweetness of the squash while fresh sage gives the dish its unmistakable fall flavor.
Total
15 minutes
Active
15 minutes
Method
Stovetop
About 4 servings
Star ingredientFresh Sage
Fresh sage is what makes this simple sauce sing. As the leaves fry gently in the butter, they become crisp while infusing the sauce with their earthy, savory flavor. Paired with nutty brown butter, sage keeps the naturally sweet butternut squash filling beautifully balanced.
02
Method
Cook the Ravioli
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a gentle boil.
Cook the butternut squash ravioli according to the package directions until just tender.
Before draining, reserve at least ½ cup of the pasta cooking water.
Brown the Butter & Crisp the Sage
While the ravioli cooks, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the sage leaves and cook until they become crisp and fragrant.
Continue cooking the butter, swirling the pan frequently, until it foams and the milk solids at the bottom of the skillet turn deep golden brown. The butter should smell rich, toasted and nutty.
This usually takes about 3–5 minutes.
Add the Garlic
Reduce the heat to low.
Add the garlic and cook for 20–30 seconds, just until fragrant. Do not let the garlic brown.
Brown butter with garlic, after the crisp sage has been removed.Crisp fried sage sprinkled with Cyprus sea salt—Matty’s favorite finishing salt.
Build the Sauce
Carefully add about ¼ cup of the reserved ravioli cooking water to the skillet.
Swirl or gently whisk until the pasta water and brown butter come together into a silky, glossy sauce.
Add the Ravioli
Transfer the cooked ravioli directly into the skillet.
Add the Parmesan, freshly ground black pepper and a small pinch of nutmeg, if using.
Very gently toss the ravioli or spoon the brown butter sauce over them so the ravioli remain intact.
Add a little more reserved pasta water as needed until the sauce lightly coats the ravioli rather than pooling as melted butter in the bottom of the pan.
Cooked ravioli gently swirled in the brown butter sauce.
Finish & Serve
Add 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice and taste.
Add the remaining lemon juice if you would like a brighter finish, then adjust the salt and pepper.
Spoon the crispy sage and brown butter over the ravioli and finish with additional Parmesan.
for a subtle sweetness option
For a subtle sweet-savory finish, drizzle each serving with about ¼ teaspoon pure maple syrup. Just enough to highlight the butternut squash without making the dish sweet.
if you want to add some delicious crunch that enhances the nuttiness of the brown butter
for a delightful crunch toast some hazelnuts in a dry pan until too fragrant and then rough chop and sprinkle over the finished plated dish
Cypress sea salt
Cypress sea salt is my favorite sea salt in the world. I get it from Kalustyans in Murray Hill in New York City.
European butter
I used European butter. If you have access to European butter, it’s best to use; otherwise, regular butter is fine.
From your kitchen
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From your kitchen
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Made this dish? Share your swaps, tips, and how it turned out.
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