Butternut Squash Ravioli Sauce is a flavor-packed, low-effort pasta sauce that pairs perfectly with butternut squash ravioli and is ready in under 30 minutes. Toss the ravioli in the browned butter sage sauce and top with crispy sage leaves, walnuts, and freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Toast walnuts - Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the walnuts to the hot skillet and toast in a single layer. Do not overcrowd the pan. Cook the walnuts and stir frequently. Keep a close eye to ensure the walnuts do not burn. Cook until lightly browned and toasted, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate in a single layer to cool and become crunchy.
¼ cup walnuts
Fry sage leaves - Add olive oil to the pan used for the walnuts. Warm on medium heat until the oil shimmers. Carefully place the sage leaves in a single layer in the oil. After about 30 seconds, the sage leaves will become crispy. Carefully remove them from the pan using a slotted spoon, spatula, or chopsticks and place them on a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve the oil in the pan.
3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 8-10 fresh sage leaves
Chop sage leaves - Reserve 4 sage leaves for garnish and finely chop the remaining 4 fried sage leaves and set aside.
Cook butter, olive oil, and garlic - Add the butter to the olive oil in the large pan and cook over medium heat. Once the butter melts and the mixture begins to bubble, add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Use tongs to remove the garlic. The butter will start to brown and there will be small brown flecks in the sauce. This is brown butter, or toasted milk solids, that have a delicious nutty flavor.Stir in the chopped sage, a pinch of salt, and remove the pan from the heat.
3 tablespoon butter, 3 large garlic cloves
Boil butternut squash ravioli - In a large pot, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil and season generously with kosher salt. Cook butternut squash ravioli for about 3-5 minutes, or until al dente. Reserve one cup of starchy pasta water and drain the rest.
9 oz butternut squash ravioli, kosher salt
Toss ravioli in sauce - When the ravioli is done cooking, turn the skillet with the olive oil back on to medium heat. Stir in a couple tablespoons of pasta water in the sauce and add the ravioli to the pan. Gently stir to coat the ravioli in the sauce. Add a bit more pasta water a tablespoon at a time if the ravioli is dry.
Garnish and serve - Season with flaky sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste and garnish with dried sage leaves and toasted walnuts. Serve in a serving dish or in bowls and serve immediately with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Parmigiano-Reggiano
Notes
Top Tips
Use a spoon to scoop up the leftover sauce and pour it on top of your plated ravioli.
Be sure to fill your pot with enough water so the ravioli has space to cook.
Keep an eye on the sage and walnuts while cooking them to ensure they don't burn.
Storage
Refrigerate leftover ravioli in air-tight container for up to 3 days. To reheat leftover ravioli, heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a pan over low heat. Add the leftover ravioli and use tongs to gently separate the ravioli in the pan to cook. Place a lid on top of the pan for about 5 minutes until warm.