Nutty brown butter infused with fresh sage is all you need for the most perfect Butternut Squash Ravioli Sauce! Pair it with store-bought ravioli for a quick and easy dinner that tastes like it came from a restaurant.
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A simple sauce to make your ravioli sing.
Making ravioli from scratch is a labor of love, and the kind of project I tackle once a year with my Italian in-laws.
Fortunately, we don’t need to roll up our sleeves to enjoy the deliciousness that is ravioli, thanks to the plethora of good-quality storebought options.
While there are endless varieties of refrigerated ravioli in grocery stores these days, butternut squash ravioli has my heart. I love the sweet, earthy flavor and creaminess of the filling. But: what’s the best sauce for butternut squash ravioli?!
The answer is this sage brown butter sauce (also a hit with Sweet Potato Gnocchi). It’s nutty, sage is a perfect complement to butternut squash, and while super tasty, it still lets the ravioli filling be the star (my in-laws would approve).
In fact, brown butter sage is so fabulous with butternut squash, I use it in my Butternut Squash Pasta and Butternut Squash Risotto Recipe too!
My Tips for Making Brown Butter
The backbone of this butternut squash ravioli sauce is the brown butter. It’s easy to make, as long as you keep your eye on it. Sadly, there’s absolutely NO salvaging a pan of burnt brown butter! Follow these tips and you won’t go wrong.
- Use a GOOD Unsalted Butter. Opt for unsalted butter to have better control over the flavor of the finished sauce. And this is anecdotal, but I’ve found that higher-end butters (think: fancy European brands!) foam less when melted on the stovetop, which makes it easier to see when it browns.
- Choose a Light-Colored Pan. A light-colored pan, like stainless steel, lets you easily see the butter change from pale yellow to golden brown.
- Stir Constantly. Keep the butter moving with a whisk as it melts and browns. This ensures even browning and prevents it from burning in spots. If the butter foams a lot, push the foam aside so you can see to the bottom of the pan to monitor the progress.
- Watch for the Golden Moment. Remove the butter from the heat as soon as it turns a deep golden brown and gives off a nutty aroma. If it starts to smell burnt, you’ve gone too far and have to begin again.
What to Serve with Butternut Squash Ravioli
You’ve got the ravioli, you’ve got the butternut squash ravioli sauce, but now you’ve got to round out your dinner with a side or protein. Here are some ideas:
- Make It Meaty. Add pancetta, bacon, or apple sage sausage, or serve the ravioli as a side with Air Fryer Pork Chops.
- Add a Salad. This Apple Walnut Salad would pair beautifully with the flavors in this dish.
- Serve It With a Vegetable. Roasted Brussels Sprouts and butternut squash are a dynamic duo—you might want to make some extra sage brown butter sauce to drizzle over the sprouts!
Butternut Squash Ravioli Sauce
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Ingredients
- 16 ounces butternut squash ravioli I use Trader Joe’s
- ½ cup walnuts roughly chopped
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 12 fresh sage leaves
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt plus additional for cooking the pasta
- ¼ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for serving
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil. Cook the ravioli to just below al dente according to package instructions. It will cook a bit more in the butter sauce, so leave yourself some wiggle room.
- While the water boils, place the walnuts in a wide, dry skillet (I like stainless steal, ceramic, or another light-colored skillet for this recipe because it’s later to watch the butter brown later on). Heat over medium heat, stirring often, until the walnuts smell toasty, about 3 to 5 minutes. DO NOT WALK AWAY. I’m telling you, nuts love to burn. Immediately transfer to a bowl to stop their cooking.
- With a paper towel, carefully wipe out any remaining walnut “dust.” Set a paper towel-lined plate near the stove.
- Cut the butter into 4 pieces. Add to the skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Once the butter is almost melted, add the sage leaves and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until they are crisp. With a slotted spoon, transfer the sage to the paper towel-lined plate.
- Grab a whisk. Continue heating the butter, whisking constantly to scrape up the toasty brown bits that will start collecting on the bottom. Be careful, the butter spatters. As soon as the butter smells nutty and some of the solids are the color of a pecan, remove it from the heat.
- Whisk in the salt and cider vinegar (the butter will sizzle and hiss).
- With a handled mesh strainer or spider (or a large slotted spoon) scoop the ravioli from the boiling water right into the skillet, gently shaking each spoonful so you don’t flood the butter with pasta water. Don’t worry if some of the water is clinging to it, this will actually help with the sauce. Gently stir to coat the ravioli with the butter, then sprinkle with the Parmesan, walnuts, and fried sage. Serve immediately, with additional Parmesan to taste.
Notes
- The nutritional information will vary depending on the brand of ravioli you use.
- TO STORE: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
- TO REHEAT: Warm the ravioli and sauce in a skillet over medium heat or in the microwave.
Nutrition
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I was a little skeptical about the apple cider vinegar, but it actually worked really well in this sauce. It gave it just a little bit of a tang that cut through the richness of the butter and the sweetness of the squash. The whole thing came together pretty quickly, which is always a bonus on a busy evening. The parmesan melted in nicely and made it feel a bit more luxurious.
Game changer, right?!! Thanks Katrina!
This was a pretty solid weeknight meal. I liked how the nutty flavor of the brown butter really complemented the sweetness of the butternut squash filling. And toasting the walnuts beforehand made a difference, they weren’t just thrown in there. My husband even commented that it was better than what we usually have, which is saying something! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Yay! Thank you Lucy!
You know, sometimes you just want something a little different than your usual pasta sauce, and this fits the bill. The brown butter and sage combination is just classic, and it worked really well with the butternut squash. The walnuts were a good addition for texture. The apple cider vinegar was an interesting touch; I think it kept the sauce from being too rich or cloying, which can sometimes happen with butternut squash. Definitely a step up from my usual. Thank you!
Glad to hear you enjoyed it, Stella!