Sage Brown Butter Pumpkin Ravioli Sauce

Store-bought pumpkin ravioli get the star treatment with this recipe that coats them in a homemade sage-infused brown butter pan sauce. Lightly toasted walnuts add contrasting texture, a squeeze of lemon juice brightens and brings the other flavors to life, and it’s all ready in about 25 minutes.

A Note from Monica

Why you’ll love this family favorite recipe!

Sometimes pasta is all that will do, and if that happens to be luscious filled pasta coated in a simple, flavorful brown butter pan sauce, all the better. This sauce is so quick and easy to make, yet tastes a little elegant and looks the part, too. Credit that to the speckled brown butter, crisp sage leaves, cracked black pepper, and nuggets of toasted walnut sprinkled on top.

This recipe is for dressing up pre-made ravioli, so let’s all channel our inner Ina Garten: store-bought is fine. I did once purchase a beautifully scalloped metal ravioli press on a whim, and it still looks lovely—in the cabinet. Fortunately, thanks to this and similar recipes, we’ve enjoyed countless ravioli dinners all the same, no matter the season of life.

Ingredient Notes

• Pumpkin ravioli. Obviously! You can find these many places in the fall, from big box grocers to small market stands. I always stock up on Trader Joe’s honey-roasted pumpkin ravioli. The flavor is mild enough for kids and interesting enough for adults, and the alternating yellow and orange sheets of pasta make plates look beautiful. You can freeze extra packages, too, then cook the ravioli straight from frozen.
• Butter. I use unsalted butter and salt the finished dish to taste, but this is really a matter of personal preference.
• Fresh sage leaves. A simple but impactful addition!
• Fresh lemon juice. You may be tempted to skip this, but it brightens the flavors and counterbalances the sweetness of a typical pumpkin ravioli filling. I once forced my extended family to each try a ravioli with and without lemon—I’m so fun—and the vote for lemon was unanimous. It’s the perfect finishing touch.
• Walnut pieces. Lovely but optional, or can be substituted with pecans, etc.
• Staples: olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste.

How To Make It, Step by Step

This dish is easy and elegant, so it’s especially nice for beginner cooks to start building confidence in the kitchen. Not pictured, but also not that exciting, you’ll cook the ravioli according to package directions.

Meanwhile, set a large skillet over medium heat and add the walnuts. Don’t add any butter or oil. Toast them in a dry pan and watch carefully, stirring periodically. They should give off a nutty aroma and become golden brown but not burnt.

Transfer the toasted walnuts to a small plate or bowl. Wipe out the skillet quickly with a clean kitchen or paper towel, return it to the heat, and add the butter.

Swirl the pan around occasionally while the butter melts, then begins to bubble and turn brown. Soon it will be deep golden brown and have small dark flecks. It’s official: this dinner is going to be delicious.

At this point, add the olive oil and sage leaves to the pan. Turn the heat down slightly if needed to prevent the butter from burning while the sage crisps up, though adding the olive oil helps with this.

Once the sage darkens and is slightly crisp to the touch, remove it from the skillet. A large skimmer or tongs make this easy. You can either put it on the same plate with the walnuts, or on a cutting board.

Add the cooked and drained ravioli to the skillet and stir to coat with the browned butter sauce. Add a bit of salt and pepper to taste.

Finally, add back in the toasted walnuts and the leaves, lightly chopped or crushed with your hands into smaller pieces. And don’t forget that squeeze of lemon juice! You can also serve it with lemon wedges at the table.

What To Serve with Pumpkin Ravioli

For a very coordinated and fall-inspired meal, serve this ravioli alongside my favorite brown butter sage chicken skillet. Round things out with an apple cabbage slaw dressed in a surprisingly simple brown sugar-cider vinaigrette, and finish with an old-fashioned apple crisp or apple cinnamon oat cookies.

For a simple, tasty pairing, pumpkin ravioli goes really well with balsamic pork medallions or grilled steak.

I also really enjoy pasta paired with soup! This roasted butternut is a great stovetop option, and we always love making wild rice soup in the Instant Pot.

More Easy Pasta Recipes

• Brown Butter Bacon Tortellini
• 20-minute Tortellini with Mushrooms, Butter, and Parmesan
• Simple, Comforting Gnocchi alla Vodka
• Pesto Cavatappi with Mushrooms and Tomatoes

4.80 from 25 votes

Pumpkin Ravioli with Sage, Brown Butter, and Toasted Walnuts

By Monica Lensink

Prep: 5 minutes mins

Cook: 20 minutes mins

Total: 25 minutes mins

Servings: 4

SaveSaved Pin Print

Elevate store-bought pumpkin ravioli with a sage-infused brown butter pan sauce. Lightly toasted walnuts add contrasting texture, and a squeeze of lemon juice at the end brightens and brings all the flavors to life.

Save this recipe!

Get this sent to your inbox, plus get new recipes from us every week!

Email *

Post Permalink Title

Save

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 18 ounces pumpkin ravioli
• ▢ 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• ▢ 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 10-12 fresh sage leaves
• ▢ flaked sea salt and black pepper, to taste
• ▢ 1 lemon

Instructions 

• Boil a large pot of water. When boiling rapidly, add a large pinch of salt and the ravioli. Cook just to al dente, according to package directions, then drain and set aside.
  18 ounces pumpkin ravioli
• Meanwhile, warm a large skillet over medium heat. Add walnuts to the dry skillet and toast for 2-3 minutes, just until fragrant and lightly browned. Stir them frequently and keep a close eye to ensure they don't blacken and burn. Remove walnuts to a plate, set aside, and lightly wipe out the skillet with a paper towel or clean dishcloth.
  1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• Return skillet to medium heat and add the butter. Let it melt, then bubble, then begin to turn brown, swirling the pan occasionally.
  6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• When the butter is medium brown with darker flecks speckled throughout, and has a nutty aroma, swirl in the olive oil. Add sage leaves, and let them sizzle in the skillet for 2-3 minutes, just until they crisp and turn dark green. With a slotted spoon or tongs, remove the crisped sage to the plate or a cutting board. Lightly chop or crush the leaves into smaller pieces.
  2 Tablespoons olive oil, 10-12 fresh sage leaves
• Add cooked ravioli to the skillet, and toss to coat with the brown butter sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and sprinkle the walnuts and chopped sage leaves on top. Serve immediately with a squeeze of lemon juice, and/or a small lemon wedge on each plate. Enjoy!
  flaked sea salt and black pepper, 1 lemon

Notes

1. Nutrition: An estimate based on using two boxes of Trader Joe’s honey-roasted pumpkin ravioli.
2. Recipe: This recipe was originally published here on October 13, 2019, and has been updated to streamline the post text and provide more specific serving suggestions. The recipe and photos are unchanged.

Nutrition

Calories: 563kcal, Carbohydrates: 52g, Protein: 20g, Fat: 31g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Cholesterol: 89mg, Sodium: 792mg, Potassium: 70mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 277IU, Vitamin C: 14mg, Calcium: 203mg, Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Tried this recipe?Mention @nourishandfete or tag #nourishandfete!