Easy Butternut Squash Ravioli

These easy butternut squash ravioli are fresh egg pasta with a roasted squash and Parmesan filling, ready in about 2 hours 30 minutes. They feed 4, and most of that time is hands-off while the squash roasts and the dough rests.

Why This Recipe Works

Roast the squash cut side down instead of boiling it. The cut face steams in its own moisture while the skin side browns, so the flesh turns soft and sweet without turning watery. A watery filling would leak and make the dough soggy.

Let the filling cool all the way before you use it. Warm filling softens the dough and makes the sheets sticky and hard to seal. Cold filling stays put in neat spoonfuls and the ravioli keep their shape.

Rest the dough for 30 minutes before you roll it. The gluten relaxes, so the sheets stretch thin without snapping back. Brushing the dough between the mounds with water gives you a seal that holds in the boiling pot.

Easy Butternut Squash Ravioli Ingredients

For the pasta dough

• 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 to 2 teaspoons paprika, for the orange half of the dough
• Semolina flour, for dusting the tray

For the butternut squash filling

• 1 small butternut squash (about 2 pounds / 900 g), halved and seeded
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup (50 g) grated Parmesan
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

How To Make Easy Butternut Squash Ravioli

Make the filling

1. Roast the squash: Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Brush the cut sides of the squash with olive oil and lay it cut side down on a baking sheet. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes, until the flesh is very soft.
2. Mash the filling: Scoop the flesh out of the skin and mash it with the butter, Parmesan, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Let it cool completely, so it won’t soften the dough later.

Make the striped dough

3. Mix and knead: Mix the flour, eggs, olive oil and salt into a dough. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes, until it feels smooth. Wrap it and rest it for 30 minutes.
4. Color half the dough: Split the dough into two equal pieces. Knead the paprika into one piece until it reaches the orange shade you want. Start with 1 teaspoon and add more if you like.
5. Roll the sheets: Dust the dough with flour as you work. Roll both pieces through a pasta machine, down to setting 5.
6. Build the stripes: Cut the orange sheet into fettuccine strips. Lay the strips side by side on the plain sheet. Roll them through the machine again, so the colors press together into one striped sheet. Repeat to make a second striped sheet.

Fill, seal and cook

7. Fill: Place small spoonfuls of filling on one striped sheet, about 1 1/2 inches apart. Brush the dough between the mounds with water.
8. Seal and cut: Lay the second striped sheet on top. Press out the air around each mound, then seal well so the ravioli don’t split open. Cut into squares.
9. Dry: Place the ravioli on a tray dusted with semolina. Keep them from touching, so they don’t stick together.
10. Boil: Boil the ravioli in salted water for 3 to 4 minutes, until they float and the dough is tender. Lift them out with a slotted spoon.

Recipe Tips

• Cool the filling first: Warm squash melts the dough and makes the sheets tear. Spread the mash on a plate if you need it to cool faster.
• Press out the air: Trapped air puffs up in the boiling water and can split a seam. Press around each mound with your fingertips before you cut.
• Keep them apart: Touching ravioli glue together as they dry. Leave a small gap between each one on the semolina.
• Boil in small batches: A crowded pot drops the water temperature and the ravioli stick. Cook a few at a time and keep the water at a steady simmer so the seams hold.

What To Serve With Easy Butternut Squash Ravioli

Brown butter with fresh sage and chopped toasted walnuts suits the sweet squash filling. Finish with a little grated Parmesan, and serve a sharp green salad on the side.

How To Store

• Fridge: Keep uncooked ravioli on the semolina tray, loosely covered, for up to 1 day. Store leftover cooked ravioli in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
• Freezer: Freeze uncooked ravioli on the tray until solid, then move them to a bag for up to 2 to 3 months. Cook them straight from the freezer, adding about 1 minute to the boil.
• Reheat: Warm cooked ravioli in a skillet with a little butter over medium heat until hot all the way through.

FAQs

Can I make butternut squash ravioli without a pasta machine?

Yes. Roll the dough out with a rolling pin until it is thin enough to see your hand through it. Rolling by hand takes more effort, and the stripes are harder to press together neatly.

Are these ravioli vegetarian?

Yes, the ingredient list has no meat or fish. They contain eggs, butter and Parmesan, so they are not vegan. Some Parmesan is made with animal rennet, so check the label if you cook for a strict vegetarian.

Can I make the ravioli ahead of time?

Yes. Freeze them on the tray until solid, then move them to a bag and keep them in the freezer. Boil them straight from frozen, without thawing, for a minute longer than usual.

Why did my ravioli split open in the water?

The most common cause is trapped air or a weak seal. Press out the air around each mound and brush the dough with water before sealing. Keep the water at a gentle simmer instead of a hard boil.

Nutrition

Estimated per serving (1 of 4), worked out from the ingredients.

• Calories: about 520 kcal
• Total Fat: 21g
• Total Carbohydrate: 68g
• Dietary Fiber: 5g
• Protein: 19g

Easy Butternut Squash Ravioli

Recipe by Paula

0.0 from 0 votes

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

1

hour 

Cooking time

1

hour 

25

minutes

Total time

145

minutes

Fresh striped ravioli with a roasted butternut squash and Parmesan filling, colored with paprika. A weekend project for 4 that you can freeze before boiling.

Ingredients

• For the pasta dough

• 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

• 3 large eggs

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 to 2 teaspoons paprika, for the orange half of the dough

• Semolina flour, for dusting the tray

• For the butternut squash filling

• 1 small butternut squash (about 2 pounds / 900 g), halved and seeded

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 1/2 cup (50 g) grated Parmesan

• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions

• Roast the squash: Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Brush the cut sides of the squash with olive oil and lay it cut side down on a baking sheet. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes, until the flesh is very soft.
• Mash the filling: Scoop the flesh out of the skin and mash it with the butter, Parmesan, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Let it cool completely, so it won’t soften the dough later.
• Mix and knead: Mix the flour, eggs, olive oil and salt into a dough. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes, until it feels smooth. Wrap it and rest it for 30 minutes.
• Color half the dough: Split the dough into two equal pieces. Knead the paprika into one piece until it reaches the orange shade you want. Start with 1 teaspoon and add more if you like.
• Roll the sheets: Dust the dough with flour as you work. Roll both pieces through a pasta machine, down to setting 5.
• Build the stripes: Cut the orange sheet into fettuccine strips. Lay the strips side by side on the plain sheet. Roll them through the machine again, so the colors press together into one striped sheet. Repeat to make a second striped sheet.
• Fill: Place small spoonfuls of filling on one striped sheet, about 1 1/2 inches apart. Brush the dough between the mounds with water.
• Seal and cut: Lay the second striped sheet on top. Press out the air around each mound, then seal well so the ravioli don’t split open. Cut into squares.
• Dry: Place the ravioli on a tray dusted with semolina. Keep them from touching, so they don’t stick together.
• Boil: Boil the ravioli in salted water for 3 to 4 minutes, until they float and the dough is tender. Lift them out with a slotted spoon.