I have always said there should be a rule that when a restaurant discontinues an item, they must release the recipe to the public. I had never felt so strongly about that sentiment until Panera Bread stopped selling their Butternut Squash Ravioli every fall.
I haven’t ventured into the make-my-own-pasta phase of making my life ridiculously overcomplicated yet, so when I came across a bag of pre-made butternut squash ravioli at Sprouts, I knew I needed to attempt a recreation recipe.
If you love flavorful, Fall inspired pastas -yes, I know it’s Spring, there are no rules – then you will fall in love with this butternut squash ravioli with brown butter sauce.
Enjoy!
RECIPE
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Serves 4 people
Ingredients
Butternut Squash Ravioli
- 1 (20 oz) Package Butternut Squash Ravioli (I used this one from Sprouts, which isn’t technically ‘ravioli’, but any brand will work.)
Brown Butter Sauce
- 2 Cups Cubed Butternut Squash (Fresh or Frozen – thawed if using frozen.)
- 3 tbsp Olive Oil, divided
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 sticks of butter
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 Large Handfuls Fresh Spinach (Best I can do for measurements!)
- 1/4 cup half & half
- Shelled Sunflower Seeds for Topping
- 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground pepper
- 3 tbsp fresh thyme
- Sprinkle of nutmeg*
*Nutmeg is an extremely overpowering spice in my opinion, so I always start with a tiny amount and add more if needed. To each their own.
Instructions
- Start by preheating your oven to 400º and prepping your fresh butternut squash. Combine cubed butternut squash, 1 tbsp olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, fresh thyme and nutmeg. Toss to coat.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (see tip #2). Spread seasoned butternut squash in a single layer on baking sheet and roast in preheated oven for about 30 minutes.
- While the squash is roasting, boil your pasta according to package instructions. (Usually about 5-7 minutes, but follow instructions on your bag since each brand/pasta can vary.) Drain and set aside once pasta is cooked.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, saute diced onion until translucent – about 2 minutes. Add in minced garlic and cook until fragrant – about 30 seconds.
- Reduce heat to medium and add in butter. Watching carefully, cook for about 3-5 minutes until browned. Do not allow the butter to smoke or burn. You will know it is done browning once the butter is a caramel-y brown.
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Add in balsamic vinegar and lemon juice and whisk to combine.
- Add in cooked squash and spinach. Cook until spinach is wilted, about 3-4 minutes.
- Pour half and half into the sauce, and stir to combine.
- Add cooked pasta to the sauce, and voila!
- Serve topped with shelled sunflower seeds.
Tips
- If you can’t find butternut squash ravioli, you can use any other type of ravioli or stuffed pasta. My suggestions would be some version of a 3 cheese ravioli, or spinach and ricotta ravioli.
- To keep your parchment paper from curling up on the baking sheet, tear off a piece of the appropriate size to cover your baking sheet, and crumble into a ball. When you unfold it, the wrinkles will prevent it from rolling up on the edges!