Italian Sausage Ravioli in Pumpkin Sauce

This easy ravioli in pumpkin sauce is quick, easy, and comforting! You only need 20 minutes to get this perfect fall dinner on the table.

This dish will be on the supper table in less than 20 minutes. It’s comforting, quick, and family-friendly. The pumpkin has a subtle flavor and makes a rich, smooth, and savory sauce for the ravioli. It’s a perfect weeknight fall meal!

I love that the pumpkin adds a nice dose of veggies, fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins. My picky kids love it, and that’s a win! 

Important Tips (Read This First!)

The sauce is quick and easy. I have a couple of tips to make sure it goes smoothly!

• Get the pasta water boiling first, and don’t forget to add salt.
• Prepare the ingredients ahead of time. Measure and chop your garlic, sage, pumpkin, and broth before heating the butter. The butter will burn quickly. Watch it, be mindful, and you’ll be good to go.
• Once you have the pumpkin and chicken broth simmering, it’s time to add the fresh ravioli to the boiling water. They only take about 4 minutes, so they will cook while your sauce simmers.
• Don’t forget to reserve about ½ cup of pasta cooking water before you drain the ravioli.
• The amount of reserved cooking water you need to add at the end will vary. Homemade pumpkin puree tends to contain more liquid than canned, so it may need less water. 
• Likewise, the salt needed in the final sauce will depend on how much cooking water you add. Taste it before you add more salt!

Ingredients

• Salt for the pasta cooking water. Don’t skip it!
• A family-sized bag of Italian sausage ravioli (about 5 cups of ravioli) from the deli section of the grocery store. You can also make it with cheese ravioli or mushroom ravioli, or frozen ravioli. Follow the cooking instructions on the package to determine cooking time.
• Fresh sage and garlic make a big difference in flavor.
• You can use a 15-ounce can of pumpkin puree or 1 ¾ cup of homemade pumpkin puree. I love making a big batch of homemade pumpkin puree in the fall and freezing it in 15-ounce portions!
• Chicken broth adds a nice savory flavor to the sauce and thins to the perfect consistency.
• Season it with freshly ground nutmeg and black pepper.
• A bit of heavy cream and freshly grated parmesan cheese to make it creamy and luxurious.
• Reserved pasta cooking water will help thin the sauce, season it, and make it velvety smooth.

Pro-tip:   If you aren’t already growing sage at home, I highly recommend you plant some. It will live happily in the ground for years and grow in containers if your space is limited. It’s pretty, evergreen, and smells heavenly!

How to Make it

First, fill a pot with heavily salted water and bring it to a boil for the ravioli. Add the ravioli and cook according to the package directions.

Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water, then drain the ravioli and set aside.

While the water is heating, go ahead and prep the sauce ingredients.

Melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and sage and sauté for about 20 seconds. They butter will start to get brown, but be careful not to burn it.

Stir in the pumpkin puree, chicken stock, nutmeg, and pepper. Bring it to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.

Then, stir in the heavy cream, grated parmesan, and 2 tablespoons of the reserved pasta cooking water. Simmer for 2 more minutes.

Gently stir in the cooked ravioli, turn off the heat, and let the ravioli sit in the sauce for a couple of minutes before serving.

Plate the ravioli in pumpkin sauce and serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Storage

Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Serving Tips

Make this easy ravioli with pumpkin sauce for a quick weeknight fall dinner. It’s perfect any day of the week when you want something seasonal and comforting.

It makes a simple meal on its own. Or, try pairing it with garlic bread and a salad. Try it with shaved Brussels sprouts salad or kale crunch salad.

It’s nice with a glass of white wine or an Oktoberfest beer.

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