Homemade Pumpkin Ravioli with Sage Cream Sauce

I used to think making ravioli from scratch was something only fancy Italian restaurants could pull off. My attempts at store-bought ravioli never seemed special enough for company, but rolling out pasta dough felt way too intimidating.

Then I discovered that homemade ravioli is actually pretty forgiving—and pumpkin ravioli with sage cream sauce might be the perfect place to start. The pumpkin filling is simple to make, and even if your ravioli shapes aren’t perfect, that rich sage cream sauce covers up any amateur mistakes. Plus, it tastes like something you’d pay twenty bucks for at a nice restaurant.

What Kind of Pumpkin Should I Use?

For this ravioli filling, you can use either canned pumpkin puree or make your own from fresh pumpkin – both work great. If you’re going the fresh route, sugar pumpkins or pie pumpkins are your best bet since they have a sweeter, less watery flesh compared to carving pumpkins. Canned pumpkin is actually a solid choice here because it’s already the right consistency and saves you time roasting and pureeing. Just make sure you’re buying plain pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling, which has added spices and sugar that could throw off your ravioli filling.

Options for Substitutions

This pumpkin ravioli recipe has some room for flexibility, though a few ingredients are pretty essential:

• Pumpkin puree: You can swap pumpkin for butternut squash puree, sweet potato puree, or even roasted acorn squash. Just make sure whatever you use has a similar consistency and isn’t too watery.
• Ricotta cheese: If you’re out of ricotta, try cottage cheese that’s been drained and pressed, or even cream cheese mixed with a little milk to lighten it up.
• Heavy cream: Half-and-half works in a pinch, though your sauce won’t be quite as rich. You can also use whole milk with a tablespoon of butter whisked in.
• Fresh sage: Dried sage can work if you don’t have fresh – just use about 1/3 the amount. Thyme or rosemary also make nice alternatives, though they’ll change the flavor profile a bit.
• Prosciutto: Pancetta, bacon, or even toasted pine nuts can replace the prosciutto for that salty, crunchy element.
• Panko breadcrumbs: Regular breadcrumbs work fine, or you can make your own by toasting torn pieces of day-old bread until golden.
• Pasta dough: Don’t feel like making fresh pasta? Store-bought fresh ravioli or even wonton wrappers can save you time – just adjust the filling amount accordingly.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making pumpkin ravioli is overfilling the pasta pockets, which causes them to burst open during cooking – stick to about a teaspoon of filling per ravioli and make sure to seal the edges well with a little water. Another common error is boiling the ravioli too aggressively, so keep your water at a gentle simmer and cook them just until they float to the surface, which usually takes 3-4 minutes for fresh pasta. When making the sage cream sauce, avoid letting it boil once you add the cream and cheese, as high heat can cause the sauce to break and become grainy – keep it at a low simmer and stir constantly. Finally, don’t skip the step of reserving some pasta water before draining, as this starchy liquid helps bind the sauce to the ravioli and creates a silky finish.

What to Serve With Pumpkin Ravioli?

This rich and creamy pumpkin ravioli is pretty filling on its own, so I like to keep the sides simple and fresh. A crisp arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette cuts through all that creamy goodness perfectly, and the peppery greens complement the sweet pumpkin filling really well. You could also go with roasted Brussels sprouts or green beans if you want something warm on the side. For bread, a crusty baguette or some garlic bread works great for soaking up any leftover sage cream sauce on your plate.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: Store your leftover pumpkin ravioli in the fridge for up to 3 days in a covered container. The sage cream sauce might thicken up a bit, but that’s totally normal. I like to add a splash of cream or milk when reheating to bring it back to the perfect consistency.

Freeze: If you made extra ravioli before cooking them, you can freeze the uncooked ones on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to freezer bags for up to 3 months. Cook them straight from frozen – just add an extra minute or two to the cooking time.

Warm Up: Gently reheat your ravioli in a skillet over medium-low heat with a little extra cream or butter to loosen the sauce. You can also microwave it on 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds. The crispy sage and prosciutto are best added fresh when serving since they lose their crunch when stored.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3100-3500
• Protein: 120-140 g
• Fat: 170-200 g
• Carbohydrates: 230-260 g

Ingredients

For the pasta and filling:

• 1 batch multipurpose pasta dough (or store-bought frozen ravioli)
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
• 1/8 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup toasted plain breadcrumb

For the sauce:

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 3 fresh sage leaves, torn
• 8 whole black peppercorns
• 1 1/2 cups shredded parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp fresh sage, chopped
• 1/4 tsp white wine vinegar
• 1/8 tsp kosher salt

For the toppings:

• 1/4 cup panko breadcrumb, browned in butter
• 2 slices prosciutto, pan-fried then chopped
• 8 sage leaves, fried in olive oil until crisp

Step 1: Make and Rest the Pasta Dough

• 1 batch multipurpose pasta dough (or store-bought frozen ravioli)

Prepare one batch of multipurpose pasta dough according to your favorite recipe or the instructions you have.

Once made, wrap the dough and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before rolling out.

If you’re using store-bought ravioli, you can skip this step and move on to the filling and sauce.

Step 2: Prepare the Pumpkin Ricotta Filling

• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
• 1/8 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup toasted plain breadcrumb

While the pasta dough is resting, make the filling by thoroughly mixing together the pumpkin puree, ricotta cheese, grated parmesan, salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper, large egg, and toasted plain breadcrumb in a bowl.

Once fully blended, set the filling aside in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it.

I recommend tasting a pinch of the filling before using it—sometimes I add a touch more parmesan for extra umami.

Step 3: Roll Out, Fill, and Shape the Ravioli

• pasta dough (from Step 1)
• pumpkin ricotta filling (from Step 2)

After the dough has rested, remove it from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes.

Knead it briefly on a lightly floured surface, then divide the dough into manageable sections.

Flatten each section and use a pasta roller (or rolling pin) to roll the dough into thin sheets—ideally to the 5th lowest setting.

Place 1 tablespoon of pumpkin ricotta filling (from Step 2) about 3 inches apart on half of a sheet.

Fold the sheet over the filling scoops, press out air around each mound, and carefully seal the edges.

Cut into 3×3 inch ravioli squares and lay them on a floured, parchment-lined baking sheet.

Repeat with remaining dough and filling.

Step 4: Prepare the Sage Parmesan Cream Sauce

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 3 fresh sage leaves, torn
• 8 whole black peppercorns
• 1 1/2 cups shredded parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp fresh sage, chopped
• 1/4 tsp white wine vinegar
• 1/8 tsp kosher salt

While you assemble the ravioli, start the sauce.

In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream, torn sage leaves, and whole black peppercorns.

Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring often, until reduced by half (about 15–20 minutes).

Strain out the solids, return the cream to the pan, and add the shredded parmesan cheese, chopped sage, white wine vinegar, and kosher salt.

Stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth, simmering for 2 more minutes.

Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Step 5: Make the Toppings: Browned Breadcrumbs, Crispy Prosciutto, and Fried Sage

• 1/4 cup panko breadcrumb, browned in butter
• 2 slices prosciutto, pan-fried then chopped
• 8 sage leaves, fried in olive oil until crisp

For the breadcrumbs, melt a bit of butter in a skillet over medium-low heat, add the panko breadcrumbs, and cook, stirring, until golden brown.

Remove to cool.

In the same skillet, pan-fry the prosciutto slices on medium heat just until crispy (about 5 seconds per side), then chop into bits.

For the crispy sage, heat about 1/2 inch of olive oil in a small saucepan, fry the sage leaves until they sizzle and turn darker green but not brown (5–8 seconds), then drain on paper towels.

I always watch closely during this step because both breadcrumbs and sage can go from perfect to burnt in a matter of seconds.

Step 6: Cook the Ravioli

• fresh ravioli (from Step 3)

Bring a large pot of water to a gentle boil and add salt.

If using fresh ravioli (from Step 3), cook them in batches until they float to the surface, about 2–3 minutes.

If you’re using frozen or store-bought ravioli, cook according to package instructions.

Remove the cooked ravioli with a slotted spoon to serving plates.

To keep fresh ravioli from sticking, I like to gently toss them in a drizzle of olive oil after draining.

Step 7: Assemble and Serve

• sage parmesan cream sauce (from Step 4)
• browned panko breadcrumb (from Step 5)
• crispy prosciutto (from Step 5)
• fried sage leaves (from Step 5)

Place the cooked ravioli on plates, then spoon the warm sage parmesan cream sauce (from Step 4) over the top.

Finish with a generous sprinkle of browned panko breadcrumbs, crispy prosciutto bits, and fried sage leaves (from Step 5).

Serve immediately and enjoy!

Homemade Pumpkin Ravioli with Sage Cream Sauce

Delicious Homemade Pumpkin Ravioli with Sage Cream Sauce recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 27 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 22 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 3300 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the pasta and filling:

• 1 batch multipurpose pasta dough (or store-bought frozen ravioli)
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
• 1/8 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup toasted plain breadcrumb

For the sauce:

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 3 fresh sage leaves, torn
• 8 whole black peppercorns
• 1 1/2 cups shredded parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp fresh sage, chopped
• 1/4 tsp white wine vinegar
• 1/8 tsp kosher salt

For the toppings:

• 1/4 cup panko breadcrumb, browned in butter
• 2 slices prosciutto, pan-fried then chopped
• 8 sage leaves, fried in olive oil until crisp

Instructions

 

• Prepare one batch of multipurpose pasta dough according to your favorite recipe or the instructions you have. Once made, wrap the dough and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before rolling out. If you're using store-bought ravioli, you can skip this step and move on to the filling and sauce.
• While the pasta dough is resting, make the filling by thoroughly mixing together the pumpkin puree, ricotta cheese, grated parmesan, salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper, large egg, and toasted plain breadcrumb in a bowl. Once fully blended, set the filling aside in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it. I recommend tasting a pinch of the filling before using it—sometimes I add a touch more parmesan for extra umami.
• After the dough has rested, remove it from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes. Knead it briefly on a lightly floured surface, then divide the dough into manageable sections. Flatten each section and use a pasta roller (or rolling pin) to roll the dough into thin sheets—ideally to the 5th lowest setting. Place 1 tablespoon of pumpkin ricotta filling (from Step 2) about 3 inches apart on half of a sheet. Fold the sheet over the filling scoops, press out air around each mound, and carefully seal the edges. Cut into 3x3 inch ravioli squares and lay them on a floured, parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
• While you assemble the ravioli, start the sauce. In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream, torn sage leaves, and whole black peppercorns. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring often, until reduced by half (about 15–20 minutes). Strain out the solids, return the cream to the pan, and add the shredded parmesan cheese, chopped sage, white wine vinegar, and kosher salt. Stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth, simmering for 2 more minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
• For the breadcrumbs, melt a bit of butter in a skillet over medium-low heat, add the panko breadcrumbs, and cook, stirring, until golden brown. Remove to cool. In the same skillet, pan-fry the prosciutto slices on medium heat just until crispy (about 5 seconds per side), then chop into bits. For the crispy sage, heat about 1/2 inch of olive oil in a small saucepan, fry the sage leaves until they sizzle and turn darker green but not brown (5–8 seconds), then drain on paper towels. I always watch closely during this step because both breadcrumbs and sage can go from perfect to burnt in a matter of seconds.
• Bring a large pot of water to a gentle boil and add salt. If using fresh ravioli (from Step 3), cook them in batches until they float to the surface, about 2–3 minutes. If you're using frozen or store-bought ravioli, cook according to package instructions. Remove the cooked ravioli with a slotted spoon to serving plates. To keep fresh ravioli from sticking, I like to gently toss them in a drizzle of olive oil after draining.
• Place the cooked ravioli on plates, then spoon the warm sage parmesan cream sauce (from Step 4) over the top. Finish with a generous sprinkle of browned panko breadcrumbs, crispy prosciutto bits, and fried sage leaves (from Step 5). Serve immediately and enjoy!