When air starts to get cold and crisp again, you know it’s yet another exciting opportunity to plan for the perfect Thanksgiving dinner. And what’s an autumn feast without butternut squash? Nowadays, the usual roasted dish or squash soup is getting more and more innovative as people try to do something else. Have you ever thought of using it for ravioli? It’s the absolute game changer. Making the filling is practically identical with every dish but what will make your piece standout is the sauce. On this article, we’ll be talking about two of the most common butternut squash ravioli sauces made and we’ll give you hints on how to further amplify your game.
Sage Brown Butter Sauce
You may have seen this butternut squash ravioli as a menu item served in a couple of restaurants already. This is quite a famous pick when we’re talking about butternut squash ravioli sauce because it’s quite easy to make. Also, the nutty taste of brown butter combined with the herby zest of sage make an ideal fusion. What will make it even more perfect is when these flavors unite with the sweet taste of butternut squash inside the ravioli. Try out this recipe and find out for yourself what we’re talking about.
Ingredients
- 1 stick of unsalted butter, 250 grams
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons of minced fresh sage
- Salt
- Pepper
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
- On a skillet, toss the butter until melted and heated. Cook under medium heat.
- Add minced garlic and cook well. Cook the butter further to achieve a golden brown color.
- Put sage leaves until texture becomes crisp.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Turn off the heat and add lemon juice.
This recipe is good for a little more than 2 pounds of butternut squash ravioli and it is the most basic procedure for sage brown butter sauce. Browning the butter is a bit of challenge because there’s a thin line between this quality and burnt butter. Be mindful of the heat. Heat it longer than usual until it gets that delicious broiled zest.
To give it a delicious twist, you may add nuts such as chopped hazelnut or almonds to give a crunchy texture and more nutty taste. If you want to make a cream-based sauce, have the liberty to put whipped cream for that extra mouth-watering feel. Add this after toasting sage leaves. Whisk until foam forms. Be careful when cooking as milk tends to scald fast.
White Wine Sauce
Another one among the famous butternut squash ravioli sauces is white wine sauce. You will see a lot of recipes suggesting this dish for a fancier feel. Of course, everything becomes extra elegant when you bring this alcoholic beverage into scene. The slightly bittersweet outcome reminds you of a fun romantic Saturday date. It complements well with the strong sweet taste of butternut squash ravioli. Check out the recipe here.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter, 15 grams
- 12 minced garlic cloves
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 tablespoon herbs of your choice
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Toss butter on a skillet until hot and melted.
- Saute garlic until slightly browned.
- Pour white wine and herbs.
- Add a dash of salt and pepper to taste.
- Once heated well, remove from the stovetop.
As with the previous recipe, this is good for about two pounds of ravioli and the above provides the backbone of all evolving White Wine Sauce recipes. Here, the output is a clear white sauce but if you’re going after a slightly thicker and silkier texture, your go-to ingredient is cornstarch. Add it while you are mixing white wine and herbs and mix until desired consistency is achieved.
Regarding herb choices, thyme is the perfect recommendation. However, you may also do a combination. For example, thyme, dill, rosemary, parsley, and marjoram. Mint is not recommended because its flavour creates contrast with wine. Oftentimes, the sauce itself is also perfectly paired with other meat or vegetables such as mushroom, prawns, tomatoes, and even chicken breasts. For additional texture, toss in a couple of chopped nuts.
Other Ravioli Sauce Choices
Whether your butternut squash ravioli is store-bought or homemade, the thing that will make it stand out is the sauce. We have selected a few recipes below that tried to diversify the way butternut squash ravioli sauces are made. Try it out or use it as inspiration in creating your own ravioli’s dress.
Red Pepper Cream Sauce
If you have family members or guests who have great affinity for the hot and spicy, show them some appreciation by serving butternut squash ravioli with red pepper cream sauce. This is made by making Alfredo sauce in garlic and butter. Oven-roasted or pan-fried chili is combined with the sauce by food mixer for a uniform distribution of flavours.
Maple Cream Sauce
While everyone is raving about Browned Butter Sage Sauce, this is an unusual twist to it. Maple syrup and cream is cooked in garlic and butter. You may add chopped herbs here to give a more kicking flavour. The pale golden color of the sauce completes the autumn vibe of your feast.
Tomato-based Sauce
You will rarely see tomato-based sauce as dressing of Butternut Squash Ravioli because for some, the flavors are not exactly a perfect match. However, some still find the combination of sweet and sour from squash and tomato respectively a good experience. Here, tomatoes are stir fried in butter or olive oil. Fresh herbs are added for more zest.
Asian Sauce
If you would like to infuse your Asian heritage or simply trying to set up an oriental theme, we’ve got the right fix for you. This is done by combining soy sauce, ginger, green onions and sesame oil. Think of it as a dip for your squash dumplings.
There are a variety of ways by which you can make your Butternut Squash Ravioli alive. We hope these suggestions have been helpful for you in deciding the best sauce for your pasta.