Mouthwatering Pumpkin Ricotta Ravioli

Here is my favorite pumpkin ricotta ravioli recipe, with a creamy, smooth pumpkin filling mixed with rich ricotta cheese, warm spices, and fresh herbs, all wrapped in tender homemade pasta.

This pumpkin ricotta ravioli is what my family asks for every fall when the leaves start changing. I usually make a big batch and freeze half for busy weeknight dinners. Nothing beats homemade pasta that melts in your mouth, right?

What Kind of Ricotta Cheese Should I Use?

For the best pumpkin ricotta ravioli, you’ll want to use whole milk ricotta rather than part-skim or fat-free versions. The higher fat content gives your filling a creamier texture and richer flavor that pairs perfectly with the pumpkin. You can find good ricotta at most grocery stores, but if you have access to fresh ricotta from an Italian deli or specialty store, that’s even better. Before using your ricotta, it’s a good idea to drain it for about 30 minutes in a fine-mesh strainer to remove excess moisture – this prevents your ravioli filling from becoming too watery and helps keep your pasta from getting soggy.

Options for Substitutions

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

• All-purpose flour: You really want to stick with all-purpose flour for the pasta dough – it gives you the right texture and elasticity. Other flours like whole wheat can make the dough too dense and difficult to work with.
• Ricotta cheese: While ricotta is traditional, you can try cottage cheese that’s been drained overnight, or even mascarpone mixed with a little milk to thin it out. The texture will be slightly different but still tasty.
• Pumpkin puree: Butternut squash puree works great as a substitute and gives a similar sweet, earthy flavor. You can also try sweet potato puree, though it will change the taste profile a bit.
• Sage leaves: Fresh thyme or rosemary can replace sage, but use less since they’re stronger. If you only have dried sage, use about 1 teaspoon instead of the fresh leaves.
• Nutmeg: Ground cinnamon or a pinch of allspice can work if you’re out of nutmeg, though the flavor will be a little different.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making fresh ravioli is creating pasta dough that’s too wet or sticky, which makes it nearly impossible to roll thin and seal properly – if your dough feels tacky, gradually work in more flour until it’s smooth and manageable.

Another common error is overfilling the ravioli with the pumpkin ricotta mixture, which causes them to burst open during cooking, so stick to about a teaspoon of filling per ravioli and leave plenty of border for sealing.

Make sure your filling isn’t too wet by draining the ricotta in a fine-mesh strainer for 30 minutes before mixing, and always seal the edges firmly with a fork or your fingers to prevent them from opening up in the boiling water.

When cooking, use a large pot of well-salted water and don’t overcrowd the ravioli – they’re done when they float to the surface, usually in just 3-4 minutes.

What to Serve With Pumpkin Ricotta Ravioli?

This rich and creamy ravioli is perfect on its own, but I love serving it with a simple arugula salad dressed with lemon vinaigrette to cut through all that delicious richness. The peppery greens are a nice contrast to the sweet pumpkin and creamy ricotta filling. A crusty piece of garlic bread or some warm focaccia is great for soaking up any leftover sage butter sauce on your plate. For wine lovers, a crisp white wine like Pinot Grigio or a light red like Chianti pairs beautifully with the earthy fall flavors.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: Fresh pumpkin ricotta ravioli can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days before cooking. Just dust them lightly with flour and place them on a parchment-lined tray, making sure they don’t touch each other. Once cooked, leftover ravioli will keep in the fridge for about 3 days in a covered container.

Freeze: These ravioli freeze really well! Arrange the uncooked ravioli on a floured baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer to freezer bags for up to 3 months. You can cook them straight from frozen – just add an extra minute or two to the cooking time.

Warm Up: To enjoy leftover cooked ravioli, gently warm them in a skillet with a little butter over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes. You can also microwave them on medium power for about 30 seconds, but the skillet method keeps them from getting mushy and gives you that nice crispy edge.

Preparation Time	20-30 minutes
Cooking Time	15-20 minutes
Total Time	35-50 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

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

• Calories: 2250-2400
• Protein: 95-105 g
• Fat: 70-80 g
• Carbohydrates: 315-335 g

Ingredients

For the pasta dough:

• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp water (about 70°F)
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I always use King Arthur all-purpose flour)

For the pumpkin ricotta filling:

• 1 cup pumpkin purée (I use Libby’s pumpkin puree)
• 1 egg
• 2 cups ricotta cheese (drained for a thicker filling)
• 1 tsp salt
• Fresh grated nutmeg (for best flavor and aroma)

For the sage butter sauce:

• Salt, as needed
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 10 chopped sage leaves (freshly chopped for best aroma)

Step 1: Make and Rest the Pasta Dough

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tbsp water
• 1/2 tsp salt

Pour the all-purpose flour onto a clean work surface and create a large, wide well in the center.

Add the eggs, water, and salt into the well.

Using a fork, lightly beat the eggs, water, and salt together, making sure not to break the edges of the flour well.

Gradually incorporate the surrounding flour into the egg mixture until a loose dough forms.

Once most of the flour is incorporated, use your hands to bring the dough together and knead it until smooth and elastic.

This process takes a bit of time and effort, but results in a silky dough.

Wrap the finished dough ball in plastic wrap and allow it to rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.

I find that resting the dough really helps it roll out more easily later on.

Step 2: Prepare the Pumpkin Ricotta Filling

• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• 1 cup pumpkin purée
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp salt
• fresh grated nutmeg, to taste

While the pasta dough is resting, prepare the ravioli filling.

In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, pumpkin purée, egg, salt, and a generous grating of fresh nutmeg to taste.

Stir everything together until smooth and evenly mixed.

Set the filling aside until ready to assemble the ravioli.

Step 3: Roll Out Dough and Assemble the Ravioli

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

After the dough has rested, unwrap it and cut into manageable portions.

Using a pasta machine or a rolling pin, roll each portion into wide, thin sheets (about 1/16 inch thick if possible).

Lay one pasta sheet on your work surface and spoon tablespoons of the filling (from Step 2) onto the sheet, leaving ample space between each for sealing.

Cover with a second sheet of pasta, gently pressing around the filling to eliminate air pockets and seal the edges.

Use a ravioli stamp or a knife to cut out individual ravioli.

Transfer the ravioli onto a floured tray and refrigerate until ready to cook.

I like to lightly dust the ravioli with a bit of flour to prevent sticking.

Step 4: Boil the Ravioli

• salt, as needed
• ravioli from Step 3

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, add the ravioli (from Step 3) and boil for about 7 minutes, or until they float to the top and are cooked through.

Once cooked, drain the ravioli and set aside on a plate.

Step 5: Prepare the Brown Butter Sage Sauce and Finish

• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 10 chopped sage leaves
• ravioli from Step 4

While the ravioli are boiling, melt the unsalted butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat until it turns a golden brown and smells nutty.

Add the chopped sage leaves and let them cook for a few minutes, infusing the butter with flavor.

Add the cooked ravioli (from Step 4) into the pan, tossing them gently in the brown butter sage sauce to coat evenly.

Serve immediately, garnishing each plate with a couple of sage leaves for an aromatic finish.

For extra richness, I like to spoon a bit of the brown butter over the top just before serving.