Trader Joe’s Butternut Squash Ravioli Recipe
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure.On nights when everyone is hungry and my patience for complicated cooking disappears, this Trader Joe’s butternut squash ravioli recipe rescues dinner in the best way. I use fresh, ready-made ravioli, Parmesan, and olive oil to create an easy and delicious meal in just 15 minutes.
Ready-made filled pasta has always been one of my favorite mom hacks during busy seasons, especially when my kids were particularly fussy. This Trader Joe’s butternut squash ravioli tasted just like my roasted butternut squash, so I make sure to keep the sauce simple and let those natural flavors shine through. Save this recipe and use it on those nights when you need a break and proper comfort food.
I first started making this Trader Joe’s butternut squash ravioli when they ran out of my usual ravioli. I mostly made the spinach ravioli with roasted tomatoes and basil because my kids absolutely love it. Then, when they only had the butternut variety available, I worried that my kids would not be as receptive to it. Boy, was I wrong. The sweetness of the squash mixed with the salty Parmesan was enough to move this recipe to the number one spot.
👩🏽🍳 Why I Love This Recipe
The balance of sweet squash filling, salty parmesan, and silky olive oil sauce is why I love this Trader Joe’s butternut squash ravioli recipe, and why I make it so often. The ravioli itself already contains vitamins and fiber from the squash, while the parmesan and olive oil create a silky sauce that does not need any heavy creams or sauces to be satisfying. As a mom, I love a meal that gives me a break in the kitchen, and this one earns bonus points for being healthy and picky-eater-approved.
Another thing I love about this recipe is how quickly everything moves. I start by boiling the ravioli until tender, then drain it and set it aside. I use the same pot to make my sauce. First, I add the olive oil and heat it gently, then I melt the grated parmesan into it to create a light creamy sauce. I toss the ravioli back into the pot and make sure each piece is coated. Then I finish with fresh black pepper and a bit of pasta water if the sauce is too thick.
The first time I made this pasta for some of our friends, I remember some of them looking surprised as they watched me cooking in the kitchen. I noticed a few surprised looks when they realized how simple the recipe was. I assured her that I love convenience foods, as long as the ingredients list is wholesome enough for my family. That night, we all shared some of our little cooking hacks, which up until then we were ashamed to admit out loud. Please do not feel like you are cutting corners with this recipe. Take a break and make this Trader Joe’s butternut squash ravioli.
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🥘 Ingredients
I keep the ingredient list short for this Trader Joe’s butternut squash ravioli. This is what I use to keep the squash filling flavor as the main attraction:
Butternut squash ravioli: I use fresh refrigerated ravioli from Trader Joe’s for the best texture.
Extra virgin olive oil: Olive oil creates the base of the sauce and helps the Parmesan melt into a silky coating for the ravioli.
Freshly grated parmesan cheese: Fresh parmesan melts much more smoothly than pre-shredded varieties and creates a light, creamy texture once warmed.
Black pepper: I use freshly cracked black pepper to balance the sweetness of the squash filling.
Reserved pasta water: I sometimes stir in a spoonful of pasta water to loosen the sauce slightly and help it coat the ravioli.
🔪 How To Make
I make this Trader Joe’s butternut squash ravioli in one pot, in just a matter of minutes. If you enjoy these kinds of easy meals, check out some of my other easy Trader Joe’s recipes. This is how I make the ravioli:
Boil ravioli: I cook the ravioli in salted boiling water according to the package directions, until the pasta turns tender and starts floating to the surface.
Drain carefully: Once cooked, I drain the ravioli gently, making sure the pasta does not tear apart.
Warm sauce: In the same pot, I heat olive oil over low heat and stir in the freshly grated parmesan cheese slowly until the mixture softens to a light sauce.
Add pasta water: If the sauce looks a bit thick, I stir in a little reserved pasta water to help loosen the texture.
Coat ravioli: Next, I return the cooked ravioli to the pot and toss carefully so every piece gets coated without breaking open. Right before serving, I add extra parmesan and freshly cracked black pepper over the top while the pasta is still warm.
💭 Expert Tips
My #1 Secret Tip for this butternut squash ravioli recipe is that I always melt the parmesan over very low heat. If I rush the process or turn the heat too high, the cheese turns clumpy and oily instead of creating that smooth, light, creamy sauce.
Other Tips To Keep In Mind:
- Save pasta water: A spoonful of the pasta water helps loosen the sauce, but also helps emulsify everything thanks to the starch in the water. I reserve a cup of water before draining the pasta and use it as needed.
- Do not overcook: I remove the ravioli as soon as it floats to the top, so the filling stays soft without the pasta turning mushy, which could cause the butternut to leak out.
- Warm plates: I sometimes warm the serving bowls slightly so the sauce stays silky longer while eating.
📖 Variations
This Trader Joe’s butternut squash ravioli has taken all of the guesswork out of dinnertime, which has sometimes allowed me to really flex my culinary skills and get creative with a few variations. These are 3 I make repeatedly:
Herb version: I stir 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage and 1 teaspoon thyme into the warm olive oil sauce for an extra earthy flavor. I love this version, and sometimes I add more sage to mine since it brings out the flavor of the butternut squash really well.
Walnut topping: I sprinkle 1/4 cup toasted chopped walnuts over the finished ravioli for crunch and nuttiness. I usually make this version when hosting friends since it looks a bit more elegant on the table.
Spicy finish: I add 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes to the olive oil while warming the sauce, for a gentle heat. Surprisingly, this has become my daughter’s favorite version lately.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
Since this Trader Joe’s butternut squash ravioli recipe is quite quick, I recommend using a bit of that free time to pair it with something fresh like a cucumber tomato avocado salad. Or even some gluten free focaccia.
My kids love sauce, so I have served this ravioli with extra sauce and allowed them to dress it up as they please. The most recent obsession has been layers of healthy marinara sauce, topped with vegan white cheese sauce, and finished with a dollop of pesto without pine nuts. It’s sort of a tricolore kind of thing. I am much more basic and instead opt to eat mine with a side of crispy kale salad with lemon dressing.
🧊 Storing And ♨️ Reheating
Refrigeration: I store leftover ravioli in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freezing: I do not recommend freezing cooked ravioli since the filling and pasta texture can become very watery once thawed.
Reheating: I reheat leftovers gently in a skillet over low heat with a small splash of water or olive oil to loosen the sauce again.
❓Recipe FAQs
Why did my Parmesan sauce turn clumpy instead of creamy?
Parmesan can separate quickly if the heat gets too high while melting. I always keep the burner low and stir constantly so the cheese softens gradually into the olive oil instead of tightening into little clumps.
What can I add if the sauce tastes too rich?
A squeeze of lemon juice or extra black pepper helps balance the richness nicely without overpowering the squash filling. I sometimes add a handful of arugula on top for freshness.
How do I stop the ravioli from sticking together after draining?
I toss the ravioli gently with a little olive oil if it is going to be sitting for a minute while I assemble the sauce. Keeping the pasta moving slightly while draining also helps prevent sticking.
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🎥 Watch How to Make It
Trader Joe’s Butternut Squash Ravioli Recipe
On nights when everyone is hungry and my patience for complicated cooking disappears, this Trader Joe's butternut squash ravioli recipe rescues dinner in the best way. I use fresh, ready-made ravioli, Parmesan, and olive oil to create an easy and delicious meal in just 15 minutes.
Servings: 3
Calories: 402kcal
Ingredients
- 1 package Trader Joe's Butternut Squash Triangoli
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper or to taste
Instructions
- Cook the ravioli according to package directions. About 4 minutes in boiling water. Drain and cool.
- In the same pot that you cooked the ravioli in, heat two tablespoons of olive oil and 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese over low heat until the cheese is melted in the olive oil. Stir frequently until the cheese is melted and combined with the olive oil (you don't want the cheese to become crispy or hardened!) Alternatively, you can toss the ravioli with the olive oil mixed with 1-2 tbsp of reserved pasta cooking water, and then just top with parmesan cheese.
- Return the cooked ravioli to the pot and toss in the sauce.
- Serve and top with 1 Tbsp Parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Notes
- My #1 Secret Tip for this butternut squash ravioli recipe is that I always melt the parmesan over very low heat. If I rush the process or turn the heat too high, the cheese turns clumpy and oily instead of creating that smooth, light, creamy sauce.
- Save pasta water: A spoonful of the pasta water helps loosen the sauce, but also helps emulsify everything thanks to the starch in the water. I reserve a cup of water before draining the pasta and use it as needed.
- Do not overcook: I remove the ravioli as soon as it floats to the top, so the filling stays soft without the pasta turning mushy, which could cause the butternut to leak out.
- Warm plates: I sometimes warm the serving bowls slightly so the sauce stays silky longer while eating.
Nutrition
Calories: 402kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 652mg | Potassium: 13mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g
Thanks for this great way to fix the squash tortalini. Just now found it, is why I’m so late. I had a problem with the sauce both times I made it. The cheese didn’t melt into the oil, instead it got stringy and hard. Thought heat may have been too high, but the second time I was careful to keep heat low & same thing happened. Any ideas?
Hi Kay! Hmm that is so strange! One thing you could do is add some of the pasta cooking water into the olive oil/cheese combo as you’re melting the cheese down. The starchy pasta water should help make the sauce more smooth (and I would recommend cooking it on low heat as well). Let me know if that ends up working for you!
Tip: If you use pre-shredded cheese that comes in bag, it will not melt well. Most pre-shredded cheeses have cellulose added to them (yuk) which makes the Melted cheese stringy. Best to use freshly shredded cheese that you shred from a block!😉
Thanks Christine! Great point!
I made this and added sage and a bit of milk and 1/4 tsp of maple syrup. Very good!!
Hooray!! That’s wonderful to hear – so glad you liked it!
I found these butternut squash raviolis at TJ & I picked up 3 packages. I love to fry raviolis as a snack. Dip each ravioli into a beaten egg and coat with Italian bread crumbs. Fry in a little olive oil until lightly toasted and flip, drain on paper towel. Season, while hot with freshly grated parm & I serve with my homemade sauce . Yummy
Thanks for the tip Terri! Glad you were able to find these raviolis at TJs!
I love these ravioli. I usually boil them and then brown some butter in the pan. I am sensitive to parmesan, so I go with just the bit of browned butter on the ravioli. Works great.
Wondering though if the pasta could be done in the microwave at work…. ? Any thoughts?
Hi! I’m so glad you like this recipe! Regarding cooking the ravioli in the microwave, I wouldn’t recommend it — I feel like the texture of the pasta would become squishy and wouldn’t taste as good. You might want to just pre-cook them at home and then bring them to work to warm up in the microwave instead. Hope that helps!
Thank you for providing such a simple sauce recipe. I’m using the frozen butternut squash from Rising Moon Organics (purchased at Sprouts in AZ). I am a beginner when it comes to cooking. Although the delicacies of ramen noodles sustained my first 3 years at college, I’m taking baby steps toward making dinners that require more than watching the microwave for three minutes! haha
I used shaved parmesean for the sauce and after having it on low for a few minutes, the cheese clumped together and didn’t really absorb the olive oil as I expected. I know this must be due to a beginners mistake, so do you have any suggestions for what I should do differently next time?
Thanks! 🙂
Hi Jackie! That’s a great question! So a couple tips to make sure the cheese blends into the olive oil: 1) Make sure your parmesan is super finely shredded – that is key! 2) Make sure you’re heating it on the lowest heat setting 3) When you add the cheese into the oil, make sure you sprinkle it all around (vs. just dumping it in one spot) And if all else fails, try reserving a bit of the pasta water and combine it with the cheese as you melt it into the olive oil — because that will give it more of a “sauce like” consistency and will help prevent clumping! I hope that helps, let me know how it turns out next time!
I got this ravioli from trader joe’s, and was googling for a sauce to make with it when your site popped-up – perfect! Looking forward to trying this tonight!
Oh great!! Can’t wait to hear what you think – I’m sure you will love it!
We loved the sauce! It was great to find a simple sauce, using all the ingredients I had on hand. The biggest bonus, the kids loved it! Thanks, Anjali Mami!
Oh yay!! I’m so glad that you guys (especially the kids) liked it! 🙂 It was so nice seeing all of you on the hangout the other day – we have to do that again soon!
Did a search for sauce to go with my TJ’s butternut squash ravioli and VOILA! Thanks for posting.
No problem! Hope you enjoy the sauce!
Well I’m going to give it a try tonight. I had already picked up the squash pasta triangoli…an was wondering what to put on it…thanks!
Oh great! Perfect timing 🙂 Hope you love this recipe!
I like to add a little curry powder and sauted spinach and onion.
Oooh! I love the idea of giving it an Indian twist – great idea!
Mmmm, sounds so yummy. I love pasta. Next time I’m near a Trader Joe’s I’ll have to pick this up. Thank you!
Hehe I love pasta too! Can’t wait to hear how you liked this recipe Krista!
Thank you! I have that ravioli ready to boil and was searching for a quick sauce to top it. This is perfect – thanks!
Awesome!! Hope it turned out great Kate!
Oh yum, I once tried making Gnocchi to impress the husband, oh man it was like eating pasty gooey flour, so I’ll try this ravioli instead! ha!. You know what else I’d do with it? I’d saute spinach or just mix in arugula to add a veggie and some color to the dish. Yum!
Haha that was very brave of you to try to make Gnocchi! I love the idea of sauteing spinach or arugula with this dish! Great idea – will definitely try that next time 🙂
I love these ravioli’s and that sauce on top sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing!!
Thanks Kristy! I’m sure you will love this recipe!
Oh I know these TJ’s ravioli! They are among my favs! And I’m so glad you made such a simple “sauce”. It’s the best way to really have the ravioli taste stand out
Thanks Sara! I agree – you could really taste the creamy butternut squash filling since the sauce was pretty light 🙂
I’m so glad you found this ravioli! I LOVE butternut squash ravioli but I’m kind of too lazy to make my own pasta, haha. This with your gorgonzola sauce sounds perfect. I’m definitely making a trip to TJ this weekend.
haha yeah, making your own from scratch is definitely a LONG process 🙂 Let me know how you like the ravioli once you try them out!