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Pasta • Italian

Marsala Cream Sauce with Butternut Ravioli Recipe

Ultimate fall comfort food! Tender butternut squash ravioli cloaked in rich marsala cream sauce with caramelized onions, dried cranberries and fresh sage.

4.8 from 151 votes
50 mins
Total Time
2
servings
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Marsala Cream Sauce with Butternut Ravioli

How to Make the Best Marsala Cream Sauce with Butternut Ravioli

This marsala cream sauce with butternut ravioli is the epitome of fall comfort food, combining tender pasta pillows filled with sweet butternut squash with a luxuriously rich marsala wine sauce. The key to this dish’s elegance lies in its simplicity—just a handful of quality ingredients come together to create something truly special.

The magic starts with the caramelized onions, which take time but deliver incredible depth and sweetness to balance the marsala wine. When combined with the creamy sauce, dried cranberries, and fresh sage, every element plays its part in creating a harmonious dish that tastes like something you’d order at a fine Italian restaurant.

This is the perfect recipe for a special weeknight dinner or when you want to impress guests without spending hours in the kitchen. The sauce comes together quickly once the onions are caramelized, and the whole dish is on the table in under an hour. Pair it with a crisp white wine and fresh green salad for a complete, elegant meal.

Marsala Cream Sauce with Butternut Ravioli

Marsala Cream Sauce with Butternut Ravioli

Ultimate fall comfort food! Tender butternut squash ravioli cloaked in rich marsala cream sauce with caramelized onions, dried cranberries and fresh sage.

4.8 from 151 votes
CoursePasta
CuisineItalian
Keywordcooking with marsala wine, fall comfort food, fall pasta dishes, marsala cream sauce
Prep Time40 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Total Time50 mins
Servings2 servings
Calories1042kcal
AuthorChristina Hill
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Ingredients

Marsala Cream Sauce

Pasta

Instructions

Make the Onions

  1. In a large skillet, melt the butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the onions to the pan and sprinkle with salt.
  3. Reduce heat to low after 5 minutes.
  4. Cook 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are a dark brown, amber color.

Cook the Pasta

  1. Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot.
  2. Cook ravioli for 3 to 4 minutes and drain.

Build the Sauce

  1. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat.
  2. Cook the garlic until fragrant and just slightly browned.
  3. Add the marsala wine and whisk in the flour.
  4. Once the sauce starts to thicken (about 1 minute), add heavy cream, dried cranberries, and caramelized onion.
  5. Over low heat, add the ravioli and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce is thick and pasta is well coated.

Finish and Serve

  1. Turn off heat and sauté with sage, or plate the pasta and garnish with the sage for a vibrant pop of color.

Notes

  • Fresh sage adds a wonderful herbaceous note that complements the rich marsala cream perfectly
  • For the best caramelized onions, don't rush this step—low and slow is key
  • Trader Joe's butternut squash ravioli works wonderfully, but any quality butternut ravioli will do
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