[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][vc_column_text]There are some foods you try on vacation that you just keep thinking about—and EPCOT’s Butternut Squash Ravioli was one of those for me.
I had it at EPCOT’s International Food & Wine Festival, and I loved the combination of the sweet butternut squash ravioli with that rich brown butter vinaigrette, Parmesan, and crunchy pumpkin seeds.
Of course, when I decided to recreate it at home, I wanted to turn it into something that could work as an actual dinner for my family. So I added Italian sausage, and I think it’s the perfect addition.
The savory sausage balances the sweetness of the squash, and that brown butter vinaigrette brings everything together. Add Parmesan and crunchy pumpkin seeds on top, and this one feels a little fancy without actually being hard to make.
And you know that’s exactly the kind of recipe I like around here!
EPCOT-Inspired Butternut Squash Ravioli
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4–6
Ingredients
For the Ravioli
- 1 package (18–20 oz) refrigerated butternut squash ravioli
- 1 lb mild Italian sausage
- ½ cup freshly grated or shaved Parmesan cheese
- ⅓ cup roasted and salted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- Freshly cracked black pepper
For the Brown Butter Vinaigrette
- 12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼–⅓ cup reserved ravioli cooking water
Instructions
Brown the Sausage
Add the Italian sausage to a large skillet over medium heat. Break it into small crumbles and cook until browned and completely cooked through.
Remove the sausage from the skillet and set it aside. Drain off excess grease, but don’t worry about wiping the skillet clean. Those little browned bits are extra flavor!
Cook the Ravioli
Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil and cook the butternut squash ravioli according to the package directions.
Before you drain it, reserve about ½ cup of the pasta water.
Gently drain the ravioli and set aside.
Make the Brown Butter Vinaigrette
Now for the best part!
Add the butter to a large skillet over medium heat. Let it melt and continue cooking, swirling the pan occasionally.
The butter will foam and then you’ll start seeing little golden-brown bits forming on the bottom. Once it smells toasted and nutty and has turned a beautiful golden brown, remove it from the heat.
Watch it closely because brown butter can go from perfect to burned pretty quickly!
Let the butter cool for about a minute, then whisk in the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, salt, and pepper.
Whisk in about ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water. Add a little more if needed until the vinaigrette is silky and easily coats the ravioli.
Put It All Together
Return the skillet to low heat and add the cooked Italian sausage.
Gently add the ravioli and spoon the brown butter vinaigrette over everything. Be gentle here so you don’t break those ravioli!
Let everything warm together for a minute or two.
Transfer to a serving platter or individual bowls and finish with plenty of Parmesan, roasted pumpkin seeds, and freshly cracked black pepper.
Why Add Italian Sausage?
The original EPCOT-inspired combination is all about the ravioli, brown butter vinaigrette, Parmesan, and pumpkin seeds.
But I wanted this to be something I could put on the table and call dinner.
Italian sausage was the answer.
It’s salty and savory enough to balance the sweetness of the butternut squash without overpowering it. And once those little browned pieces of sausage get coated in the brown butter vinaigrette…so good!
Finding Easy Tip
Don’t throw out your pasta water!
That little bit of starchy water makes a big difference in the brown butter vinaigrette. It helps everything come together and coat the ravioli instead of leaving you with a puddle of butter at the bottom of the skillet.
And this is absolutely a recipe where I would buy the refrigerated ravioli. We’re Finding Easy—not Finding More Work. 😂
Do I Need a Side Dish?
I don’t think so!
Once you add the Italian sausage, this is a pretty hearty meal on its own.
If you want something fresh alongside it, a simple green or arugula salad would be perfect, but I wouldn’t make another heavy side.
A Little Taste of EPCOT at Home
I love taking something we’ve eaten on a trip and figuring out an easy way to recreate those flavors at home.
This isn’t Disney’s official recipe—it’s my EPCOT-inspired version, with the addition of Italian sausage to make it work as a full meal.
And honestly, the combination of sweet butternut squash, savory sausage, tangy brown butter vinaigrette, salty Parmesan, and crunchy pumpkin seeds is one I’ll be making again.
If you’ve tried the Butternut Squash Ravioli at EPCOT, you’ll definitely understand why I wanted to recreate this one![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://youtube.com/shorts/7sklolfMIOw?feature=share”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row]