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This ravioli with italian sausage recipe is the ideal recipe to warm your body and your soul. Your favorite ravioli, in a creamy tomato sauce that is complemented with freshly sliced mushrooms and spinach, is just the dish you need on a brisk autumn day.

Lakeside Sitting

Picture this: you’re heading to a lakeside cabin for the weekend during peak fall color, and you are looking to have a warm meal to share with your partner on the deck in the brisk fall air. This was me about a year ago.

My partner and I had just booked a stay at a cabin overlooking Bear Lake in Northern Utah in early October, and I was determined to serve up “fall in a dish.”

I am a sucker for a good, warm pasta dish, especially on a chilly fall evening. So when I was thinking of something I could make, I remembered I had recently bought a package of butternut squash with caramelized onion ravioli. Hmmm, but what could I do to make this into the quintessential fall meal?

I thought to myself, italian sausage is best for most pasta dishes, so that’s a start. But what sauce would complement the ravioli? I did some light research on Pinterest and found some inspiration.

Soon, I had it! A creamy sauce with a touch of tomato was what I was looking for. Now, how can I really make this into something that feels cozy? Add some mushrooms and spinach, and voila! A dish full of fall was sitting in my lap on the deck of the lakeside cabin.

Why THIS Ravioli with Italian Sausage Recipe?

Fall is the perfect time for warm recipes that fill your belly and feed your soul. Soups usually steal the show during this cozy season, but pasta was made for fall. Ravioli in a rich, creamy tomato sauce with freshly sliced mushrooms and baby spinach is just what your table needs.

This recipe is not only flavorful, but it is also nutritious and satisfyingly warm. It’s also flexible enough that you could make this recipe yours by using your preferred ravioli and mixing in your favorite fall-time veggies.

The Things Inside: The Ingredients

Italian Sausage – I found that sage-flavored sausage suits this recipe well
Sweet Cream Butter – salted or unsalted will do; just be mindful that you may need to reduce the salt you add at the end if you use salted sweet cream butter
Onion – yellow onions are the best in this fall favorite recipe
Mushrooms – fresh sliced baby bella mushrooms are the best option here
Garlic Cloves – freshly minced garlic cloves are where it’s at
Tomato Paste – you don’t need a whole lot, so do yourself a favor and get the tube of it rather than the can
Italian Seasoning – buy a quality blend
Red Pepper Flakes – this is an optional ingredient; if you opt to use it, just use what you have on hand
Salt – table salt is sufficient for this recipe
Black Pepper – fresh cracked black pepper is best
Ground Mustard – you don’t need much of this so any brand will do
Chicken Broth – the powder or the premade broth works well
Heavy Whipping Cream – any generic brand will suffice
Spinach – baby spinach, whole or sliced, works well
Parmigiano Reggiano – this is a key ingredient for this recipe, so buy the block and shred it yourself
Ravioli – use your favorite type of ravioli. For this recipe, I used butternut squash with caramelized onion ravioli

Building The Dish: Step-By-Step Guide

Step 1
Start by cooking your italian sausage in a large skillet over medium heat.
Step 2
Once the sausage is cooked, remove it from the skillet and place it on a covered plate to keep it warm.
Step 3
Next, heat the butter in the same skillet over medium heat.
Step 4
When the butter is melted, add in the chopped onion and sliced mushrooms and cook until tender. Add the minced garlic and stir until fragrant.
Step 5
Add in the tomato paste, red pepper flakes, italian seasoning, black pepper, salt, and ground mustard, and stir for about one minute.
Step 6
Slowly stir in the chicken broth until combined and bring to a simmer. While the sauce is cooking, prepare your ravioli according to the package directions.
Step 7
Gently pour in the heavy whipping cream and stir until smooth.
Step 8
Add in the baby spinach and cook until it has wilted, then return the cooked italian sausage to the skillet.
Step 9
Add in the freshly grated parmigiano reggiano, stirring until well combined.
Step 10
Gently fold your prepared ravioli into the sauce.

The Heavy Lifting: Equipment Needed

Large Skillet – T-fal has never let me down with their nonstick cookware and various-sized pots and pans
Vegetable Chopper – no more tears from onions with this handy veggie chopper
Box Cheese Grater – this box grater has four sides with four different-sized holes to grate your cheese to the size you need

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The Perfect Pairing

Ravioli with italian sausage in a creamy tomato sauce is warm and filling, so freshly baked No-Knead Focaccia Bread, Sweet Honey Cornbread, or Crispy Zucchini Fritters would complement it well.

And, if you are looking for something sweet to follow it up with, try a slice of Amaretto Peach Cobbler or some Traditional Crème Brûlée.

Have Leftovers?

Ravioli with italian sausage in a creamy tomato sauce can only be stored refrigerated or frozen. If you opt to keep it in the fridge, it is good for up to three days. If you opt to freeze it, it can remain frozen for up to three months.

When ready to eat, thaw if frozen, then reheat on the stovetop for a few minutes. If it needs some extra moisture, simply add a splash of heavy whipping cream before reheating.

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