Vegan Butternut Squash Ravioli

Vegan butternut squash ravioli is a delicious dish that celebrates Fall. Creamy filling stuffed inside dumpling wrappers, panfried then topped with toasted pecans.

Vegan butternut squash ravioli is a great candidate for batch cooking! You can shape and fill them ahead of time. Then cook when you need a quick comfort food dinner any day of the week!

The best part is this vegan ravioli is made without a pasta machine or food processor. No equipment needed!

They take a bit of time to make but totally worth it! The recipe uses eggless dumpling or wonton wrappers. They get browned and a little crisp on the bottom when pan-fried in a luscious rosemary olive oil sauce.

Then topped with chopped toasted pecans for a little extra crunch. Making your own ravioli at home is simpler than you might think!

Key Tips to Follow

1. Roast your butternut squash well. Fully cooked roasted butternut squash is easier to mash. You’re more likely to have a velvety smooth filling.
2. Do not leave air in your filled ravioli. To prevent bursting and uneven cooking, push out any air pockets before sealing.
3. Seal your ravioli well. Wet the edges of the dumpling wrapper. Press the second dumpling wrapper down firmly, pushing out the air pockets. Use a fork to crimp the edges. The filling of well-sealed ravioli is less likely to leak out when boiling.
4. Use a gentle boil. Ravioli is delicate. Cooking in rapidly boiling water may cause the seal to loosen and the filling to wash out. Cook them in gently boiling water.

Key Ingredient Notes

• Butternut Squash
  A perfect way to use up any leftover roasted squash. But if you have fresh, no worries! Check out this easy way to roast butternut squash whole without peeling or cutting. Use some to make this ravioli filling and toss any leftovers in this squash risotto.
• Silken Tofu
  Optional but adds even more creaminess and makes it more filling. You only need about half a block. The rest can be frozen and used in a tofu scramble or other recipes.
• Nutritional Yeast – adds a “cheesy” flavor”
• Lactic Acid or Vinegar – I use lactic acid often in other pasta recipes such as Vegan Mac and Cheese and Hamburger Helper. It boosts the cheesy flavor by adding a familiar sharpness. Vinegar is a good alternative.
• Dumpling or Wonton Wrappers
  Be sure these are eggless. I purchased them at an Asian grocery store. They might be at some regular grocery stores in the refrigerated section near tofu.
  Dumpling wrappers are rolled thinly, so they are perfect for using to make ravioli.

Step-By-Step Instructions

1. Toast chopped pecans in a dry skillet until lightly browned and aromatic. Remove from the heat and set aside in a small bowl.
In the same skillet, sauté minced onion and garlic in a little bit of olive oil.

2. Make your ravioli filling. Peel and mash the roasted butternut squash. Stir in the silken tofu.

3. Add in the browned onions and garlic, as well as nutritional yeast, lactic acid or vinegar, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper.

4. Fill a small bowl with water then lay out your dumpling wrappers. Place 2 teaspoons of the filling in the center.

5. Repeat with the remainder then moisten the edges of the wrapper.

6. Place another wrapper on top. Press and crimp the edges to seal.

7. Cook the ravioli in a pot of slow-boiling salted water for 5 to 8 minutes or until they start to float. Remove and set aside on a plate.

Meanwhile, heat a skillet on low heat. Add the vegan butter, olive oil, crushed unpeeled garlic cloves and fresh rosemary. Allow the oil to slowly infuse for 5 minutes.

8. Increase the heat under the skillet then add the ravioli in batches. Season and cook until the bottom of each piece is browned.

9. Top with toasted chopped pecans and serve immediately.

Variations or Substitutions

• Try sweet potatoes instead of butternut squash for a slightly caramelized or toasty flavor.
• Roasted kabocha squash would make the perfect substitute for butternut in this filling. It also has a bit more sweetness.
• Infuse any fresh herbs in the vegan butter or olive oil sauce to personalize to your taste. Sage is an excellent choice.
• Replace silken tofu with a little bit of vegan cream cheese or yogurt. Both have a natural acidity or tang so if do use them, omit the lactic acid or vinegar.
• To add some freshness to the filling. Try lemon juice instead of lactic acid or vinegar.

Storage Suggestions

Leftover filling can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freezer for up to a month.

Any extra dumpling wrappers can be frozen for later or used in other recipes. My favorites include pierogi (Polish dumplings) and gyoza (Japanese dumplings).

Uncooked ravioli can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Uncooked ravioli can also be frozen for up to 2 months.

Place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper or a nonstick mat. Freeze until solid then store in a container or resealable food storage bag.

When ready to eat, simply drop them straight into the boiling water without thawing. Cook until they start to float.

Serving Ideas

• Crunchy breadcrumbs. Heat a bit of olive oil in a pan, add panko breadcrumbs, and garlic powder. Brown the breadcrumbs and add to your ravioli for a tasty, crunchy topping.
• Fresh herbs like parsley, chives, and basil add some brightness to the dish.

A few great sides that complement ravioli are:

• Roasted or steamed vegetables, like broccoli, zucchini, or eggplant
• Garden salad
• Vegetable soup
• Air-fryer Cauliflower Wings

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

5 from 3 votes

Vegan Butternut Squash Ravioli

A delicious vegan ravioli recipe that celebrates fall. Creamy filling stuffed inside dumpling wrappers, pan-fried then topped with toasted pecans.

Prep Time2 hours hrs

Cook Time1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time3 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer, Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: 8

Calories: 495kcal

Author: Jhanelle Golding

Ingredients

• 1 lb butternut squash, roasted. Check out this recipe for whole roasted squash
• 6 oz silken tofu
• 1 small onion (or shallot), minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp olive oil, or vegan butter
• 4 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon vegan lactic acid, or 2 tsp vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• ½ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
• 100 eggless dumpling or wonton wrappers, about 2 packages

Pan-frying

• 8 tbsp olive oil or butter, or both
• 5 cloves garlic, crushed, unpeeled
• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, 2 inches each, or fresh sage
• salt, to taste
• black pepper, to taste

Topping

• ½ cup chopped pecans

Instructions

Toast the Nuts and Brown the Onions and Garlic

• Heat a dry, nonstick skillet on low heat.
• Add the chopped pecans and toast until lightly browned. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.
  1/2 cup chopped pecans
• Once browned, immediately remove the pan from the heat and scrape into a bowl. Set aside.
• Place the empty pan back on the lowest heat setting. Add 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil.
  1 tbsp olive oil
• Add the minced onion and garlic and allow to slowly brown for 6 to 8 minutes.
  1 small onion (or shallot),2 cloves garlic
• Remove from heat and set aside.

Make the filling

• Peel the roasted butternut squash and add the flesh to a bowl. Mash with a fork until smooth. Stir in the silken tofu.
  1 lb butternut squash,6 oz silken tofu
• Add the browned onions and garlic, nutritional yeast, lactic acid or vinegar, nutmeg, salt and black pepper. Stir until completely combined. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
  4 tbsp nutritional yeast,1 teaspoon vegan lactic acid,1 teaspoon salt,½ teaspoon black pepper,1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Make the ravioli

• Lay out the dumpling wrappers on a clean surface or cutting board.
  100 eggless dumpling or wonton wrappers
• Place 2 teaspoons of filling in the centre of each.
• Get a small bowl of water, wet your index finger and moisten around the edge of the wrapper.
• Add another wrapper on top and press the edges together to seal. Ensure that the filling remains in the centre while trying to remove as much air as possible.
• Use a fork to crimp and better seal the edges.
• Repeat with the remaining dumpling wrappers and filling.

Boil and pan-fry the ravioli

• Bring a large pot of water to a gentle boil. A rapid boil may loosen the seal.
• Drop in the ravioli. Cook in batches if needed.
• Allow them to boil until they start to float for about 5 to 8 minutes.
• Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate.
• Heat the nonstick skillet on low to medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of butter or olive oil and 2 crushed, unpeeled garlic cloves. Allow the garlic to infuse the oil for about 4 minutes, as it slowly starts to brown.
  5 cloves garlic,8 tbsp olive oil or butter
• Add one twig/sprig of fresh rosemary and cook for about 15 seconds.
  3 sprigs fresh rosemary
• Adjust the heat to medium and add a few cooked ravioli. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until browned on the bottom for about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
  black pepper,salt
• Cook the remaining ravioli in batches, with the remaining butter, garlic and rosemary, if needed.
• Top with toasted pecans and serve immediately.

Notes

• This recipe makes about 50 ravioli with about 2 tsp (16g) of filling each. With about 6 ravioli per serving, this recipe makes about 8 servings total.
• Omitting the tofu would make about 40 ravioli.
• Try not to over-fill them as dumpling wrappers are thin and they could break open while shaping or cooking.
• The post has lots of step-by-step photos which also show the filling-to-dumpling ratio.
• Store uncooked ravioli for up to 3 days in the fridge or frozen for up to 3 months.
• Got extra dumpling wrappers? Try making vegan pierogi or gyoza.