Pumpkin ravioli is a delightful autumn dish, and the pumpkin filling often includes spices like sage and nutmeg, giving it a sweet but savory flavor. It’s commonly served with rich sauces like brown butter and sage or a creamy Gorgonzola.
Here are my 15 tried-and-tested ideas for side dishes and sauces that pair wonderfully with pumpkin ravioli. You can find everything from light and healthy dishes, to rich and indulgent ones.
The best dishes to serve with pumpkin ravioli are toasted nuts, rosemary dinner rolls, fall slaw, and spicy sauteed kale with andouille sausage. For sauces, try walnut pesto, gorgonzola cheese sauce, or a brown butter sauce with crushed amaretti biscuits.
Side dishes to pair with pumpkin ravioli
Toasted hazelnuts and pecans
Sometimes, the simplest additions can have the biggest impact.
Toasted hazelnuts and pecans (or whatever nuts you want) will provide a crunchy, buttery complement to the soft pumpkin ravioli. You can sprinkle them over the pasta just before serving, or lightly crush the nuts and mix them into your favorite sauce for an extra layer of flavor.
And toasting the nuts first makes sure they have loads of flavor so won’t disappear into the background.
Why we love this recipe: it couldn’t be easier.
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Toasted hazelnuts and pecans
Add spice
Spicy roasted nuts
Go for sweetness
Candied walnuts
Chicken piccata
Pumpkin ravioli is all carbs and fiber, so a protein-filled chicken piccata is an excellent dish to pair it with.
This Italian-American classic involves crispy pan-fried chicken cutlets in a bright, citrusy lemon butter sauce studded with capers – the perfect contrast to your rich ravioli.
And the best part? You only need 30 minutes to whip up this delicious dish.
Why we love this recipe: it’s a fuss-free dish that makes regular dinners special.
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Chicken piccata
Make it fun
Chicken piccata meatballs
Skip the chicken
Creamy lemon garlic salmon piccata
Sea salt and rosemary dinner rolls
Whether you’re serving your pumpkin ravioli in a simple butter sauce or a cream-based variety, a side of quality bread is always a welcomed addition.
My favorite are these rosemary dinner rolls. They’re super soft and fluffy – just what you need to mop up all the sauce’s goodness.
Why we love this recipe: it’s super easy to follow, even for beginner bakers.
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Sea salt and rosemary dinner rolls
Make it fancy
Sourdough ciabatta bread
Make it Italian-inspired
Best focaccia bread
Fall slaw
Instead of the usual cabbage and carrot affair, this slaw is made with a medley of colorful, crunchy produce like beets, broccoli, radish, and apples.
Everything is tossed with an earthy, tangy tahini-apple cider vinaigrette– no mayo-based dressing here!
Celebrate the flavors of fall with this vibrant slaw alongside your pumpkin ravioli.
Why we love this recipe: it only adds 179 calories to your meal.
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Fall slaw
Make it familiar
Apple cider vinegar coleslaw
Keep it simple
Apple and brussels sprouts slaw
Spicy sauteed kale with andouille sausage
Slow-cooked greens are fabulous, but this kale dish is the way to go when you’re in a rush.
The andouille sausages, vinegar, and Tabasco combine to add a smoky, savory, and spicy bite to the bitter kale.
You can enjoy this as a side dish, but try mixing this with your pumpkin ravioli for a delicious and nutritious meal.
Why we love this recipe: it’s low-carb and super healthy.
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Spicy sauteed kale with andouille sausage
Fire up the oven
Sheet pan sausage, peppers, and onion
Make it meatless
Balsamic sauteed kale with mushrooms
Apple cider pork tenderloin
The key to this dish lies in soaking the tenderloin in an apple cider and Dijon mustard marinade for at least an hour.
This tenderizes the meat and makes it oh-so-flavorful. Plus, the marinade can be cooked down into a delicious sauce.
Enjoy slices of this pork tenderloin alongside pumpkin ravioli for the ultimate fall-inspired meal.
Why we love this recipe: it’s fancy without breaking the bank.
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Apple cider pork tenderloin with easy pan sauce
Preheat the oven
Sheet pan balsamic pork tenderloin
Make it different
Pulled pork with BBQ sauce
Arugula, fennel, and orange salad
This arugula salad is the perfect accompaniment to an indulgent and rich pumpkin ravioli.
What makes this salad stand out, aside from the orange slices, is its zingy citrus-shallot vinaigrette.
This dressing gives the salad a prominent tartness that helps cut through your pumpkin ravioli’s richness.
Why we love this recipe: it’s oh-so-Instaworthy.
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Arugula, fennel, and orange salad
Skip the fruity notes
Radicchio salad with green olives and parmesan
Keep it simple
Kale salad with lemon dressing
Roasted brussels sprouts with bacon and balsamic onions
Roasting brussels sprouts makes them perfectly crisp and caramelized.
But this recipe goes the extra mile by tossing them in balsamic caramelized onions, infusing them with an addictive sweet-acidic flavor.
The cherry on top (literally) of this dish is the lashings of crunchy bacon bits for an extra savory twist.
Why we love this recipe: it’s indulgent but healthy, nutritious, and lo-carb.
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Roasted brussels sprouts with bacon and balsamic onions
Make it creamy
Creamy brussels sprouts with bacon
Skip the oven
Honey sriracha brussels sprouts
Pan-seared lamb chops
Want something fancy with your pumpkin ravioli?
These lamb chops are the way to go.
Like steaks, you don’t need to do much with these chops.
A quick sear in butter, garlic, and a few rosemary sprigs will give you that gorgeous, caramelized crust.
Pssst… you can also french the bone for a more elegant presentation. And here are some more things to pair with lamb chops.
Why we love this recipe: it looks and tastes like it came from a five-star restaurant.
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Pan-seared lamb chops
Change the flavor
Balsamic brown sugar lamb chops
Make it budget-friendly
Bone-in pork chops with garlic herb butter
Caramelized onions and mushrooms
This caramelized onions and mushrooms dish is the easiest way to add a savory, meatless note to your pumpkin ravioli.
Sauteed mushrooms are amazing, but adding caramelized onions brings a complex sweetness that rounds out the whole dish.
A splash of red wine will do wonders with this dish, but this recipe sticks with red wine vinegar, making it keto-friendly.
Why we love this recipe: everything comes together in one pan.
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Caramelized onions and mushrooms
Make it healthier
Sauteed spinach, mushrooms, and caramelized onions
Make it different
Portobello mushroom fajitas
Brown butter spicy garlic shrimp
Need a quick, protein-filled dish to serve with your pumpkin ravioli?
Try this brown butter shrimp recipe!
It’s ready in 10 minutes, making them ideal even for busy weeknights.
The heat from the red pepper flakes offsets your ravioli’s sweetness.
Plus, you get that spicy, nutty brown butter sauce you can also drizzle over your pumpkin-filled pasta.
Why we love this recipe: it’s a versatile yet super simple dish.
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Brown butter spicy garlic shrimp
Fire up the oven
Crispy baked shrimp scampi
Make it decadent
Creamy garlic paprika shrimp skillet
Sauces to pair with pumpkin ravioli
Amaretti crumble and brown butter sauce
When it comes to elevating the flavors of pumpkin ravioli, nothing does it quite like and amaretti crumble and brown butter sauce. It might sound strange, but trust me, it’s absolutely delicious (I have reddit to credit for this idea).
The nutty depth of browned butter combines beautifully with the sweet, almond-like crunch of the crushed amaretti cookies. It highlights the sweetness of the pumpkin, but doesn’t make the dish overly sickly.
Why we love this recipe: it adds an unexpected twist to a traditional sauce
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Amaretti crumble and brown butter sauce
For a nuttier twist
Hazelnut brown butter sauce
Go classic
Brown butter and sage
Gorgonzola cream sauce
Rich, creamy, and utterly indulgent, gorgonzola cream sauce is a dream come true for cheese lovers. It’s normally served over steak, but the tangy cheese also tastes great with the sweetness of pumpkin. And it lasts for up to 7 days in the fridge, so you have an excuse to have steak later on in the week.
It’s boldly flavored, so not for the faint hearted. But if you like it, you’re not going to be able to get enough of it.
Why we love this recipe: it’s a luxurious addition to any pasta night.
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Gorgonzola cream sauce
Lighten it up
Herbed ricotta sauce
Keep it simple
Easy cheese sauce
Walnut pesto sauce
For those who like a touch of rustic charm in their meals, walnut pesto sauce is the way to go.
The toasty walnuts offer a crunchy texture, while the basil provides a fresh contrast to the pumpkin’s sweetness. And of course the green color looks great with the orange backdrop.
Pro tip: Add the olive oil gradually to your pesto mix so you can get the perfect texture, and use the freshest basil you can find. Wilted basil won’t taste as good.
Why we love this recipe: it works with any pasta dish
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Walnut pesto sauce
Keep it classic
Basil pesto sauce
Experiment with greens
Arugula and walnut pesto
Bolognese sauce
This isn’t technically a side dish, but you can’t go wrong with pairing your pumpkin ravioli with a classic bolognese sauce.
This recipe isn’t exactly authentic, but you’re guaranteed to love how thick and full of meaty tomato flavors it is.
A splash of cream added towards the end gives the sauce a delectable creaminess like no other.
Why we love this recipe: it boasts a 4.72 rating from 462 votes. That many people can’t be wrong!
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Bolognese sauce
Make another classic
Short rib ragu
Make it meatless
Dried wild mushroom ragu
What To Serve With Pumpkin Ravioli [15 Sauces And Sides]
Ingredients
- 1 portion pumpkin ravioli
Instructions
- Prepare your pumpkin ravioli according to your favorite recipe.
- In the meantime, choose one of the following sides to serve alongside it.
- Side dishes include: chicken piccata, sea salt and rosemary dinner rolls, fall slaw, spicy sauteed kale with andouille sausage, apple cider pork tenderloin, arugula, fennel, and orange salad, bolognese sauce, roasted brussels sprouts with bacon and balsamic onions, pan-seared lamb chops, caramelized onions and mushrooms, and brown butter spicy garlic shrimp.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
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