This Ravioli with Figs, Bacon & Sage recipe is creamy, savory, and slightly sweet! A fun dinner twist that is ready in about 30 mins.
Ravioli with figs, bacon & sage is a cozy and slightly unexpected combo that somehow just works. I ran into this flavor mash‑up one evening when I had too many figs and a bag of ravioli calling my name. The smokiness of bacon, the sweetness of figs, and the cream‑herb sauce come together in a way that feels fancy but is totally manageable for a weeknight dinner.
What This Recipe Is & What It Tastes Like
- You cook bacon until crisp, render its fat, then crisp fresh sage in that same skillet for extra flavor and texture.
- Figs get sautéed so they soften and caramelize just a little, then onions and garlic build a base, followed by apple cider vinegar to brighten things up. A quick cream sauce with lemon zest, a touch of nutmeg, salt and pepper rounds out the pan.
- Then you toss in cooked cheese ravioli so all the flavor clings to the pasta. At the end you crown each plate with the figs, bacon, sage, and a sprinkle of toasted pecans for crunch.
Flavor-wise: smoky from the bacon, sweet from the figs, herby from sage, with a creamy sauce that has just enough tang from vinegar and brightness from lemon zest. The pecans give a little texture contrast.
🩷 xo, Ana
1) Crisp up the bacon
Heat a 12‑inch skillet over medium. Toss in your chopped bacon and stir now and then until crisp and browned (this gives flavor + fat to cook in). Scoop out the bacon bits with a slotted spoon and let them chill/dry on paper towels. Leave all that tasty bacon drippings in the pan.
2) Fry the sage leaves
In that same skillet (with bacon fat), add your fresh sage leaves. Cook over medium for just 30 seconds to a minute, stirring gently, until the leaves get crisp but stay green. Pull them out with a slotted spoon and let them rest on paper towels too (they’ll add a fun texture later).
3) Caramelize the figs
Still using that bacon‑sage fat, add your quartered figs. Cook on medium, stirring occasionally, just until they soften and begin to caramelize, maybe 2 to 3 minutes. Be a little gentle; you don’t want them to totally collapse. Then scoop them out into a bowl (reserve them for topping later).
4) Build flavor with onion + garlic + vinegar
Into that same pan, add the red onion and garlic. Stir occasionally, letting them soften in the residual fat over 3–4 minutes. Then pour in the apple cider vinegar. Let it bubble/evaporate for 2–3 minutes. This gives you a nice tang base under the cream.
5) Make the creamy sauce
Stir in heavy cream, lemon zest, black pepper, salt, and a pinch of nutmeg. Let it cook (stirring occasionally) for 1–2 minutes until it thickens slightly—enough to coat the back of a spoon.
6) Combine with ravioli
Add your cooked cheese ravioli into the pan and turn gently to coat each piece in the sauce.
7) Plate & finish
Divide the ravioli + sauce between your plates. Top each with the reserved figs, the crispy bacon bits, and the fried sage leaves. Sprinkle with the chopped toasted pecans. If you want, add a crack of black pepper over top.
Ana’s Recipe Tips
- Use good quality bacon (not ultra‑lean) so it renders enough fat to flavor the sauce.
- Make sure your figs are ripe but still firm (too mushy = they fall apart in the pan).
- If your cream seems too heavy, you can thin slightly with a splash of milk or more cream, but go cautiously.
- Toasting pecans: I like to toast them gently in a dry pan over medium, stirring, until aromatic and lightly browned (watch closely—nuts burn fast).
- If the sauce gets too thick, a small splash of pasta cooking water can help loosen it.
- You could sub half & half if you don’t have heavy cream, though it won’t be quite as rich.
Print Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 slices thin bacon, chopped (about 3 ounces)
- 4 fresh sage leaves
- 4 fresh figs - quartered
- ¼ cup finely chopped red onion
- 2 large garlic cloves - minced
- 3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, or more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt, or more to taste
- 1 (8-ounce) package cheese ravioli, - cooked according to package directions
- 2 Tablespoons chopped toasted pecans
Instructions
- Cook bacon in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until crisp. Remove bacon using a slotted spoon, and let drain on paper towels, reserving drippings in skillet.
- Add sage to skillet; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sage is crisp but still green, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove sage using a slotted spoon, and let drain on paper towels.
- Add figs to skillet; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until figs are softened and just slightly caramelized, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer figs to a medium bowl.
- Add onion and garlic to skillet; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Pour in vinegar; cook until evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes.Stir in cream, lemon zest, pepper, salt, and nutmeg; cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add ravioli, stirring to coat. Divide mixture among 4 serving plates. Top evenly with figs, bacon, and sage; sprinkle with pecans. Garnish with pepper, if desired.
I hope you like this recipe as much as I do! Please leave me a comment or question and I’ll get back to you asap. Stay well! 🩷 xo, Ana