The Best Ravioli with Sauce Recipe
The best ravioli with sauce recipe is one like this with a quick homemade tomato sauce, perfumed with garlic and basil. This easy ravioli sauce is on your table in under 30 minutes, making it perfect for the busiest nights.
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Ravioli is Italian comfort food.
It also makes an easy choice for a busy weeknight dinner or a weekend when you just don’t know what to make.
It’s been having a moment in our house with dishes like Easy Ravioli Lasagna.
And while, yes, that is easy, sometimes I barely have more than one All Too Well TMVTV (10 minutes for all you non-Swifties) to spare to get dinner on the table these days thanks to a crazy schedule of afternoon ballet lessons and rehearsals.
This ravioli with sauce recipe is the perfect thing for those crazy nights.
In just about 15 minutes, you have a yummy, family friendly dinner done.
Our ravioli with sauce recipe combines a simple homemade tomato sauce (very similar to our Italian tomato sauce recipe) and frozen or fresh ravioli.
Ingredients and Kitchen Supplies
Here’s what you need to make our ravioli with sauce recipe:
- Ravioli – You can use frozen or the fresh ravioli you can typically find in the deli or fresh pasta section.
- Olive Oil – You use this to saute the fresh garlic briefly.
- Fresh Garlic – We use about 4 to 6 cloves, but you can add less or more if you like.
- Tomato Puree – This forms the base of the tomato sauce.
- Parmesan Cheese – You can use freshly grated or already grated varieties.
- Fresh Basil – This adds a lot of the fresh flavor to the sauce.
- Red Pepper Flakes – You can omit for no heat or add as much as you like for a spicier sauce.
- Salt and Pepper – This is to taste, you can omit if you prefer.
You do not need anything beyond standard kitchen equipment, including:
- pasta pot
- large, deep skillet
How to Make Our Ravioli with Sauce Recipe
1. Prepare your ravioli.
To get started, fill your pasta pot with water and heat over high heat.
Prepare your ravioli according to the package instructions.
These can vary based on whether you use frozen, fresh pre-made, or make your own.
2. Prepare the sauce.
As the pasta water comes to a boil, prepare you sauce.
In a deep skillet, pour in the olive oil and heat over medium.
Mince or crush your garlic and add to the oil.
Heat for about 1 minute or until the garlic starts to get fragrant.
Pour in the crushed tomatoes or tomato puree and reduce to medium-low heat.
Allow it to come to a simmer and mix in your salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
3. Combine the ravioli with sauce.
Carefully dump the ravioli water out, reserving a little just in case the sauces gets a bit thick.
Add the ravioli and parmesan cheese to sauce, gently mixing it in.
Allow to cook in the sauce for about 1 to 2 minutes before removing from heat and serving.
Right before you pull it off the heat, add in your chopped, fresh basil.
Serving
Top ravioli with sauce with more parmesan cheese, fresh basil, and mozzarella cheese.
You can also serve along side grilled Italian chicken or other main dishes.
It also pairs well with a homemade Caesar salad.
Storing
Though we generally recommend eating ravioli with sauce when freshly made, you can store leftovers for an easy to bring along lunch.
To store, allow the ravioli to cool and then place in a sealable container.
It should stay fresh in the fridge for about 3 to 5 days or about 6 months in the freezer.
To reheat, allow frozen ravioli with sauce to thaw overnight and then reheat for a few seconds in the microwave or over low heat on the stove top.
Tips and Tricks
- We use a basic tomato sauce for the ravioli, but you can use a different sauce, like a simple meat sauce or pesto sauce. You can also use premade sauces, like vodka sauce or your preferred brand of tomato sauce.
- We like cheese ravioli, but you can use beef ravioli or ravioli with cheese and spinach or whatever your favorite variety is.
- For a slightly different take, you can try our ravioli lasagna.
- If you don’t have fresh basil or garlic, you can use dried basil, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder to create a similar sauce. Though they can add good flavor, dried seasonings do not taste as fresh.
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Ingredients
- 25 ounces frozen or fresh ravioli
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic
- 29 ounces tomato puree or crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper
- 6 basil leaves
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Prepare your ravioli according to the package instructions.
- As the ravioli cooks, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, deep skillet.
- Add minced or crushed garlic and saute for about 1 minute or until the garlic becomes fragrant.
- Pour in the tomato puree and allow to come to a slow simmer.
- Mix in the red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.
- Carefully drain the ravioli, reserving a small amount of water in case the sauce is too thick for you liking.
- Add in the parmesan cheese to the sauce and mix to combine.
- Add in the ravioli and gently mix the ravioli in.
- Allow to cook for about 2 to 3 minutes before removing from heat and serving.
- Pull the ravioli off the heat and stir in fresh, chopped basil.
- Top with more parmesan cheese, fresh basil, and mozzarella cheese to serve.
