Creamy Tuscan Ravioli with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Basil
By Noah Bennett
Prep
10 min
Cook
10 min
Total
20 min
Servings
4
Level
Easy
Make this four-serving Creamy Tuscan Ravioli dish in advance by measuring the sauce ingredients and holding the ravioli for final assembly․ Served ravioli is tossed through a thick Parmesan cream sauce with fresh spinach and garnished with sun-dried tomatoes‚ garlic‚ and basil․
Butter is the first ingredient in the sauce‚ followed by finely minced garlic․ Tomatoes are added to the sauce and cooked briefly to improve their flavor․ Other sauce ingredients include chicken stock‚ room-temperature heavy cream‚ smoked paprika‚ oregano‚ Parmesan cheese‚ fresh basil‚ and thin slices of sun-dried tomatoes for flavor․ Freshly grated Parmesan cheese is recommended for this recipe because it is stirred into the sauce before cooking․
The sauce is fairly thick before adding spinach․ Other steps‚ including stirring‚ will help the sauce thicken more‚ boiling down in about five minutes․ The spinach will be tightly packed in the pot initially but will cook down and release liquid‚ slightly thinning the sauce․ The most common mistake when preparing the dish is cooking the ravioli too long․ Boil the ravioli one minute less than directed on the package and cook it the rest of the way in the sauce․
Provide extra Parmesan and basil toppings‚ if available․ The main dish is filling and may come with garlic bread on the side․ When reheating portions in advance‚ set aside extra toppings to be added when serving reheated dishes․
Why you'll love this recipe
- Four servings are recommended for a planned dinner‚ and because this recipe cooks quickly on the stove‚ you can prep ingredients ahead of time․
- Portioning out individual servings of ravioli allows them to cook without absorbing too much sauce and spoiling the texture before eating․
- A double batch is relatively simple to prepare because the sauce and stuffed pasta can be prepared in separate pots․
- Spinach is included in the dish․ Processing spinach ahead of time can save preparation time for the dish․
- For freezer meal planning‚ short-term storage is recommended to avoid problems with cream sauce separation․ This recipe is best served fresh or from refrigerator storage․
- Ravioli should be cooked one minute less than recommended on the package to prevent it from becoming overly soft when finished in sauce․
Ingredients
- •2 tbsp unsalted butter
- •3 cloves garlic (finely diced)
- •1 tbsp tomato puree
- •120 ml chicken stock (1/2 cup)
- •240 ml heavy/double cream (1 cup, at room temperature)
- •¼ tsp smoked paprika
- •¼ tsp dried oregano
- •½ small bunch fresh basil (roughly chopped; 15g/0.5oz)
- •40 g freshly grated Parmesan (1/2 cup, plus more to serve if desired)
- •125 g sun-dried tomatoes (1 cup, thinly sliced)
- •100 g baby spinach leaves (3.5oz)
- •500 g ravioli (1lb)
- •salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- 1
Melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat.
- 2
Add the garlic and fry until it just begins to take on color, taking care not to burn it.
- 3
Stir in the tomato puree and fry for about 1 minute.
- 4
Stir in the chicken stock, cream, smoked paprika, oregano, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
- 5
Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, basil, and Parmesan, then bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
- 6
Let the sauce bubble for about 5 minutes until fairly thick, stirring somewhat frequently.
- 7
Check and adjust the seasoning, then stir in the spinach until it begins to wilt.
- 8
Meanwhile, cook the ravioli in salted boiling water for 1 minute less than the package suggests.
- 9
Drain the ravioli in a colander.
- 10
Stir the drained ravioli through the sauce until the sauce thickens and clings to the ravioli.
- 11
Serve with extra Parmesan and basil if desired.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
622
Protein
20.9g
Fat
40.67g
Carbs
48.3g
Reviews
Pin this recipe
Tap an image to save it to Pinterest.
