Ravioli in Creamy Garlic and Spinach “White” Sauce
Growing up in a very small town in India, we did not eat very fancy foods very often. My grandparents lived in New Delhi so whenever we would visit them during our summer vacations, we would try all the new foods and that the restaurant scene of the capital city had to offer. I was introduced to good Italian food very late in life, given that nowadays the kids India also grow up on mac and cheese and pasta, just like their western counterparts.
Jump to RecipeBack in the day, the pastas, as they were popularly known in India, were just two types. Pasta in red sauce and pasta in white sauce. Then there could be the other accomplices like veggies and meats. Hence the “white sauce” in the title of this recipe. It is like an ode to the Alfredo pasta sauce that is prevalently known as white sauce in my homeland. Both Ms. Little A and Mr. Little V, if given a choice, can eat pasta for dinner every day. I try to keep some frozen ravioli on hand most of the time since easier and faster to cook than dried pastas. Cheese ravioli is kids’ favorite. I like mushroom and chicken too. Dr. A does not care for any kind much.
This recipe is one of the many variations of “white sauce” pasta sauces I make. And is one type of sauce out of many that I make to go with ravioli. In my opinion, the sauce should complement the ravioli and not overpower it. Another thing with sauces for ravioli is that there is no need to complicate it. Keep it simple, ladies and gentlemen; and use whatever you have hanging out in the refrigerator or pantry.
As is the case with most of the food that I cook, I added some fresh spinach for added nutrition and garden fresh herbs for flavor that cannot be duplicated in any other way. Bounty of nature cannot be beat. Both Dr. A and me had dinner commitments the other evening and I was scrambling to come up with something for kids’ dinner. That is how this quick and super easy ravioli came about.
This recipe of ravioli in cream sauce literally comes together in less than 15 minutes. I made a simple sauce without making a roux. Roux is a mixture of some sort of fat and flour that is cooked up to a certain color, which, in turn, imparts a shade and adds a body to your pasta sauce. More towards a traditional alfredo would be. This sauce is more “runny” which works perfectly with ravioli. A thick sauce would make this dish too heavy on the palate since the ravioli itself is rich with all the cheese filled inside. So go ahead, chop up some shallot (or not), garlic, spinach and herbs that you like; add a splash of cream, some freshly grated parmesan and stop for the day! If you were making it for grownups, I would highly recommend adding some red pepper flakes.
Ravioli in Creamy Garlic and Spinach White Sauce
Ingredients
- ½ lb frozen cheese ravioli about 250 g
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 clove garlic minced (about ½ teaspoon)
- 1 small shallot finely chopped
- 1 cup finely chopped spinach
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup milk or as required to reach desired consistency
- ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives optional
- ½ tablespoon chopped basil
- A pinch of nutmeg optional
- Italian seasoning to taste
- Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
- Red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
-
Cook ravioli according to package directions.
-
While the ravioli is cooking, set a heavy bottomed, nonstick skillet on medium high heat and add butter.
-
Wait for the butter to melt and then add garlic and shallot. Cook for about 30 seconds and then add spinach.
-
Cook for about 2-3 minutes till the spinach is wilted.
-
Carefully add in the heavy cream and start whisking. Keep at it till the cream boils a bit – about 4 minutes. Add in milk if you want to make the sauce thinner.
-
Add parmesan chees and stir toi melt and mix. After the parmesan becomes part of the sauce, add the seasoning. Give the sauce a taste check.
-
By now your ravioli should be done. Drain the ravioli and add to the sauce. Stir to coat. Sprinkle chives and basil and give one final mix.
-
Serve piping hot sprinkled with extra herbs or drizzled with extra virgin olive oil.
Recipe Notes
You can use other fresh herbs if you like.
If using dried herbs, use less than the amounts suggested.
You can cook the ravioli ahead of time and store drizzled with olive oil so that they do not stick to each other.
Serve the ravioli with a hearty salad and/or bread (this focaccia is awesome).
Please let me know if you give this recipe a try. Leave a comment below or at Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
Love – Vaishali.
Tools used:
Casey
May 26, 2018 at 2:52 pmThis ravioli looks fantastic! Definitely going to be trying this!
Everything on a plate
May 27, 2018 at 4:24 amThe ravioli looks incredibly Delicious!!! We loved how you explained the recipe and added tips ❤️ would love to feature a recipe by your sometime
Amy
July 4, 2018 at 1:27 pmI need to try this recipe! It looks so delicious. Pasta and spinach are my favourite ingredients to cook with. I like your little notes at the end, really helpful!
Kate - TheHomeWanderers.com
July 4, 2018 at 2:06 pmAfter just turning vegetarian recently, this recipe is a God-send – Thank you for sharing, looks delicious!
Haley
July 5, 2018 at 8:30 amLove this and I really enjoyed reading the cultural notes about growing up in India and how pasta was referred as two different sauces! That is so neat! This recipe looks great and I really can’t wait to try it!
Cassie
July 5, 2018 at 9:05 amThis looks fantastic, and the sauce.. oh my goodness 🙂
gail
July 5, 2018 at 11:59 amWow, decadent! I love how you sneak in spinach! I do that too!
Nailil
July 5, 2018 at 1:16 pmThis looks delicious. I am saving this recipe because we love pasta in our home.
Xx, Nailil
http://thirtyminusone.com
Neil Alvin
June 24, 2019 at 1:25 amAs usual this is one awesome article. Very detailed. I feel like you are cooking it with me.
Angela
July 5, 2018 at 11:27 pmYum! Looks amazing. I love the fresh spinach!
Des
July 6, 2018 at 1:30 amOh my yum! I am dying over how good this dish looks! And it looks like a blast to make! I can’t wait to try it with a nice bottle of wine. Mmmm
Vu Ha
July 6, 2018 at 5:21 amI knew that India is famous for its variety of delicious sauces. That’s right. I will try to make this sause.
Veronica
July 6, 2018 at 6:07 amI’m such a huge fan of pasta and I love that you include spinach! I can’t wait to try this out! xx 🙂
Wiltshire
July 6, 2018 at 1:54 pmI have never tried ravioli . This looks so tasty and enticing . I want to give this a try .
Wiltshire
July 6, 2018 at 1:54 pmI have never tried ravioli . This looks so tasty and enticing . I want to give this a try .
Lisa
July 25, 2018 at 1:52 pmLOve this recipe super tasty my mom makes it really well!
stacey
September 19, 2018 at 10:36 amI love white sauces, they just don’t seem as heavy as red ones if done properly. This is right up my alley.
Oluborode Ayokanmi
June 22, 2019 at 9:49 pmLooks delicious. I need to try this recipe.
Heidi Laney
October 21, 2018 at 12:37 pmI made this – and it’s the bomb – used fresh roasted garlic cloves and a roasted shallot ! Delish !
Vaishali
October 22, 2018 at 9:28 amThanks Heidi. I am glad you liked it..)
Tracy @ Cleland Clan
February 28, 2019 at 6:11 pmI love cheese ravioli, but rarely eat it with marinara sauce. Often I cook it in chicken broth instead. I’d love to try this recipe–it looks delicious!
Jen
June 21, 2019 at 9:07 pmAll of your dishes look amazing – this too!
Sarah Emery
June 22, 2019 at 12:40 amYum! I am a carb junkie and this is right up my alley 🙂 Also, I never knew about Roux – so thank you for that 🙂 Great post and fantastic recipe 🙂
Laithan
June 22, 2019 at 3:46 amThat looks absolutely incredible! I know what I am going to be making for dinner tonight.
Luna S
June 22, 2019 at 9:16 amMy husband and I would love this! We are both big fans of white sauce and garlic so this would be perfect.
Joanna
June 22, 2019 at 10:44 amLiving in Europe, pasta was always a usual food on the dinner table. I like both white and red sauces, but I also enjoy the simple pasta, such as butter and sage, or cacio e peppe. I do like ravioli with spinach, so good!
Sarah
June 22, 2019 at 12:10 pmThis looks amazing!! I’m pinning this for later : )
Annita Nikole
June 22, 2019 at 9:43 pmWould you believe me if I told you this ravioli made me dance in my seat? I LOVE ravioli. I’m with you though–I like mushroom ravioli. This looks delicious! I’m so excited to try this! I’ll probably try it with mushroom ravioli, though.
Ashli Ferguson
June 23, 2019 at 7:43 pmMAN this looks delicious!!! I want to try this ASAP!
Hackytips
June 24, 2019 at 12:53 pmYum.. The name sounds like a difficult recipe but this is super easy. Thanks for sharing this.
Bri
June 24, 2019 at 3:37 pmThis looks absolutely divine! I am drooling.
Estefany Lemus
June 24, 2019 at 3:50 pmThis Indian Pasta looks interesting and the cooking directions can be a little overwhelming.
Samantha Flores
June 24, 2019 at 11:55 pmHow tasty! I’m drooling just looking at the pictures. I try to incorporate spinach into many recipes for those added health benefits. Sounds like this recipe is a must try!
*Samantha- https://herjournal.blog
Hailey
June 26, 2019 at 12:23 pmLooks delicious!
Jeannette Antry
August 1, 2019 at 8:49 pmThis an excellent example of sharing a great meal by way of a recipe. I used frozen ravioli boiled as stated. I followed the recipe with a few minor changes. I used a package of frozen cut up and drained, spinach. I used some 1/2 and 1/2 and some white wine. along with the cream. I also added 1.5 tbsp. of flour. The rest of the recipe was made the same.
My hat goes off to the creator. Yummy. Thanks for sharing. Jnetti
Vaishali
August 4, 2019 at 10:57 pmAwww…thanks a lot, Jnetti. I love your tweaks to the recipe. I always say that a recipe is a guideline. You can always make it your own. I am so happy that you enjoyed it. XOXO – Vaishali
sweta
April 7, 2020 at 1:08 amThank you for this recipe. I was searching a white sauce recipe to go with ravioli. So glad I stumbled upon your page. I had to substitute a few ingredients I didn’t have in hand, but nevertheless it turned out great. Light on palate yet creamy.
Vaishali
April 7, 2020 at 9:50 amI am glad you liked it Sweta. I agree that this sauce does not feel like you are eating something very heavy.
Annette
May 12, 2020 at 11:32 pmIve always been to intimidated to make a homemade white sauce- but your recipe and setting drew me in -i added a few things / left some out – i used dried parm / worked fine but would be better with fresh -def go with the red pepper flakes !! 😀😀🥳
Teena John
December 3, 2020 at 3:57 amQuick, easy and delicious. The hubby loved it too. Thank you.
Margalit
March 4, 2021 at 4:14 pmVery well worded!
ashok
April 6, 2021 at 10:17 pmMy Family Loved it. I am definitely sharing Guys, Thanks For sharing this Great Recipe. this recipe and this website with my friend. Hope they also love it. Thank you again for sharing such a great recipe.
Percy
April 7, 2021 at 2:28 amWe stumbled over here coming from a different website and thought I may as well check things out.
I like what I see so now i’m following you. Look forward to looking at your web page yet again.