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.
Notes
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.
Carole
Going to try this recipie as I am going threw chemo and tomato based sauces tate like tin to me.
Vaishali
Hi Carole, Thanks for your message. Hope you like the recipe and feel better. Sending healing vibes your way!
Madge H
I found this recipe after I bought some small batch spinach/Asiago ravioli from Fresh Market and needed a sauce . This makes a wonderful dish!! Almost doubled the spinach and had fresh basil and chives from the garden . This is my second time making this. Definitely a keeper
Vaishali
Hi Madge, I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe. Perfect season to add all the fresh herbs. Love it!!
Percy
We 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.
ashok
My 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.
Margalit
Very well worded!
Teena John
Quick, easy and delicious. The hubby loved it too. Thank you.
Annette
Ive 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 !! 😀😀🥳
sweta
Thank 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
I am glad you liked it Sweta. I agree that this sauce does not feel like you are eating something very heavy.
Mia
I stumbled upon this recipe looking for a ravioli sauce. I haven’t made it yet but I’m making ravioli for about 30 people. By how much should I double the sauce?
Vaishali
Hi Mia. Wow...that's great. This recipe is small batch and will serve around 4 people comfortably. Usually a pound of cheese ravioli will serve 4 - 6 people. So are you thinking of making around 5 lbs ravioli? In that case, I will make at least 5 to 6 times the sauce. Hope this helps.
Jeannette Antry
This 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
Awww...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
Hailey
Looks delicious!