Homemade ravioli is meant to be shared with those you love. If you are planning a ravioli night at home and want to spruce up the menu with some additional sides, here are 35 ideas of what to serve with the perfect ravioli.
There are some dishes where the effort to make them is part of the magic. Not only do you end up with a dish that is flavorful and delicious, but the process of making that dish becomes a tradition. It makes it all a little nostalgic.
That’s how I feel about homemade ravioli. It’s meant to take time. It’s meant to be done with family. It’s meant to bring people together.
So it makes sense that when you are planning on serving a ravioli dinner, you may very well be serving a crowd. And anyone who has served a crowd knows– the best side dishes matter. They help fill out the meal and ensure everyone has something on the table they enjoy.
If ravioli is your main dish, you are in luck. There are so many delicious sides that pair perfectly with the versatile flavors you can find stuffed into ravioli. Keep reading to find 35 of my favorites (and some tips for excellent ravioli as well!) to fill your dinner table.
FAQs
One of the best parts about making ravioli at home is you are in charge of the filling, and there are a million different flavors to put inside fresh, delicious sheets of pasta. You can choose simple ingredients like cheese ravioli or really explore different flavors like broccoli rabe or lobster ravioli.
Most traditional ravioli is filled with meat, cheese, vegetables and spices. Exactly which combination of those three is up to you. There are a million different ways you can mix up the perfect pairing.
The most important thing is making sure your filling has the right texture and consistency to keep the pasta together.
Here are some tips I have for choosing the right ravioli filling:
If your filling is too wet, it may make your noodles soggy quickly and cause them to fall apart. It also makes filling the little pockets almost impossible.
If your filling is too dry, it will continue to cook when the ravioli is boiled and may result in a tough or powdery interior.
For the best results choose a filling with plenty of flavor and a good combination of textures that will melt together when cooked.
You should also be careful not to overstuff your pasta. It will plump slightly as it cooks and I would hate for any delicious filling to be pushed out the edges.
Fresh ravioli only takes a few minutes to cook. You’ll know it’s done when the al dente pasta squares begin to float to the top of your pot.
I share plenty of tips for cooking your homemade ravioli in this article about How Long to Boil Fresh Ravioli.
It is entirely possible to make ravioli at home without any special tools. It may take a little more effort and your ravioli may look a little more rustic, but don’t feel bad if you roll your pasta sheets out by hand and seal them with the edge of a fork.
To make life a little easier I recommend investing in the following tools:
1. A good pasta roller to help you achieve consistent and thin sheets of pasta.
2. A ravioli cutter is great for getting a consistent and beautiful edge on each square but you can easily cut the edges with a sharp knife or even a cookie cutter and use the prongs of a fork to seal it off.
3. Ravioli molds make the process of filling simple by giving you a great visual of how much filling to use to fill the pocket but if you use consistent scoops of filling you can achieve the same results with a simple tablespoon.
If you are making ravioli at home, you do need to cook your ravioli. The most popular way to cook your ravioli, once it is filled, is by boiling it for just a few minutes. But you could also bake ravioli in a thin layer of sauce or even deep fry it for a twist on the classic Italian dish.
Ravioli goes great with just about any sauce, though it largely depends on the filling inside. Most authentic ravioli is served with a very simple butter sauce or with a red meat sauce. You could also serve it with alfredo sauce, marinara sauce (like Marcella Hazan’s Tomato Sauce!) or pesto.
If you are going through the effort to make ravioli from scratch you should absolutely double the recipe and save some for later! Ravioli freezes very well and can also be made ahead to enjoy a few days later.
To save ravioli for a few days, simply put it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To freeze it, place the squares in a single layer on a cookie sheet and freeze for a half hour. Then transfer to an airtight container and place back in the freezer for up to two or three months.
Ravioli may fall apart for a few reasons. The biggest culprit is your dough getting too wet. This may happen if your dough has not dried enough before it was filled or if it soaked up too much moisture from a very wet filling.
On your next try, make sure you try to remove as much moisture from your filling as possible.
Ravioli may also fall apart if it is overstuffed. It’s easy to want to fill ravioli pockets to the max but pace yourself. Too much filling will easily make your ravioli fall apart as it cooks, spilling all that delicious filling into the pot.
Another thing to watch out for is how fast your water is boiling. You want to cook your ravioli in water that is gently boiling, not bubbling over the edge of the pot. Too much tossing and turning too quickly will surely make those dumplings pop.
Authentic ravioli has traditionally been made with semolina flour but you can make homemade ravioli with all purpose flour too.
Favorite Recipes
- This is my tried and true recipe for a very basic ravioli.
- Fork in the Kitchen gives great tips for making ravioli without any specific tools.
- If homemade ravioli is not quite your style, it’s easy to dress up a bag of frozen ravioli from the grocery store.
Expert Tips
- For the best results making homemade pasta, I recommend mixing it by hand. This lets you feel the dough as it comes together and makes sure you are not adding too much or too little flour. If your dough sticks to your pasta machine, add more flour. If your fresh pasta dough falls apart, it needs more water and more kneading.
- If you don’t own a kitchen scale, homemade pasta is a great reason to buy one. It’s so helpful to get your recipe just right.
- Save any leftover filling to use in other recipes. Ravioli filling is also delicious in manicotti or stuffed shells.
What to Serve With Ravioli
Sides: Italian bread, garlic bread, creamy polenta, asparagus, broccoli, refreshing salad, roasted sweet potatoes, caesar salad, arugula salad, spring salad, oven-roasted vegetables, caprese salad, snap peas, brussels sprouts, parmesan green beans
Fillings: Ricotta Cheese and spinach, butternut squash, sweet corn, sauteed mushrooms, eggplant, onions, leeks, pork, beef, chicken, crab, lobster, mozzarella cheese, pumpkin, parmesan cheese, cipollini onions
Sauces: Butter sauce, marinara sauce, tomato sauce, meat sauce, garlic sauce, alfredo sauce, cream sauce, brown butter sauce, chicken broth
Other Toppings: Bread crumbs, red pepper flakes, pine nuts, black pepper
Dessert: Tiramisu, cannoli, gelato
Recipes to Serve with Ravioli
Instant Pot Polenta
Creamy Garlic Tomato Sauce
Are you a garlic lover? Then you need to try this Creamy Garlic Tomato Sauce for your next pasta dinner. It takes 30 minutes of (mostly hands-off) cooking and uses a whole head of garlic to achieve a beautiful blend of garlic and tomato flavours.
Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes
Arugula Burrata Salad with Basil Balsamic
This Arugula Burrata Salad take a simple yet luxurious salad to the next level with a mouthwatering homemade Basil Balsamic Vinaigrette.
Italian Salad Dressing Recipe
Spinach Salad with Bacon and Poppyseed Dressing
Air Fryer Zucchini
Air Fryer Zucchini is an easy and delicious side dish or healthy snack. The zucchini slices are perfectly tender crisp with hardly any oil. And it takes only 15 minutes to make!
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Red Peppers and Shallots
These Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Red Peppers and Shallots are as delicious as they are colorful, and incredibly simple to make
Bocconcini Tomato Salad
This delicious Bocconcini Tomato Salad is the perfect use of fresh summer tomatoes and basil paired with fresh mozzarella and topped off with a balsamic glaze.
Instant Pot Brussels Sprouts
Homemade Ricotta Cheese
Instant Pot Corn on the Cob
Broiled Lobster Tail with Vanilla Sauce
Pistachio Pesto
Tuscan Kale Salad
Switch up your everyday greens with a vibrant, flavorful Tuscan kale salad. Layered with artichoke hearts, sweet sun-dried tomatoes and a creamy lemon dressing that lightly drapes chopped lacinato kale leaves. Makes a great starter salad or main course with chicken, pork or seafood.
Easy Pesto Recipe
Broccolini with Garlic and Lemon
A healthy and easy tenderstem broccoli side dish is all you need to elevate your meal to another level! Gently boiled, and then pan-fried broccolini is the best quick way to cook this wonderful vegetable! A versatile recipe that goes with a range of meat, poultry and fish dishes, this is our go-to side dish when we’re looking for a flavoursome and nutritious sidekick that is ready in 10 minutes!
Easy Tiramisu Recipe
Strawberry Tiramisu
Creme Fraiche Sauce for Pasta
If you enjoy a bowlful of shop-bought ravioli for a quick weeknight dinner once in a while, you will probably appreciate an excellent creme fraiche sauce for pasta to give your meal a delicious homemade feel! And our Creamy Ravioli Sauce with garlic and herbs is our favourite one to use on any vegetable, mushroom or cheese-filled pasta dishes
Sourdough Garlic Bread
Slices of soft sourdough garlic bread are incredibly delicious for sandwiches and garlic toast! This garlic sourdough recipe is a must-make.
Authentic Italian Sausage and Peppers
Traditional Italian Pizzelle
Pasta Fagioli Recipe
Mediterranean Roasted Vegetables
These Easy Mediterranean Roasted Vegetables are oven-roasted until tender and lightly charred. They’re the perfect side dish to accompany your favorite proteins and whole grains. Serve tonight with just 10 minutes of prep work!
Balsamic Roasted Asparagus
This balsamic roasted asparagus is an easy, nutritious, flavorful side dish. This quick recipe calls for just a few pantry staples and some fresh asparagus. This dish is perfect for entertaining and complements most main courses.
Garlic Roasted Vegetables
Gorgeous Garlic Roasted Vegetables tossed with olive oil, garlic, and Italian seasoning. This easy recipe includes baby potatoes, carrots, zucchini, and bell pepper for a colorful and delicious, healthy side dish.
Soft Meatballs Recipe
Air Fryer Garlic Bread
This Air Fryer Garlic Bread is a 15-minute, 6-ingredient recipe that makes the best garlic bread! Baguette slices are slathered in homemade garlic butter, then air fried until soft in the middle and golden-brown and crispy on the outside.
Ligurian Focaccia
Ligurian focaccia is perfectly crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside! It’s baked in extra virgin olive oil and topped with sweet San Marzano tomatoes. It’s easy to make and the most delicious and satisfying snack!
Arancini Recipe
Garlic Breaded Mushrooms (no egg)
These crispy garlic breaded mushrooms are a comforting treat to eat – every bite is scrumptious and bursting with flavour! Learn how to make this easy dish without using eggs.
Rosemary Garlic Bread
This rustic rosemary garlic bread is wonderfully golden brown on the outside with a soft, fluffy center and plenty of garlic flavor. Readers have been loving this bread since we originally published it in 2012. Anyone can make this restaurant-quality bread!
Basil Pesto Chicken
Easy Tomato and Burrata Bruschetta Toast
This Easy Burrata Bruschetta recipe perfectly blends creamy burrata cheese with fresh, vibrant flavors. This sunshine-on-a-plate recipe bursts with juicy cherry tomatoes, creamy burrata, and herbaceous basil, all atop crispy toasted baguette slices. It’s perfect as a delicious appetizer or to serve with a meal!
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