20-Minute Ravioli with Simple Sauce (Printable version)
Tender cheese ravioli in a vibrant tomato-basil sauce, ready in 20 minutes for effortless weeknight dining.
# What you need:
→ Pasta
01 - 18 oz fresh or refrigerated cheese ravioli
→ Sauce
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
04 - 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
05 - 1 teaspoon sugar
06 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
07 - ½ teaspoon dried oregano
08 - ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
09 - 1 small bunch fresh basil, chopped
→ Garnish
10 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
11 - Extra basil leaves, for serving
# How To:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds until fragrant.
03 - Stir in crushed tomatoes, sugar, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
04 - Add ravioli to the boiling water and cook according to package instructions (typically 3-4 minutes) until they float to the surface. Drain gently.
05 - Add chopped basil to the sauce, then fold in the drained ravioli, tossing gently to coat. Serve immediately, topped with grated Parmesan and extra basil.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It comes together faster than delivery arrives, with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry
- The sauce simmers while the ravioli cooks, meaning zero wasted time and maximum flavor payoff
02 -
- Fresh ravioli cooks incredibly fast, so stay by the pot and test one as soon as they float to avoid mushy pasta
- The sauce continues thickening as it sits off the heat, so resist the urge to over-reduce while simmering
03 -
- Saving a splash of the pasta cooking water before draining helps loosen the sauce if it seems too thick
- Letting the sauce rest for 2 minutes off the heat before tossing with ravioli allows the flavors to marry