What to Serve with Ravioli: Sauces, Salads, & More

Looking for the perfect sides to elevate your ravioli dinner? Knowing what to serve with ravioli can transform a simple pasta dish into a memorable meal. Whether you’re serving meat ravioli or ricotta and spinach ravioli, we’ve rounded up the best side dishes to complement every bite. From fresh salads to garlic bread and roasted vegetables, there’s a pairing for every taste.

What Meat to Serve with Ravioli?

Meat in ravioli dishes is a common sight. Often the ravioli will have stuffing that includes one type of meat. But you can easily serve ravioli with a meat-based sauce. Chicken, ground beef, lamb, etc., are all viable candidates to pair with ravioli. You can pair ravioli with any sort of meat you desire.

Chicken

Lamb

Lamb is another protein you can try with ravioli. This meat will go very well with goat cheese and a butter sauce.

Beef

Best Salad to Serve with Ravioli

Salads are an excellent way of making a ravioli dish fresh and vibrant. From easy-to-make caesar salad and apple salad to more exotic salads like Panzanella and Caprese – all these are great salads to serve with ravioli.

Grilled Corn Panzanella Salad

Panzanella is a salad originating in Italian cuisine. It is composed of soaked stale bread, tomatoes, and onions and often includes cucumber and basil. Then the salad is dressed with olive oil and vinegar.

Roasted Veggies

Spring salad

If you are looking for a refreshing side dish to lighten up your ravioli, try making a spring salad.

Spring salad can go with any type of ravioli dish since you can play around with the different ingredients in the salad. You can even add nuts to the mix for some crunch.

Roasted Cherry Tomato Caprese Salad

Here is another Italian salad for you to pair with ravioli. A Caprese salad is a very simple salad that comprises sliced mozzarella, tomatoes, and sweet basil.

Caesar Salad

A nice and quick caesar salad is a great way to enjoy spinach ravioli. Just mix some fresh lettuce and cheese and dress it with mustard, olive oil, and lemon juice. Do not forget to season the salad with salt and pepper to your taste.

Apple Salad

An apple salad is never out of season. And the process could not be any simpler.

What to Eat with Beef Ravioli?

Beef ravioli is where you stuff the pasta with the ground or minced beef and some herbs and cheese. Typically, in this type of recipe, you pair the beef with side dishes that will bring some sweetness and acidity to the mix, which will cut through the savory flavor of the meat for a balanced dish.

Cipollini Onions

These onions have a deliciously sweet taste when caramelized, which is perfect for cutting through the savory taste of beef. It also gives some nice acidity to the dish.

Braised Leeks

Leeks offer a nice counterbalance to the heaviness of the beef.

Spring Salad

If you are looking for a more vibrant option, go with a nice spring salad. You can mix and match the vegetables and herbs you want. It is super simple to make, yet it will provide the ravioli with so much color and flavor.

Roasted Baby Carrots

Roasted baby carrots in honey, melted butter, and garlic – super easy, super tasty. The sweetness of the carrot pairs very well with the beef. 

What Goes Well with Four Cheese Ravioli?

Four cheese ravioli is where you stuff the ravioli with various types of cheese instead of just one. And there are multiple side dishes to pair with this cheesy goodness, such as braised leeks, prosciutto-wrapped asparagus, simple Caesar pizza, etc.

Braised Leeks

Leeks and cheese do not just sound good together; they also taste good.

Asparagus Wrapped in Prosciutto

Both asparagus and prosciutto are often paired with ravioli separately. But try them together, and you get a new and exciting dish.

Chicken Caesar

How about pairing one classic Italian food with another classic food?

What to Serve with Spinach Ravioli?

Ravioli does not always have to include meat. You can make it with a wide range of vegetables, spinach with ricotta being a very popular option. And to pair spinach and ricotta ravioli, here are some side dishes that are celebrations of different vegetables.

Focaccia

Focaccia is a type of baked bread. It is similar in texture and style to pizza. And you can easily spruce it up with some oregano, cherry tomatoes, and feta cheese. It is a nice simple bread that will go perfectly with your ricotta and spinach ravioli.

Air Fryer Vegetables

So, say that your spinach ravioli is in the pan and you do not have time to make a sumptuous side dish. But you do have an air fryer on the stand-by. And you can use that fryer to whip up some delicious vegetables to go with the ravioli instantly.

Cauliflower Parmesan

Cauliflower covered in parmesan cheese, baked in the oven, is a delicious concoction. But pair it up with your spinach ravioli and take the whole experience to a new level.

What Goes with Chicken Ravioli?

Chicken is another popular choice for stuffing ravioli. And it goes very well with other vegetables and tangy sauce. So, items such as basil pesto, mushrooms, and spinach, creamy mozzarella sauce are great ways to pair chicken ravioli.

Chicken Ravioli with Pesto and Veggies

Pesto is an Italian sauce with a distinctly green hue. When it comes to the veggies, pick colorful vegetables like asparagus, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper – whatever suits your fancy, or you have available. Then simply mix the ravioli, vegetables, and pesto and serve.

Mushrooms and Spinach

Mushroom, spinach, and chicken go very well in a regular dish. So, they will make for a great pairing in a ravioli dish.

Easy Parmesan Cream Sauce

Chicken and spinach ravioli dipped in hot and cheesy parmesan sauce – a recipe so easy yet so delightful.

Cauliflower Gratin

So, a gratin is where you top off a dish with breadcrumbs or cheese mixed with butter bits and then heat it in the oven until you get a crispy brown top layer. And a cauliflower gratin is a creamy, cheesy delight perfect for chicken ravioli.

Slow Roasted Tomato Salad

So, many of our suggestions are quick and easy that you can make on short notice.

What Goes Well with Fried Ravioli?

Normally, when people think of making ravioli, they think about boiling the pasta in water. But you can also fry them for a crispier and toastier pasta. These fried ravioli go well with various salads, cream sauce like parmesan, and roasted vegetables.

Greek Salad

Greek salad or horiatiki salad is a salad found mainly in Greek cuisine. It is a wonderful combination of tomatoes, feta cheese, cucumber, onion, lettuce, bell peppers, and Greek dressing. 

Roasted Cabbage Steaks

Roasted cabbage steaks are juicy and tender, which goes hand-in-hand with fried ravioli. Plus, they are super easy to make with very few ingredients.

Italian Chicken Drumsticks

Fried ravioli can serve the purpose of an excellent appetizer. So, how about making some chicken drumsticks as the main course to pair with the ravioli? Here is a simple recipe for you to try.

Parmesan Garlic Rolls

Soft, cheesy, and super easy to make, these parmesan garlic rolls are the perfect way to make overnight dinner rolls. You can make the rolls yourself or buy them from the store if you are pressed for time.

What Sauce to Serve with Ricotta and Spinach Ravioli?

Regarding sauces to serve with ricotta and spinach ravioli, you can make a truffle butter sauce for a creamy and nutty side dish. Or you can pair the butter sauce with sage. Here are some delicious sauces that are easy to make and pair nicely with this kind of ravioli.

Truffle Butter Sauce

 Truffles are a prized possession in Italian cuisine. And they make for an amazing pairing with butter sauce. All you need for this recipe are truffles, butter, and some salt and pepper for seasoning.

Place the butter in a bowl. Grate the truffles into the butter and mix it thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste. For a truly creamy effect, transfer the butter over to a pan. Drop your ravioli and gently heat for a couple of minutes. Turn the heat off and enjoy.

Sage Butter Sauce

Compound butter is where you mix melted butter with various herbs and spices. This butter goes with a wide range of dishes, including ravioli. Again the requirements for this recipe are simple – melted butter, fresh sage, pepper, and salt.

Datterini Pomodoro Sauce

Just two ingredients – basil and tomato. Simple in execution yet so effective is the result. This sauce is an aromatic and light addition to any ravioli dish. 

Sauté some garlic cloves in olive oil in medium heat on a pan. Add tomato puree and freshly chopped basil to the pan after a couple of minutes or until the garlic releases a nice smell. Add salt and pepper to your liking. Simmer the sauce in low heat till it becomes thick. But if it has become too dense, simply add some water until you get your desired consistency.

Now, simply add your ravioli to the sauce, stir for a minute, and turn the heat off. Alternatively, you can stack the pasta on a plate and pour the sauce directly on top.

Ravioli en Brodo

Ravioli drowned in broth is a traditional way of enjoying ravioli. However, this is perhaps the most formidable task of all the ideas mentioned here. Making your broth from scratch requires hours of your time. But the result will be more than worth it. So, be prepared for the long haul if you want authentic, flavorful, and satisfying broth for your ravioli.

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What to Serve with Lobster Ravioli?

Lobster in ravioli is a terrific combination. And it is a combination that goes extremely well with dishes such as watermelon and feta salad, roasted tomatoes, grilled zucchini, or simply homemade Italian bread.

Italian Bread

Let’s start this list with a nice and simple complementary dish – homemade bread. Homemade bread is one of the finer delights of life. It is chewy, hearty, and goes especially well with ravioli dipped in broth. 

Watermelon Feta Salad       

This is the perfect summertime meal. Watermelon salad with feta cheese, fresh basil, and mint – a wonderfully refreshing and aromatic side dish for any ravioli. 

Simply cut watermelon and cucumbers into bite-sized cubes. For the dressing, put basil, mint, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and some salt and pepper in a food processor and grind until you get a smooth consistency. Then drizzle the dressing over the watermelon cubes. Put crumbled feta cheese on top of the dish.

If you want some crunchy texture in the salad, you can add roasted pine nuts or walnuts. Moreover, you can add red onion for some sweetness and acidity, some honey for a sweet flavor, and pepper for a spicy kick.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Brussel sprouts are usually not the most exciting dinner table items. But with some fine adjustments, you can make the star perfectly complement your lobster ravioli.

First, heat some olive oil in a cast-iron skillet. Place the sprouts in the skillet and add salt and pepper to taste. Cook the sprouts until they turn brown. Now, transfer the sprouts to preheated oven and roast for about 15-20 minutes, turning the sprouts halfway through.

As the sprouts are roasting, put some balsamic vinegar and maple syrup in a pan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to medium. Then stir constantly until the syrup mixture becomes nice and thick and glossy. Careful not to overcook it, or else it will become too sticky. 

Take the sprouts out of the oven and toss them in the pan with the vinegar and syrup mixture. And you have yourself sweet, glossy roasted brussels sprouts for your ravioli.

Sautéed Mushrooms

Sautéed mushrooms are easy and quick to make. Simply add mushrooms to some olive oil in a pan, and then add salt and pepper to taste. You can also add some chili flakes for a spicy kick.

Creamy Polenta

Lobster and polenta are a match made in heaven. And when you add butter to the mix, you are in for a creamy delight.

What Is Ravioli Traditionally Served With?

Traditionally, ravioli is served with a cream sauce or a tomato-based pasta sauce. They are also served in a broth or with a side dish of roasted vegetables.

To conclude, just like there are so many ways of making ravioli, there are so many side dishes to pair with them. Try different side dishes at your convenience for new experiences for your palate.