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

What to Serve with Ravioli
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Ravioli is a type of stuffed pasta common in Italian cuisine. And they are usually served with a side dish and in a broth or sauce. So, what sort of sauce, salads and other dishes pair well with ravioli?

You can serve ravioli with a pasta sauce, creamy parmesan sauce, or slow-cooked broth. You can pair ravioli with apple salad, Panzanella, spring salad, etc. You can also try various roasted or grilled vegetables like brussels sprouts, cherry tomatoes, asparagus, etc.

There are different ways you can prepare ravioli. As such, different types of ravioli go with different side dishes. And in today’s article, we will explore some of the many options you can try yourself. These are some of the best accompaniments to a ravioli dish, from sauces to salads.

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

You can mince boneless chicken meat and use it to fill your ravioli. Or you can make a chicken broth or sauce to go with the ravioli. If you use the chicken as a stuffing, you can pair it with vegetables such as spinach, avocado, etc. 

Lamb

Lamb is another protein you can try with ravioli. This meat will go very well with goat cheese and a butter sauce. You can also stuff the ravioli with various herbs.

Beef

Beef ravioli is a common way of making ravioli. A convenient way of enjoying beef with ravioli is making a one-pot dish. This will typically need a creamy sauce to balance the whole dish.

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.

Grilled corn goes excellently with this salad. You can even add some homemade croutons and mozzarella cheese to the mix. This flavorful, colorful side dish can pair with any type of ravioli, like lobster ravioli or chicken ravioli.

Broccoli Rabe or Rapini with Roasted Veggies

Rapini or broccoli rabe is a type of cruciferous plant that resembles your typical broccoli. One notable difference is that you can eat all the parts of rapini. This has a slightly bitter taste similar to regular broccoli, which goes especially well with butternut squash ravioli. The sweet and bitter taste combines beautifully on your palate.

You can serve just the rapini dressed with an appropriate sauce or add some other vegetables such as roasted tomatoes or capsicum. 

Spring salad

If you are looking for a refreshing side dish to lighten up your ravioli, try making a spring salad. Combining asparagus, peas, radish, and plenty of herbs is a great way to liven up any dish. Throw on some goat or feta cheese to the mix, and you have a wonderful salad side dish.

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. And, of course, it is dressed with olive oil.

But the twist here is that you use roasted cherry tomatoes rather than simply using sliced tomatoes. This adds a beautiful smoky flavor to the dish. To give it some contrasting texture, you can add crusted bread. This beautiful salad goes very well with spinach ravioli.

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.

What to Serve with Ravioli

Apple Salad

An apple salad is never out of season. And the process could not be any simpler. Place some chopped apples, green onions, blue cheese, and butter lettuce in a large bowl. Put cherry vinaigrette on top as dressing and toss around the vegetable. 

What Side Dishes Are the Best for Different Kinds of Ravioli?

Here is the table that only summarizes the whole story, and can serve you as a cheat sheet. But, read on because I will explain everything in detail.

Type of RavioliSide Dishes
Beef RavioliCipollini Onion
Braised Leeks in Butter
Spring Salad
Honey Roasted Baby Carrots
Four Cheese RavioliBraised Leeks
Asparagus Wrapped in Prosciutto
Chicken Caesar Pizza
Chicken RavioliChicken Ravioli with Pesto and Veggies
Mushrooms and Spinach
Easy Parmesan Cream Sauce
Cauliflower Gratin
Slow Roasted Tomato Salad
Ricotta and Spinach RavioliTruffle Butter Sauce
Sage Butter Sauce
Datterini Pomodoro Sauce
Ravioli en Brodo
Fried RavioliGreek Salad
Roasted Cabbage Steaks
Italian Chicken Drumsticks
Parmesan Garlic Rolls
Lobster RavioliItalian Bread
Watermelon Feta Salad
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Sauteed Mushrooms
Creamy Polenta

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

Cipollini onions are a close relative of regular onions, only a bit smaller. And they are a super-easy way of pairing beef ravioli. 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.

Simply sauté the onions in butter and a bit of balsamic vinegar until lightly browned and shining. That is all you need to do to make for a great pairing.

Braised Leeks

Much like our previous entry, leeks are another great option for sautéing in butter. Leeks offer a nice counterbalance to the heaviness of the beef. Simply braise the leeks in butter and a squeeze of lemon juice for some appreciated acidity.

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 to Serve with Ravioli

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. The combination of cheese ravioli, hot parmesan sauce, and some butter braised leeks sounds too good not to try.

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.

Steamed asparagus is not just healthy food for you to take; it also tastes delicious with cheese. Then you simply wrap each of the asparagus in smoky prosciutto. It is crunchy, salty, juicy, and all-around delicious.

Chicken Caesar Pizza

How about pairing one classic Italian food with another classic food? Pizza already utilizes a lot of cheese. But if you want, even more, pair it up with your favorite cheese ravioli.

This simple pizza recipe with chicken breast, bacon, parmesan, and mozzarella. Then you drizzle some Caesar salad dressing on top. And you serve it up with the hot ravioli on top. 

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.

Easy Spelt 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.

The one twist ingredient here is spelled flour. It is flour made from a species of wheat with a slightly nutty flavor. You can work it just like regular wheat flour. 

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.

In a large bowl, mix your chopped vegetables – bell peppers, onions, zucchini, squash, cauliflower, peas, whatever you prefer. Then season the veggies with salt, pepper, and some optional paprika for a spicy kick. Drizzle with olive oil and mix the whole thing. Then simply fry all of the vegetables in the fryer.

And there you have it. Super quick and super tasty and healthy vegetables for your ravioli.

Cauliflower Parmesan

Cauliflower covered in tasty marinara sauce and 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.

And you do not need much to make this recipe. 1 large cauliflower, enough marinara sauce to cover the whole thing, and fresh parmesan. You can keep some extra marinara to drizzle over the ravioli later.

What to Serve with Ravioli

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. In a food processor, you can easily make it yourself by processing fresh basil, pine nuts, parmesan cheese, garlic, etc. If you are allergic to nuts, you can skip the pines. Then add olive oil to make the mixture into a sauce.

Now you need the vegetables. You can cook them on the same skillet as the chicken for the ravioli or cook them separately. 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.

In a skillet, sauté sun-dried tomatoes, sliced mushrooms in olive oil. Add fresh spinach, minced garlic, and red pepper flake and continue cooking. Then add the chicken ravioli to the skillet and keep cooking for a couple of minutes. You can add some extra olive oil if it is too dry.

Easy Parmesan Cream Sauce

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

First, sauté mushrooms, garlic, and a bit of nutmeg in olive oil for 6-7 minutes or until the mushrooms soften. Add some heavy cream or half and a half to the mix and heat for a couple of minutes. Then, add grated parmesan cheese on low heat and stir until the cheese melts properly. Remove from heat and add salt and pepper to taste.

Now, add the ravioli to the sauce and enjoy!

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. But if you have the time, we highly recommend this slowly roasted tomato salad recipe. Instead of your regular tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, this version deals with heirloom tomatoes that you roast slowly in the oven until it becomes sweet and juicy.

To make this side dish one step further, you can add asparagus and cabbages. It is a healthy and tasty way of enjoying ravioli.

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.

What to Serve with Ravioli

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. 

Slice the vegetables and combine them well in a bowl. Then add some olive oil and the dressing and toss it around to get a uniform mixture. This salad is a refreshing and colorful way of pairing any fried ravioli.

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.

First, remove the stem and cut the cabbage into four flat discs. Coat each piece with a generous amount of olive oil. Then sprinkle plenty of seasoning (salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika for a bit of heat) on the cabbages and use your hands so that every part gets coated. Finally, bake the cabbages in the oven, and you have delicious roasted cabbages.

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:

For the marinade, you will need the following ingredients – olive oil, dried basil, dried parsley flakes, minced garlic, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and lemon juice. Mix all of these ingredients first.

Now coat all chicken drumsticks in the marinade and keep it in the fridge for at least 4 hours. Afterward, prepare your cooking grill and sear the drumsticks in high heat for 2-3 minutes on each side.

Move the chickens to the side and continue cooking them in indirect heat for at least 15 minutes. You can apply more of the marinade as you rotate the drumsticks periodically. You should use a cooking thermometer to check the internal temperature. If it reads about 165 degrees F, the meat should be safe for consumption.

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.

Simply pour melted butter on top of the dinner rolls. Then grate parmesan cheese on top and toss the rolls around for an even, thick coating. Cover the rolls with plastic wrap and refrigerate them if you want to make them in advance.

When you are ready to cook, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Thaw the rolls first if you freeze them, and bake for 15 minutes. You can even brush some additional butter for a nice golden color.

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.

What to Serve with Ravioli

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.

What To Serve With Ravioli

What To Serve With Ravioli?

Author: Laura Bais
This is a recipe for ricotta and spinach ravioli with sage butter sauce.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 7 minutes
Cook Time 4 minutes
Total Time 11 minutes
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 people
Calories 81 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup fresh sage
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp garlic

Instructions
 

  • Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. When the butter begins to bubble slightly, add minced garlic and stir for 1 minute.
  • After 1 minute, add the chopped sage to the garlic butter sauce. Continue stirring for 1 to 2 minutes more, until the butter darkens to a light brown color and gives off a rich, nutty aroma.
  • Remove from the heat as soon as it starts to brown.
  • Add pre-cooked ricotta and spinach ravioli in this sauce; serve and enjoy.

Nutrition

Serving: 1personCalories: 81kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 0.3gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 1mgPotassium: 19mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 0.01gVitamin A: 262IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 25mgIron: 0.4mg
Keyword ricotta and spinach ravioli, sage butter sauce, What To Serve With Ravioli