This recipe for ravioli with white wine butter sauce shows how fresh ravioli is perfect with a delicate sauce and some tender asparagus tips. Elegant and easy!
Jump to:
Why we love this recipe
Ravioli by itself is pretty dang fabulous – it’s fresh pasta stuffed with cheese, or beef, or spinach and cheese…there’s something for everyone, ravioli-wise.
And my usual route is to serve it with some kind of ravioli tomato sauce, or even just plain butter, but one day I got a hankering for a non-tomato sauce that was nice and light that added to the elegant taste without overpowering the delicious taste of the ravioli stuffing.
I also wanted to be able to use some herbs and veggies to round out the flavor…and so with those two things in mind, I worked up an easy, silky white wine and butter sauce with a handful of fresh thyme and parmesan cheese to give it a little subtle kick.
And just for good measure and to make sure we got our veggies, I added in some asparagus tips (which you can cook for a minute or two right in the pasta pot!).
All of this comes together in less than a half hour, making this an elegant dish for either a festive Saturday dinner party OR a treat at the end of a long regular old Tuesday.
Ingredients you need
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Ravioli: The very very best ravioli is at an Italian specialty shop if you are lucky enough to have one near you. Otherwise head for the fresh pasta section of your supermarket – usually near the dairy section – and pick up a package.
- Butter Cubes: Make sure they are nice and cold – they will make the smoothest sauce that way!
- Asparagus: Not into asparagus, or just want to shake things up a little? Baby spinach can be swapped in for the asparagus, and is just as scrumptious!
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities and nutritional information.
How to make this recipe
STEP 1: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a generous pinch salt and a little olive oil, and then some chopped asparagus. Cook the asparagus until just crisp-tender, about 2 minutes, and then scoop it out with a slotted spoon, leaving the water boiling.
STEP 2: Add one tablespoon of butter to a medium size skillet and melt it over medium heat. Add a peeled and chopped shallot and some minced garlic and stir it up until they are nice and soft, about two to three minutes.
STEP 3: Stir in some white wine and simmer until the sauce is reduced by half, about another two to three minutes. Now add some cold butter that you have cut into cubes stirring until each one is melted into the sauce.
STEP 4: While the sauce is cooking, add some fresh ravioli gently to the boiling asparagus water (I like to lower them in with a slotted spoon) and cook according to the package directions until they are just done, usually about 6 minutes.
STEP 5: When all the butter in the skillet is melted, stir in the chopped thyme.
STEP 6: Add the cooked asparagus to the butter sauce and give it a nice stir.
STEP 7: Add the ravioli and give it all a gentle toss so everything is mixed together.
Now divide your glorious ravioli among plates, drizzle on any sauce that is left in the pan, shower with parmesan cheese and serve it up!
Recipe FAQs
It can, although I love it best with plain old cheese ravioli. It’s a great sauce for tortellini and tortelloni as well!
Shallots are a member of the onion family. They are a bit smaller and have a milder taste, making them perfect for a light sauce like this one.
Fresh thyme is usually available year round in supermarkets in nice little bundles in the produce section, but if you just can’t find any, a teaspoon of dried thyme will work in a pinch. Stir it in when you add the butter so it gets the chance to soften up a little.
Pop your question in the Comments section below and I promise to answer pronto!
Want to round out your meal?
We love kicking this ravioli supper off with some caprese salad skewers! They are fun little nibbles that add a little more veggies and cheese.
If you are looking for a colorful side dish, this recipe for a cherry tomato green bean salad is perfect.
And how about a blueberry crumble cake for dessert? Yes please!
More ravioli recipes we love
Looking for more pasta inspiration? Here is our complete collection of pasta recipes!
Could you leave us some stars?
If you try this recipe, we would love to hear how it came out for you! I’d be super grateful if you could leave a star rating (you pick how many stars! 🌟 ) and your thoughts in the Comments section.
Ravioli with White Wine Butter Sauce and Asparagus
This recipe for ravioli with white wine butter sauce shows how fresh ravioli is perfect with a delicate sauce and some tender asparagus.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- One 20 ounce package chilled fresh ravioli
- One bunch asparagus (about 15-20 spears), trimmed and cut into two inch pieces.
- 1 tablespoon minced shallot
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 tablespoons cold butter, cut into cubes
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 tablespoons fresh chopped thyme, plus more for garnish
- Shaved or grated parmesan cheese for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add asparagus. Cook asparagus until just crisp-tender, about 2-3 minutes, and remove asparagus with a slotted spoon, leaving the water boiling.
- Add one tablespoon of butter to a medium size skillet and melt over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic and stir until soft, 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 2-3 minutes. Now add butter, cube by cube, stirring until each one is melted into the sauce. Stir in the chopped thyme.
- While the sauce is cooking, add the ravioli gently to the boiling asparagus water (I like to lower them in with a slotted spoon) and cook according to package directions until just done, about 6 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and add to the skillet.
- Give everything a gentle stir until it is all combined.
- Divide the ravioli between plates and rizzle a generous portion of sauce over each serving, garnish with fresh thyme and parmesan and serve at once!
Notes
Ravioli: We love this recipe best with fresh ravioli, which you can find near the dairy section of your supermarket, but if you can use frozen instead.
Asparagus: Like the looks of this recipe but don’t love asparagus? You can swap in broccoli florets instead, or baby spinach.
Stacie Fontinell says
pasta with clam sauce and carbanara….sheesh, now i am hungry! My husband make a mean ravioli too!
Sue L. says
I guess I’d have to say linguini with white clam sauce…. or maybe stuffed shells!
Renee Simon says
I love any pasta. Although last week, I ate my most favorite pasta dish yet. Carmela’s Chicken Rigatoni from Macaroni Grill. I immediately came home to find the copycat recipe. It was on the Food.com site and I made it last night: It is still to die for!!!!!! Even my husband, who is not a fan of pasta, has requested I make it again.
Debbie says
Healthy Summer Vegetable Spaghetti Recipe
Ingredients:
2 cups small yellow onions, cut in eighths
2 cups (about 1 lb.) ripe tomatoes, peeled, chopped
2 cups (about 1 lb.) yellow and green squash, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups (about 1/2 lb.) fresh green beans, cut
2/3 cup water
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
to taste black pepper
1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
1 lb. spaghetti, uncooked
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Directions:
1. Combine first 10 ingredients in large saucepan. Cook for 10 minutes, then stir in tomato paste. Cover and cook gently for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender.
2. Cook spaghetti in unsalted water according to package directions.
3. Spoon sauce over drained hot spaghetti. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.
Karen Nelson says
I love good spinach ravioli’s with a light sauce.
I love Angel hair pasta with a good pesto… Fresh basil:-)
I love thin spaghetti with Mizithra cheese and browned butter sauce.
I love this recipe Kate… Can’t wait to try it.
Are these Chicken Marsala Raviolis not available on the west coast?)
Jocelyn W says
Mmmm my favorite pasta dish this summer has been some fresh diced tomatos, and what ever other veggies I have laying around sauteed and simmered down with a little butter and chicken stock! Nice and light to beat the heat and fullfilling my need for pasta!!
Kathy N says
Cut up a bunch of tomatoes and put in a bowl with basil, garlic and olive oil. Let sit for a few hours. Cook pasta (I use penne) and drain. Stir in feta cheese and top with the tomato basil mix. Great for all the summer tomatoes and basil.
Francesca says
Pasta with robiola and pomodorini! Robiola is an Italian soft, creamy cheese, quite easy to find here in Italy (of course!), but I don’t know in the USA… try and search! I work robiola with a little oil to make it very creamy, then I put in a garlic glove, small cherry tomatoes (pomodorini) sliced in two, black olives, basil (NEVER cut basil with a knife….tear basil leaves with your fingers), sal and pepper. When pasta is cooked, I put it in with the robiola (don’t forget a little cooking water to amalgamate everything together) and that’s it! Wonderful, especially in summer! Greetings from Italy Kate, your posts are always very funny!
Vanessa says
My favorite pasta dish to order out is butternut squash ravioli. My favorite pasta dish to make at home is baked lemon pasta (a pioneer woman recipe). My daughter requests this meal weekly! We often add shrimp or chicken to this dish also.
Kathy K says
My grandmother made the most wonderful homemade raviolis, which she served both naked and with a tomato-based sauce that simmered all day on the stove. I was the official taster to test whether or not they were done. What a tough job……Raviolis bring back memories of family meals with her.
Lisa says
I love a good carbonara (no peas tho!) using fresh eggs. For a ravioli sauce, I prefer a creamy wine sauce, maybe with some lobster chunks.
Shelly says
My favorite pasta is mushroom ravioli (Buitoni makes a wonderful one) with a mushroom cream sauce. In case you can’t tell… I love mushrooms!
Danijela says
I just love pasta. While is was living in Europe, I used to buy buitoni all the time. They are one of the best brands. This surely looks delicious. Great post!
Kari says
One of my favorite pasta dishes is one that I got at a local restaurant called Indigo. It’s a simple Cheese Ravioli with Lemon Vodka sauce. My oh my. Deeeelish!
ry says
home made mac’n’cheese, hands down! family favourite which can be dressed up with shrimp and veggies or left plain, which is what the kids prefer, but it’s a crowd pleaser any time of year!