This easy recipe for ravioli with tomato sauce swaps out the jarred sauce for a quick buttery topping of cherry tomatoes and wine. Use the best cheese ravioli you can find and enjoy these glorious flavors!
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Why we love this recipe
The Southern husband and I have this saying around our kitchen that goes like this: Ingredients Matter! You can have the best recipe in the world, and if you aren’t going for the best ingredients you won’t get the scrumptious meal that you deserve, and that goes double for this particular ravioli favorite of ours.
So here’s where I tell you that you need the best fresh ravioli you can find – big, small, round, square – it all works and I’ve made it with all those kinds. If you have an Italian grocery store near you head right over there, and if not, go for the fresh ravioli in the refrigerated section of your grocery store.
You also need some cherry tomatoes (which for mysterious reasons hold their tomato flavor all year long!), some nice butter (hello, Kerrygold!), a splash of your favorite white wine and the good olive oil, and a handful of fresh parsley, basil or any of your favorite herbs (hello oregano!).
20 short minutes later your tomato ravioli sauce will be done and you will be sitting down to the glorious taste of a wonderful, flavorful ravioli supper!
Ingredients you need
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Ravioli: You can use any kind you like (even the kinds stuffed with things other than cheese!) but do make sure you get the freshest kind you can! You can also swap in tortellini if you like.
- Tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes hold their flavor all year long, so we recommend these delicious small tomatoes over the big ones.
- Wine: We tend to use a chardonnay for this recipe but you can use any kind you like.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities and nutritional information.
Here’s how you make this recipe
STEP 1: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the tomatoes, wine, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and simmer until the tomatoes begin to soften, 4 to 5 minutes.
STEP 2: Add butter and stir until it is melted into the sauce.
STEP 3: Cook the ravioli in a large pot according to the package instructions. Right before the ravioli is done, scoop out one cup of the cooking water.
STEP 4: Scoop the ravioli out of the pot with a slotted spoon and add it to the skillet with the tomato mixture and parsley. Stir it around gently. Drizzle in some of the reserved pasta water if you need a little more liquid in the sauce. Divide among warmed plates and serve!
You can sprinkle the ravioli with chopped parsley or basil if you like…that part is totally up to you. 😄 A sprinkle of parmesan cheese or red pepper flakes is also wonderful if you have any handy.
It’s amazing how just a handful of delectable ingredients can transform into a plate of scrumptiousness that is totally dinner party worthy. And also speedy enough for a busy weeknight. It’s ravioli magic!
Recipe FAQs
Your best bet is an Italian specialty store where they most likely make their ravioli on site. The next best option is to look in the dairy section of your supermarket…most of them now offer all kinds of fresh pasta.
You can! In addition to cheese-filled ravioli, you can use ravioli filled with chicken and other ingredients…take a good look around at what your supermarket has to offer. You can also use tortellini if you prefer.
Generally yes! This is because as it absorbs air and becomes lighter, floating to the surface. However, I always make very sure by scooping out one of the ravioli and tasting it.
Nope. The wine is essential to the taste of the sauce. If you are concerned about the alcohol content, most of it will dissipate during the cooking process.
Pop your question in the Comments section under the recipe card and I will answer pronto!
Equipment we used for this recipe
These are some of my favorite kitchen tools! These are Amazon affiliate links, which means I get a little something if you buy through my links at no extra cost to you. (Which helps pay for all that bacon I keep buying! 😄) And I only share things I use and love. I’m so grateful for your support!
- Measuring Cup: We love these angled cups that show the measurements on both the inside and outside of the cup.
- Measuring Spoons: These handy magnetic spoons are not on a ring, so you can just pick the one you need.
- Cutting Board: These sturdy, dishwasher-safe cutting boards come in all different sizes.
- Tongs: We have this essential kitchen tool in all sizes from short to extra long.
- Spider: We love this large mesh spoon for transferring ingredients from hot water into strainers…and for making buttermilk fried chicken tenders!
- Large Skillet: We have a few of these in our cupboard but this is one of our faves.
What to serve with this recipe
We love to supplement the tomatoes in this recipe with even more veggies! In the summer we stay on the Tomato Train with this simple Tomato Goat Cheese Salad, and in the cooler months we love this Bread Crumb Asparagus. A square of warm sheet pan focaccia is THE BEST, and for dessert? Let’s have a slice of classic chocolate chess pie!
Other ravioli recipes we love!
We want to know what you think! 🤔
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 below the recipe.
Ravioli with Tomato Sauce
This easy recipe for ravioli with white wine tomato sauce swaps out the jarred sauce for a quick buttery topping of cherry tomatoes and wine. Use the best cheese ravioli you can find and enjoy these glorious flavors!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 20 ounces fresh or frozen cheese ravioli (the best you can find!)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup white wine
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the tomatoes, wine, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and simmer until the tomatoes begin to soften, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add butter and stir until it is melted into the sauce.
- Cook the ravioli according to the package directions. Right before the ravioli is done, scoop out one cup of the cooking water.
- Scoop the ravioli out of the pot with a slotted spoon and add it to the skillet with the tomato mixture and parsley. Stir it around gently. Drizzle in some of the reserved pasta water if you need a little more liquid in the sauce. Divide among warmed plates and serve!
Notes
-
- Ravioli: You can use any kind you like (even the kinds stuffed with things other than cheese!) but do make sure you get the freshest kind you can! You can also swap in tortellini if you like.
-
- Tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes hold their flavor all year long, so we recommend these delicious small tomatoes over the big ones.
-
- Wine: We tend to use a chardonnay for this recipe but you can use any kind you like.
Leah says
So easy and even my picky eater will have it! Love this recipe!!
Hooray! I love passing the picky eater test!
Martha in KS says
As soon as I get enough cherry tomatoes from my garden, I’m making this pasta! Just requested Midnight Chicken from the library – love a good read.
Yay! And I predict you are going to love love love this amazing book. :)
Theresa Murphy says
Does homemade ravioli count as “the best you can find”? :) I like to play with my pasta machine every once in a while and have some fancy ravioli molds, so I’m thinking I need to drag them out of the cupboard sooner than later so I can make this bit of deliciousness you are showing here.
Oh my gosh, homemade ravioli counts as the VERY best you can find! I’m coming over for dinner! :)