Upgrade that store-bought ravioli to something you’d get at a restaurant with this rich and creamy tomato ravioli sauce with spinach and parmesan.
You can get it on the table in 15 minutes, and best of all, you can make it all in one pan. This is perfect comfort food for busy weeknights!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Carole says: “This is absolutely one of the most delicious dishes I’ve ever made. My husband and I both love it. The sauce is great for other types of pasta as well though ravioli is my favorite. I prefer cheese or cheese and spinach ravioli as I’m not crazy about meat. Thank you so much for sharing.” See the comment
Nicky’s Recipe Notes
I’ve yet to find a store-bought pasta/ravioli sauce that tastes great. This means fresh ravioli often gets overlooked, because it’s not going to match that restaurant experience.
And yet I really like the ravioli itself. So that set me on a course to make a really quick and easy, but REALLY tasty sauce for ravioli. Best of all, you cook the ravioli in the sauce you’re making – no need to boil it in a separate pan.
One pan recipes are my favourite!!
Table of Contents
📋 Ingredients for Ravioli Sauce
Tomato puree: In the UK we call the thick tomato tomato concentrate tomato puree. In the US, it’s known as tomato paste.
Italian herb mix: This is a ready-made mixture, usually consisting of oregano, basil, marjoram, thyme, rosemary, sage and parsley. If you can’t get hold of it, then a mixture of oregano and thyme works well as a replacement.
Roasted tomatoes: I buy the ones at the deli counter (sometimes called ‘sun-soaked’ or ‘semi-dried’ tomatoes) that are bright red or orangey colour and are marinated in oil (rather than jarred sun-dried tomatoes, which are often a bit more brownish in colour). You can replace with the jar version if you like them more.
🔪 How to make this Ravioli Sauce
***Full recipe with detailed steps in the recipe card at the end of this post.***
- We start by softening onions and garlic in a pan with a little oil. Then we add in the ravioli – so it can start to cook through right away. This means we don’t need to boil the ravioli in a separate pan.
- Next in goes red pepper, herbs and seasoning, a little tomato puree and white wine.
- Allow the wine to bubble for a minute, then add in roasted tomatoes, chicken stock and cream. Now we bubble it all up for 5-6 minutes to cook that ravioli through.
- Finally we add in baby spinach and grated parmesan cheese. Cook that for about a minute further, until the spinach wilts. Then serve it up with a sprinkling of parsely.
Pro Tip
You could serve this creamy tomato ravioli sauce with regular store-bought pasta or this easy homemade pasta for a different take with that delicious tangy, creamy sauce.
This recipe gives you enough sauce to coat the ravioli, with a little bit of sauce left at the bottom of the pan. If you like plenty of sauce, you can add in an extra splash of stock and cream.
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Ravioli with Creamy Tomato Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 500 g (1.1 lbs) fresh ravioli (use your favourite flavour)
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- ½ tsp Italian herbs
- ½ tsp chilli flakes (red pepper flakes)
- ½ tsp black pepper
- pinch salt
- 1 tbsp tomato puree paste for US
- 90 ml (1/3 cup) white wine
- 100 g (3.5 oz) roasted cherry tomato halves you can buy these from the deli counter
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) chicken stock
- 90 ml (1/3 cup) double (heavy) cream
- 90 g (3 packed cups) baby spinach
- 50 g (1/2 cup) parmesan grated
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a large frying pan (or skillet) and heat over a medium heat, then add in the finely diced onion and cook for 4-5 minutes until the onion starts to soften.1 tbsp olive oil, 1 onion
- Add in the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds stirring continuously.2 cloves garlic
- Now add in the ravioli and the sliced red bell pepper and cook for another minute, stirring a few times.500 g (1.1 lbs) fresh ravioli, 1 red bell pepper
- Add in the Italian herbs, chilli flakes, black pepper, and salt, give it a stir then add in the tomato puree and wine, stir again, and cook for another minute to reduce the wine down slightly.1/2 tsp Italian herbs, 1/2 tsp chilli flakes (red pepper flakes), 1/2 tsp black pepper, pinch salt, 1 tbsp tomato puree, 90 ml (1/3 cup) white wine
- Add in the roasted tomatoes, chicken stock, and cream. Stir everything together and bring up to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 5-6 minutes, until the centre of the ravioli is piping hot (you can open one up to check this).100 g (3.5 oz) roasted cherry tomato halves, 120 ml (1/2 cup) chicken stock, 90 ml (1/3 cup) double (heavy) cream
- Add in the spinach and parmesan and cook for a minute to allow the cheese to melt and the spinach to wilt.90 g (3 packed cups) baby spinach, 50 g (1/2 cup) parmesan
- Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve.1 tbsp fresh parsley
Video
Notes
Can I make it ahead?
The filling inside store-bough ravioli is usually cooked. So when making this recipe, you’re cooking the pasta and reheating the filling. If you were to make it ahead and reheat again, that would mean the filling would be reheated too many times. So I don’t recommend making this ahead and reheating later. However, you can make the recipe without the ravioli ahead of time (make it, cool quickly and store, covered in the refrigerator for up to two days). Then when you want to reheat it, add the ravioli in at that point and heat it all together for 5-6 minutes, until the centre of the ravaioli is piping hot. You will probably need to add a good splash of water when reheating to loosen up the sauce.Ingredient swaps/additions
Finish with a sprinkle of crispy bacon for an extra special touch. Don’t want to use wine? Replace the wine with more chicken stock plus a teaspoon of lemon juice. Use vegetarian ravioli, swap the parmesan for vegetarian Italian-style hard cheese and swap the chicken stock for vegetable stock for a vegetarian version. Add in more vegetables – such as peas, fine asparagus or sliced courgette (zucchini). Add them in at the same time you would add the red bell pepper.How to scale up and scale down this recipe
You can double or halve the recipe sticking to the same ratios. If you’re double the recipe, it will take an extra 5-10 minutes to ensure everything is cooked through the ravioli centre is piping hot.Nutritional information is estimated and is per serving (this recipe serves 4)
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Now the question is ‘What’s your favourite ravioli filling?‘ Mine’s chicken and chorizo 😋
🍽️ What to serve with Ravioli
This recipe tastes amazing all by its self but you could also serve it alongside:
- Crusty Artisan Bread
- Homemade Garlic Bread
- Cheesy Garlic Pizza Bread
- A Simple Green Salad
The filling inside store-bough ravioli is usually cooked. So when making this recipe, you’re cooking the pasta and reheating the filling. If you were to make it ahead and reheat again, that would mean the filling would be reheated too many times. So I don’t recommend making this ahead and reheating later.
However, you can make the recipe without the ravioli ahead of time (make it, cool quickly and store, covered in the refrigerator for up to two days).
Then when you want to reheat it, add the ravioli in at that point and heat it all together for 5-6 minutes, until the centre of the ravaioli is piping hot. You will probably need to add a good splash of water when reheating to loosen up the sauce.
Yes you can absolutely use fresh tortellini in this recipe if you prefer. The cooking time may vary for the tortellini so make sure you check its cooked through before serving.
Don’t want to use wine? Replace the wine with more chicken stock plus a teaspoon of lemon juice and it’ll still taste great.
More Amazing Pasta Recipes
This creamy ravioli sauce recipe was first published in June 2021. Updated in June 2025 with additional information and for housekeeping reasons.
Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That’s what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our Terms & Conditions.
So so yummy!
This is GREAT, kids do not care for onions so left out and the bell pepper. I roast my own tomatoes in the summer and freeze, packaging in 5 oz bags. I doubled the recipe and I did not want to defrost another package of tomatoes so I had a handful of fresh cherry tomatoes added them cut in half. I did make the sauce and hour ahead and boiled the ravioli as it would be hard to cook two pounds of ravioli and sauce in one pan. Costco had red and white heart shape large raviolis, this was perfect for V-day and better than most restaurants. I wish this recipe was able to scale up or down. Next time I make this I would add fresh basil instead of parsley.
LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe it will be on my next dinner party menu, it will impress even my chef friends.
Absolutely loved this dish and will be in my saved recipes. Also very much appreciate the format of the instructions – such a great way to verify your ingredients for each step without scrolling back up to the original listing and amounts. Brilliant! I’ll be trying out more of your recipes.
This is absolutely one of the most delicious dishes I’ve ever made. My husband and I both love it. The sauce is great for other types of pasta as well though ravioli is my favorite. I prefer cheese or cheese and spinach ravioli as I’m not crazy about meat. Thank you so much for sharing.
This looks delish.
Can you adapt to use frozen ravioli?
Made this tonight. I think I doubled the raviolis by accident so last minute I added a bit more chicken stock and heavy cream. It was so delicious. It really did come together in less than 20 minutes. Recipes always say that and rarely do so I appreciate the short time. My family loved it. It reminds me of an expensive Italian meal but at home and decently priced. Thank you for sharing. Can’t wait to try it again
Great recipe
I used tortellini(had in fridge)
I added bacon bits
My wife gave me a 9 out of 10