We’ve come up with a list of vegetables that go well with ravioli. Ravioli is a special kind of pasta that most people find amusing and special. It is a stuffed pasta that is typically served with sauce. You often think that 4-5 pieces of ravioli won’t keep you full but you’ll be surprised to know that 4-5 is all you need to get stuffed. Ravioli is usually stuffed with vegetables or meat.
Everyone loves pasta and that’s no secret. Pasta originated in Italy and it is made up of flour, water, salt, and eggs (mostly).
Ravioli is a type of pasta that is filled with some form of filling in between two thin sheets of pasta dough. The first written record of ravioli was by Francesco di Marco, a merchant from Venice. Ravioli is the plural form of raviolo, which is a singular piece of ravioli.
Ravioli is enjoyable to eat and one of the more special kinds of pasta because of the work and love that nonnas put into it. In most restaurants, ravioli dishes usually cost more than the typical dried pasta dish like bucatini all’amatriciana or pesto pasta.
Ravioli are usually stuffed with meat or vegetables then served with a nice rich sauce. Some people bake their ravioli in a creamy sauce or simply brown butter with some herbs and that’s good enough with the filling.
We’ve put together a list of vegetables that are perfect with ravioli.
Table of Contents
1. Pumpkin
Pumpkin filling is one of the most classic ravioli fillings. It’s often served in brown butter sauce with nuts. It’s absolutely decadent yet not too filling. This kind of ravioli recipe has been passed on from generation to generation. It’s absolute perfection and it’s a must-try.
2. Squash
Squash is a great alternative to pumpkin. Squash is a little more vegetal in flavor compared to the rich-tasting pumpkin but it works. We love mashed squash filling with a mix of spinach and ricotta. This delicious and unconventional mix makes an interesting ravioli dish.
3. Mushroom
One of our favorite ravioli fillings is mushrooms. Mushrooms differ in taste but they have one thing in common and it is umami. Mushrooms in any form will surely shine through any dish and create impacting flavors in your mouth. Minced mushrooms cooked in butter and garlic are a perfect and simple kind of filling for ravioli. This is great with a gorgonzola cream sauce and pine nuts.
4. Spinach
Another classic ravioli filling is the spinach and ricotta filling. Most of us have had this delicious kind of ravioli served with a light cream sauce with Parmesan cheese. The softness of the spinach meshed with the ricotta cheese creates a delightful party in your mouth.
5. Tomato
It’s no secret that tomatoes go well with pasta. Tomato is actually a fruit but the more we use it as a savory ingredient, the more people associate it with being a vegetable. Tomatoes can be pureed and turned into a delicious sauce for the ravioli. It’s not typical that you have ravioli with tomato sauce but when you do, make sure the filling is rich like a meat filling.
6. Broccoli Rabe
Broccoli florets are commonly used in cooking. Broccoli rabe is the leafy part of the vegetable that isn’t typically cooked. It’s tough and it’s very strong in flavor. However, it could be really delicious in certain dishes. You can finely chop broccoli rabe and add it to mashed pumpkin to use as the ravioli filling. It adds a vegetal flavor to the filling making it a perfect base for rich sauces.
7. Snap Peas
If you’re making a ravioli cold salad, lightly blanched snap peas would go so well with the ravioli. The crunch from the peas adds texture to the dish and the slight sweetness creates a fresh-tasting dish. We love that this kind of pasta that is usually paired with rich sauces can also be turned into a fresh salad dish.
8. Beets
Beets are beautiful and earthy. They’re like the prettier potato, 10 times its flavor. Beets are used not just to color pasta dough but also to add as the vegetable filling for the ravioli. Beets have a strong earthy flavor so it’s nice to cook it with garlic or a stinky cheese like gorgonzola or taleggio.
9. Turnip
Minced turnip makes a good ravioli filling with the right kind of flavor profile to it. We love the mix of turnip with beef cheeks as the ravioli filling and then creating a browned butter and sage sauce to film each piece of ravioli. The turnip creates a beautiful texture and it’s even good with pine nuts. If you’re thinking of just serving turnips as a side for ravioli, we suggest just slicing but baronets of turnips and serving them raw. The fresh flavor of the turnip goes so well with a rich plate of ravioli.
10. Asparagus
If we’re still talking about vegetables that go well as a side for ravioli, last but not the least on the list is prosciutto-wrapped asparagus. Can you imagine the flavor profile of this vegetable side? The pungent and salty flavor of the prosciutto shines through the crisp asparagus creating a very interesting mix with the ravioli dish. This type of vegetable side can go well with any Italian dish.
