20-Minute Ravioli with Simple Sauce (Printable)
Tender cheese ravioli in a vibrant tomato-basil sauce, ready in 20 minutes for a comforting weeknight meal.
# Ingredient List:
→ Pasta
01 - 18 oz fresh or refrigerated cheese ravioli
→ Sauce
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
04 - 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
05 - 1 teaspoon sugar
06 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
07 - ½ teaspoon dried oregano
08 - ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
09 - 1 small bunch fresh basil, chopped
→ Garnish
10 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
11 - Extra basil leaves, for serving
# Steps:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds, until fragrant.
03 - Stir in crushed tomatoes, sugar, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
04 - Add ravioli to the boiling water and cook according to package instructions (typically 3–4 minutes), until they float to the surface. Drain gently.
05 - Add chopped basil to the sauce, then fold in the drained ravioli, tossing gently to coat. Serve immediately, topped with grated Parmesan and extra basil.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Everything comes together in one pan while the pasta water boils, meaning less cleanup and more time to actually eat
- The sauce tastes like you simmered it all day, but the secret is letting the garlic bloom in olive oil and crushed tomatoes doing their own beautiful thing
02 -
- I once skipped the sugar and the sauce tasted aggressively acidic, so do not skip this tiny but crucial ingredient
- Fresh ravioli can go from perfect to mushy in seconds, so watch them like a hawk the moment they start floating
03 -
- Reserve a splash of pasta water before draining and add it to the sauce if it seems too thick
- Let the sauce simmer longer if you have time, it only gets better with every minute