Caprese Ravioli is a quick & easy vegetarian recipe inspired by a traditional Italian salad and stuffed pasta.
This simple pasta recipe can be prepared in under 20 minutes because we use store bought ravioli.
Your family will love forking through this Ravioli Caprese recipe featuring flavourful ricotta stuffed pasta, olive oil, cherry tomatoes, bocconcini mozzarella, fresh basil, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.
Serve Caprese Ravioli on its own as a light lunch or as a pasta course at your next Italian dinner party. Pair with a cool glass of white wine.
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What Is Caprese Ravioli Pasta?
Caprese Salad is a simple Italian salad, made of sliced fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and sweet basil, seasoned with salt & pepper and olive oil. Like Margherita Pizza, it features the colours of the Italian flag: green, white, and red.
In Italy, Caprese Salad is usually served as an antipasto (appetizer), not a contorno (side dish), and may be eaten any time of day.
The salad is named after the island of Capri, where it is believed to have originated. Two common stories about its origin include it being an homage to the Italian flag or “in the 20th century to appease the palates of vacationing royalty and important politicos.”
Ravioli are a type of pasta comprising a filling enveloped in thin pasta dough. Usually served in broth or with a sauce, they originated as a traditional food in Italian cuisine. Ravioli are commonly square, though other forms are also used, including circular and semi-circular shapes.
Traditionally, ravioli are made at home. The filling varies according to the region where they are prepared. In Rome and Latium the filling is made with ricotta cheese, spinach, nutmeg and black pepper. In Sardinia, ravioli are filled with ricotta and grated lemon rind.
Caprese Ravioli takes these two traditional Italian dishes and combines them into a mouth-watering meal.
Our quick & easy take on Ravioli Caprese features store bought stuffed ravioli that are served with bocconcini mozzarella, sweet cherry tomatoes and fresh basil.
We like to serve the dish using a vegetarian friendly ricotta stuffed ravioli as it’s light and pairs well with the mozzarella and parmesan that decorate the plate.
Travel to Italy by Cooking Caprese Ravioli at Home
I love traveling to Europe!
During my first visit to the continent I traveled for 5 months by train and plane. I had the opportunity to eat my way through Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales, Portugal, Spain, France, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland,Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Czech, Germany, Austria, Croatia, Bosnia, Hungary, Slovakia, Greece, Turkey and Italy.
What I love most about traveling to Italy is the opportunity to sample unique dishes in each region and city. The dishes in Tuscany (Florence, Pisa, Volterra, Saturnia, Pitigliano, Sorano, Montalcino, Siena) are unique from what you’d find in Venice, Modena, Milan, Rome, and Amalfi Coast.
I love traveling to the Amalfi Coast, which is a short boat trip to the paradise island of Capri, where Caprese Ravioli originates.
It’s the perfect healthy pasta dish to serve in the summer when fresh basil and tomatoes are in season at your local farmers market. We suggest serving it with a cold glass of white wine.
Once back home from an Italian holiday you’ll have a newfound appreciation for regional cuisine and can impress friends and family by making our traditional Caprese Ravioli recipe!
Where To Eat Ravioli Caprese
If you live in a large city in Canada or America you’ll likely have access to a local Italian restaurant that serves Caprese Ravioli.
Haven’t traveled to Italy before? It may be helpful to first sample Ravioli Caprese at a local Italian restaurant to better understand how the dish is served. You can assess the ideal ravioli stuffing to use, perfect portion size and complimentary side dishes to accompany the entree.
In Toronto, popular Italian restaurants in Yorkville, King West and Ossington that may serve Caprese Ravioli pasta include Bar Vendetta, Buca, Superpoint, Amano, Fabbrica, Oretta, FIGO, Nodo, Locale Mercatto, The Good Son, Taverna Mercatto, Ascari Enoteca, Il Fornello or Gusto 101.
Join Dobbernationloves founder Andrew Dobson in the kitchen by signing up for a fun virtual cooking class! Classes begin with a cocktail that you can sip while preparing 2-3 recipes that are curated around a unique culinary theme. Check out our current Cooking Class Schedule!
My Family Loves Caprese Ravioli Pasta
I love cooking Italian food for my family.
I first made this Caprese Ravioli recipe on a hot summer day at our family cottage in Muskoka. It was the peak of Ontario growing season and we had plenty of fresh basil and cherry tomatoes to pluck from our vegetable garden.
I knew my family would enjoy this simple Ravioli Caprese recipe because they love pasta, mountains of cheese, fresh herbs and healthy vegetarian dishes.
We served the ravioli on our patio for lunch and enjoyed it with a fresh salad and cold glass of white wine. The perfect match for mozzarella, parmesan and ricotta is sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio or an unoaked chardonnay.
This quick & easy pasta dish is perfect for a last minute meal as the ingredients are simple, affordable and easy to find at the grocery store.
While we’ve used store bought ravioli, if you call yourself gourmet and have the free time make your own homemade ravioli.
Health Benefits
Our Caprese Ravioli recipe is prepared with simple and affordable ingredients.
Olive Oil is ranked as one of the healthiest fats and is a staple in the Mediterranean diet. It contains vitamins E and K and plenty of beneficial fatty acids and antioxidants.
Rich in a group of phytochemicals called carotenoids, tomatoes may help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, and provide protection against cancer. Tomatoes are also a good source of immune-boosting vitamin C.
Consuming dairy products (such as milk and cheese) provides health benefits — especially improved bone health. Dairy foods provide nutrients that are vital for health and maintenance of your body. These nutrients include calcium, potassium, vitamin D, and protein.
The eugenol in basil can block calcium channels, which may help to lower blood pressure. The essential oils in the herb can help to lower your cholesterol and triglycerides. Basil also contains magnesium, which can help to improve blood flow by allowing muscles and blood vessels to relax.
Caprese Ravioli Recipe Cooking Tips
This Caprese Ravioli recipe is quick and easy to make at home.
- We suggest purchasing a vegetarian friendly ravioli stuffed with ricotta cheese as it pairs nicely with the tomatoes, mozzarella and basil.
- We’ve suggested using grape or cherry tomatoes as they look pretty on the plate and are easy to pierce with a fork. You can of course you any tomato variety you like but if they are larger like plum tomatoes or beefsteak tomatoes ensure they are sliced thinly or into slender wedges.
- We suggest using bocconcini in this recipe as when sliced they are similar in size to the tomatoes and look attractive on the plate. You can substitue for fresh mozzarella or burrata if you prefer.
- We finish off the dish with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese but you could substitute for sheep’s milk pecorino.
- While this recipe is vegetarian you can serve it as a pasta course with your favourite grilled seafood, beef, pork or chicken for additional protein.
- Add an additional boost of flavour by drizzling the pasta with balsamic vinegar or dabs of pesto sauce.
What To Serve With Ravioli Caprese
There’s nothing more comforting than cozying up to a bowl of Caprese Ravioli.
We love to serve this dish as a lunch with a glass of white wine and fresh salad when tomatoes and basil are in season in the summer.
It’s also a quick & easy dinner idea when served with Garlic Bread and Caesar Salad. Or if you’re hosting a large Italian-themed dinner party feel free to serve it in a buffet with:
- Lumache Rigate Snail Pasta with Garlic Butter
- Creamy Saffron Tagliatelle Pasta with Ricotta and Mint
- Healthy Vegetarian Mafalda Pasta Noodles
- Ndunderi Amalfi Lemon Ricotta Gnocchi
- Burrata Bruschetta Crostini with Tomato Chutney
- Fresh Fig Prosciutto Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- Crispy Roast Chicken and Leek Risotto
- Vegetarian Gorgonzola Risotto al Radicchio
- Sartu Di Riso
- Cheesy Polenta
- Involtini di Pollo
- Negroni Spritz Cocktail
- Aperol Gin Cocktail
- Amaretto Disaronno Sour
- Italian Prosecco and Gin Cocktail
How To Make Easy Ravioli Caprese Pasta
Easy Caprese Ravioli Pasta
Equipment
- Large pot
- Nonstick Skillet
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Collander
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- French knife
Ingredients
- 350 g Packaged Ravioli
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 15 Cherry or Grape Tomatoes sliced in half
- 1 cup Bocconcini sliced in quarters
- 2 tbsp Basil Leaves thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese grated
- Kosher Salt & Black Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the ravioli in salted boiling water according to the package instructions.
- When the ravioli is cooked through, drain the water in a colander over the sink. Drizzle the ravioli with olive oil and gently toss so they don't stick together.
- Transfer ravioli to a plate and and top with freshly cracked pepper and sprinkle of kosher salt.
- Top with sliced tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil. Grate generously with parmesan cheese. Serve hot.
Nutrition
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