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This Lobster Ravioli Sauce is made from only a few simple ingredients yet tastes so decadent. This cream sauce is full of crushed tomatoes, heavy cream, and grated parmesan cheese. Serve it over fresh store-bought lobster ravioli for the easiest “fancy” dinner at home. Don’t forget the wine!
I love picking up fresh pasta from the refrigerated section at the grocery store. It is my go to for when I want to whip up something a little “fancier”, but I want something super easy. It is so much better than the dried stuff!
I recently discovered this lobster and crab ravioli from Whole Foods that I am obsessed with. You can actually taste the seafood. What is your favorite kind of ravioli?
I experimented preparing the pasta with a few different sauces. I tried a lemon butter sauce and a white creamy parmesan sauce, but ultimately this pink lobster ravioli sauce recipe beat the other two out. This truly is the best sauce for lobster ravioli.
If you are into no fuss cream sauce pasta recipes, try this Instant Pot fettuccine alfredo!
The mix of heavy cream and tomatoes give it that beautiful pink color. The tomatoes also help cut the richness of the dish. The white wine and the lemon zest also add some brightness and pair beautifully with the seafood. Hope you enjoy!! xx
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Highlights
- Easy & flavorful sauce for lobster ravioli
- Super creamy from the grated parmesan cheese & heavy cream
- Beautiful pink color from the addition of crushed tomatoes
- Brightness from the lemon zest & white wine
- Loaded with garlic and shallot
- Simple yet special 30 minute date night at home dinner
Ingredient Notes
- White Wine: I used Sauvignon Blanc because it is what I prefer to drink but any dry white you have on hand will do.
- Heavy Cream: You have to use heavy creamy for this recipe. Half and half will result in a sauce that is too thin.
- Parmesan Cheese: I recommend using parmesan reggiano for the best flavor.
- Lobster Ravioli: I purchased mine at Whole Foods for around $7. It seems more cost effective and much easier to purchase pre-made lobster ravioli, but you are welcome to substitute it for homemade.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.
Helpful Equipment & Tools
- Calphalon Classic Hard-Anodized Nonstick Pots: Great heavy duty nonstick pans that conduct heat extremely well.
- Microplane Premium Classic Series Zester: Great for cheeses and citrus fruits.
- Silicone Nonstick Mixing Spoons: Great everyday cooking utensil.
Instructions
Overview
- Brown the shallot and garlic.
- Add in the herbs and spices.
- Deglaze the pan with the white wine.
- Add in the tomatoes, cream, and grated parmesan cheese.
Step by Step
Step 1: In a skillet, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic. Sauté until browned.
Step 2: Stir in the dried herbs, salt, and pepper. Sauté for about 1 minute or until fragrant.
TIP - The brown bits add a ton of flavor.
Step 3: Deglaze the pan with the white white, scraping any bits off the bottom.
Step 4: Add the crushed tomatoes, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
Step 5: Turn the heat to medium low. Stir in the cream and parmesan cheese. Bring to a simmer and then turn off the heat.
Step 6: Toss the lobster ravioli in the sauce and serve with fresh basil and parmesan on top.
TIP - Do not over heat the cream and parmesan or it will become grainy.
NOTE - The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.
TIP - Thin sauce as needed with pasta water.
Make Ahead & Storage
- Make Ahead: You can easily make the sauce in advance, but I do recommend boiling the pasta until right before serving. Fresh pasta is best served hot and does not reheat very well. After you make the sauce, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days.
- Reheating: Reheat the sauce on the stove over medium low heat. Add a splash or cream or broth to thin it out if needed.
- Refrigerator: Like I mentioned above, the sauce can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days, but the ravioli is best consumed right after cooking.
- Freezer: I do not recommend freezing this lobster ravioli sauce.
Expert Tips
- Brown the shallot and garlic. This process adds so much flavor to the sauce.
- Use parmesan reggiano. I know this is a bit of a splurge item for most of us, but it really does have the best flavor. I recommend picking up a small chunk of it and grating it with a microplane grater. The fine pieces of cheese melt seamlessly into the sauce.
- Do not overheat the sauce. Once the cream and cheese have been added, avoid overheating the sauce. This will cause it to over thicken and potentially become grainy.
- Save some pasta water. If the sauce congeals or thickens up too much, add a small splash of pasta water to thin it out. Do not add too much or the sauce will become watery.
Recipe Notes
- This makes enough sauce for about 9 ounces of lobster ravioli. This is about 2 small portions. The recipe can easily be doubled.
Variations
- Dried pasta: This lobster ravioli sauce can be served over any shape of pasta, if you do not have ravioli in the fridge.
- More protein: Top with sautéed shrimp or lobster meat.
- Vegetarian: Serve this pink sauce over cheese ravioli instead. It is a very versatile ravioli sauce recipe and pairs well with a variety of ravioli fillings.
FAQs
Lobster ravioli can be purchased at Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s. I am sure other gourmet or specialty grocery stores carry it, but these are the two I have personally found it at. Rana Maine (sold at Costco) is also a popular brand.
I have not tried this brand myself but it has great reviews and a great price point. So I am going to say yes!
Of course! However, I have never made it myself because it seems too time consuming and expensive. I actually really enjoy the store-bought kind so I have never felt the need to make it homemade. If I was going to, I might try this recipe which uses wonton wrappers or this one, but I really think making it from scratch is overkill.
No need to thaw it out. Simply drop the frozen ravioli into the water and add 1-2 minutes to the cook time. It is done when it floats and is heated through.
You can serve it with a lemon garlic butter sauce, creamy white parmesan sauce, or a traditional pink sauce (similar to the Olive Garden lobster ravioli sauce). I kind of combined all 3 of these to create the best sauce for lobster ravioli. Some other options are a vodka sauce, brown butter sauce, or a red sauce.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Drop the ravioli in and boil for 3-4 minutes. Drain the water and serve tossed in this pink sauce for lobster ravioli.
Follow the instructions above for the Rana Maine lobster ravioli.
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Based on my research (I am no wine pairing expert), a dry sauvignon blanc (what I used for my sauce), chardonnay, champagne, pinot grigio or light bodied pinot noir are all great options. You can read more about the pairings here.
Related Recipes
Lobster Ravioli Sauce
Ingredients:
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 small shallot, diced finely
- 4 cloves garlic, pressed
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- fresh cracked pepper
- ¼ cup dry white wine*
- ½ cup crushed tomatoes
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- zest from ½ lemon, optional
- ½ cup heavy cream*
- ¼ cup grated parmesan, plus more for serving*
For Serving
- 9 ounces fresh store-bought or homemade lobster ravioli, prepared according to the instructions on the package*
- fresh basil or parsley
Instructions:
- Review all recipe notes and instructions before beginning.
- In a skillet, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic. Sauté until browned.
- Stir in the dried herbs, salt, and pepper. Sauté for about 1 minute or until fragrant.
- Deglaze the pan with the white white, scraping any bits off the bottom.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
- Turn the heat to medium low. Stir in the cream and parmesan cheese. Bring to a simmer and then turn off the heat.
- Toss the lobster ravioli in the sauce and serve with fresh basil and parmesan on top.
This is the perfect date night dish - so delicious, and simple to prepare. The creamy tomato sauce goes so well with the ravioli!
What a great way to dress up a store-bought ravioli! This is the perfect combination of ‘made from scratch with a friendly shortcut. Bravo. Love it!
Oh, wow, this was total decadence! The crispy garlic added such a nice touch.
This lobster ravioli is the perfect dinner for date night. The creamy tomato sauce complements the lobster so well!
This sauce was amazing, I loved how creamy it was. With the lobster ravioli was just over the top, we loved it so much. Thanks for this recipe.
Wow, this was so good, felt like I was eating creamy ravioli at a restaurant! The base of the sauce is also great over other types of pasta, too, so versatile!
This looks absolutely amazing! I can't wait to try this recipe out.
This looks amazing!
I replaced garlic with bit pieces of shrimp along shallots…. It was a nice touch.
Great! Glad you enjoyed.