Recipes & Cooking International Recipes Italian Recipes 13 Flavorful Mix-and-Match Pasta Sauce and Ravioli Filling Recipes Try these combinations for a homemade Italian dinner you'll serve again and again. By Karla Walsh Karla Walsh Karla Walsh began her career at FITNESS magazine in 2010. Since, she's worked at a wide variety of publications full-time, including BHG.com, Recipe.com and as a cross-brand social media specialist. From search engine optimization to features for print to video strategy, she has a diverse background in all things magazines. At the start of 2019, Karla chose to pursue full-time freelance writing and has contributed to more than 3 dozen brands. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on September 21, 2023 Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Scott Little Using our top-rated sauces and homemade ravioli filling recipes, you can design your ideal flavor pairings to star in a rave-worthy Italian dinner. First, we explain how to make the dough from scratch and share some of our best ravioli filling ideas. Then it's time to get saucy: We're dishing about the tastiest pasta sauce options to spoon over each. 24 of Our Favorite and Most Delicious Classic Italian Recipes 01 of 13 Fresh Pasta Dough for Ravioli View Recipe Scott Little Grab some flour, water, salt, and eggs. This is where the best homemade ravioli begins. Though we call for a food processor to mix the pasta dough, there are also instructions for mixing by hand. Invest in a ravioli press to make it even easier to stuff these squares with a cheese ravioli filling or your desired filling combo. Buy It: Eppicotispai Ravioli Starter Set, $85, Sur La Table 02 of 13 Sausage Ravioli Filling View Recipe Scott Little Sausage is a spicy, hearty filling for more than Italian grinders and homemade pizzas. (Although we love it for those too.) Cook Italian sausage with fresh spinach, stir in creamy ricotta cheese, and add some sage to make this meaty ravioli filling recipe. A pinch of nutmeg adds a subtle sweetness. Test Kitchen Tip Chill this classic ravioli filling as you prepare the dough so it's easier to stuff your pasta. 03 of 13 Mushroom Ravioli Filling View Recipe Scott Little Combining dried porcini and fresh mushrooms adds pleasant, earthy elements to this simple ravioli filling recipe. With so much umami and 10 grams of protein per serving, you won't miss the meat in this vegetarian dinner idea. 04 of 13 Crab Ravioli Filling View Recipe Scott Little Not much time for cooking today? Try this crab ravioli filling recipe, which could easily be transformed into a lobster ravioli filling instead. It takes only 20 minutes to saute this citrusy, caper-infused combo before stuffing it inside pasta. Or you can reduce your work by serving the filling as a topping and skip stuffing individual ravioli. Shrimp and Crab-Stuffed Manicotti with Garlic Cream Sauce 05 of 13 Butternut Squash Ravioli Filling View Recipe Scott Little Just when we thought we couldn't love butternut squash more, this—one of our best ravioli filling recipes—landed on our Test Kitchen table as a new way to eat the veggie. Parmesan cheese, nutmeg, and roasted butternut squash join forces for a sweet-nutty pasta stuffing. Test Kitchen Tip If you prefer pumpkin to butternut, substitute an equal amount of that winter squash for an equally excellent pumpkin ravioli filling. 06 of 13 Roasted Garlic Pasta Sauce View Recipe Andy Lyons Yes, you can make the most of summer tomatoes in a topping for nearly any classic ravioli filling recipe. Roast garlic and peppers, simmer with tomatoes and seasonings, and then can in jars for an upgrade on marinara that will last for months in your pantry. This Italian-inspired blend works deliciously with savory meat ravioli. Homemade ravioli filling pairing: Sausage Ravioli Filling How to Freeze Tomatoes So You Can Enjoy Your Summer Crop All Year 07 of 13 Pressure Cooker Puttanesca Pasta Sauce View Recipe Italian nonnas (grandmas) spend hours perfecting each batch of puttanesca, a traditional Neapolitan sauce featuring tomatoes, anchovies, olives, capers, and more. Hit fast-forward with this simplified sauce. It cooks in mere minutes in your pressure cooker or Instant Pot. Homemade ravioli filling pairing: Mushroom Ravioli Filling 08 of 13 Herb Alfredo Sauce View Recipe Karla Conrad Leave the jarred Alfredo on the supermarket shelf. You can slow cook your way to an herb-scented meal masterpiece with this decadent ravioli topper. To save time and make it possible to whip up this sauce any time of year, we call for purchased basil pesto rather than the fresh herb. Homemade ravioli filling pairing: Butternut Squash Ravioli Filling Buy It: Crock-Pot 6-Quart Cook & Carry Programmable Slow Cooker, $97, Amazon 09 of 13 Browned Butter Sauce View Recipe Scott Little Everything is better with butter. Including pretty much any of our homemade ravioli filling recipes. Drizzle each bowl of pasta with browned butter, grated cheese, and herbs for a simple and sophisticated dish. Finish with fresh herbs and a dash of ground black pepper, and your dinner table will practically feel like a Venician café (minus the gondola floating by, sadly). Homemade ravioli filling pairing: Butternut Squash Ravioli Filling 18 Recipes That Showcase the Nutty Flavor of Brown Butter 10 of 13 Fresh Herb, Tomato, and Caper Sauce View Recipe Blaine Moats Why use store-bought when you can blitz up this ravioli sauce in 10 minutes? With heart-healthy olive oil, almonds, and handfuls of fresh herbs, your ticker and taste buds will thank you for serving this peppy sauce. As you can tell from the photo, this ravioli sauce is also great on steaks. Test Kitchen Tip Freeze this tasty tomato sauce in quarter-cup portions in an airtight container so you can defrost it and toss it with your favorite homemade ravioli anytime. Homemade ravioli filling pairing: Sausage Ravioli Filling Your Complete Guide to All the Types of Olive Oil—And How to Pick the Best Type 11 of 13 Fresh Tomato Spaghetti Sauce View Recipe Andy Lyons Call in the spice! And herbs, of course. Parsley, oregano, fennel, basil, marjoram—the whole Italian gang is here in this summery sauce that dazzles atop your best ravioli filling recipes (especially ones featuring similar ingredients—say, mushrooms—and aromatics, like garlic). Homemade ravioli filling pairing: Mushroom Ravioli Filling 12 of 13 Cashew Cream Pasta Sauce View Recipe Blaine Moats "Cheese" sauce made from cashews? Sounds crazy, but tastes crazy-good on chicken pasta, lobster ravioli fillings, and more. Think of the garlic-scented sauce as a vegan version of Alfredo! Homemade ravioli filling pairing: Crab Ravioli Filling 13 of 13 Creamy Vino Sauce View Recipe Scott Little Toss with a white wine, cheese, and herb mix to create a decadent sauce to pour over any noodly dish like your favorite seafood-stuffed pasta. Garlic and fresh basil infuse it with equal parts lusciousness, comfort food notes, and fresh summer flavors. Homemade ravioli filling pairing: Crab Ravioli Filling Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit