Weekends are meant for relaxing on the couch, watch a movie with family, have fun with friends etc., than sweating ourselves in the kitchen and get tired. Isn’t it? I’ve been planning to watch a movie for the last two weeks but somehow couldn’t take out time for that. So today, finally I decided to watch that movie and relax for sometime. But my kids wanted to eat something appetizing, cheesy and of course something other than pizza! Or else it would’ve been easier for me to simply order a pizza and have it delivered at home. But no worries, I’ve got a plan B! I had some cheese & spinach ravioli that I picked from the frozen section, last time when I went to the supermarket. So, today I prepared Cheese & Spinach Ravioli with homemade basil pesto that tasted yummilicious! And of course even the movie was hilarious. We had some really good family time over the weekend!
On Independence day, when I prepared the penne pasta in three flavors, using three different sauces, my family loved the pesto sauce more than the other two. The herby goodness of basil with the combination of pine nuts and cheese just leaves a lasting effect that you crave it time and again. Or is that just me? :’) The best thing about this pesto sauce is that it doesn’t need to cook unlike some other sauces. So it saves a lot of time and doesn’t require much effort in its preparation. All you need is fresh basil leaves and some nuts. I am lucky to have a basil plant at home, so it comes in hand when I need it for my recipes. If pine nuts are lacking, you can also use cashew nuts, walnuts or almonds. You can prepare this recipe in just 10 minutes. This dish is a very good choice if you’re looking for a quick dish but wanted it to be very classy. With some delicate cheese and smooth wine by the side, it will definitely turn your evening meal to a classy affair!
Click below for the recipes of other pastas on my blog:
Tricolor Penne Pasta Easy Cheesy Risotto Moussaka
Cheese & Spinach Ravioli with Basil Pesto:
Buy the Ravioli of your choice which is available in the frozen section at any supermarket. I prefer the frozen ones as they cook quickly and taste better just like the freshly made ones, when prepared. There are many varieties of ravioli available; I used a cheese & spinach one for my recipe.
Just boil the water and add the ravioli to it. Add a few drops of oil while cooking as it helps the pasta in not sticking together. Cook it for 8-10 minutes on medium flame or like I always say, till it becomes al dente, and turn the heat off.
Don’t overcook the pasta or else the ravioli will break and the stuffing will come out. Drain the ravioli using a colander. Keep it aside.
To make the pesto sauce, just add a bunch of fresh washed basil leaves, a handful of pine nuts, few cloves of peeled garlic and salt to taste. As we are spice lovers, I added some green chilies as well to my pesto. But again, it’s totally optional. You can also add some cheese while blending. As my ravioli is already filled with cheese, I didn’t add it in the pesto.
Blend all these ingredients into a paste, adding some olive oil while blending. It’s entirely your choice whether to grind the paste coarsely or smoothly.
Heat some olive oil in a wide saucepan and add the pesto sauce to it. Cooking pesto is optional as some people just toss it on the cooked pasta and have it as it is. But I like to cook the pesto in oil for a few minutes- I’d say about 3-5 minutes- just to enhance the flavor and color of the pesto.
Once the pesto starts exuding a nice aroma, add the cooked ravioli to it. Combine it well to coat the ravioli with pesto evenly, and sauté it for 2-3 minutes.
Sprinkle some grated cheese on top and turn the heat off. And your ravioli in pesto sauce is ready! Isn’t it so quick and easy to prepare? No chopping of veggies; you can be hassle-free while cooking; and when you taste it, it will give you a sense of classy Italian dining that I’m sure you’ll enjoy thoroughly. Serve it while hot and enjoy the herby and cheesy goodness of your pasta! Bon appétit! 😀
Click here for the recipes of other quick meals on my blog.
| Prep Time | 5 minutes |
| Cook Time | 10 minutes |
| Servings |
people
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- 3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 package of ravioli pasta cooked
- 2 cups of fresh basil leaves
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 3-5 cloves of garlic
- salt to taste
- 3-5 green chilies (optional)
- 1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese
Ingredients
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- Cook ravioli as per package instructions. Drain.
- Combine basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, green chilis and salt in a blender or food processor.
- Add some olive oil and water; grind it into a smooth paste. Pesto is ready.
- Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat and add pesto to it.
- Cook for 3-5 minutes and then add cooked ravioli to it. Combine well.
- Sprinkle some grated parmesan cheese on top and turn the heat off.
- Serve it while hot. Bon appetit!
