One Pot Sausage Ravioli Skillet in Tomato Spinach Cream Sauce

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This One Pot Creamy Ravioli and Sausage Skillet is full of flavor and so easy- bursting with rich, creamy flavor, cheesy ravioli and hearty sausage, tomatoes, and rich creamy spinach sauce! 

This one pot creamy ravioli and sausage skillet with arugula is so good!
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Creamy One Pot Pasta Dinner

There is nothing – absolutely nothing on earth – as delicious, rich, or comforting as a creamy, meaty pasta. No matter what kind of day you’re having – if you’re busy, tired, sick, stressed – there is just something about a delicious dinner everyone loves and can come together in an instant.

I took that theory up a notch (and un-notched the top button of my jeans…) and added some heavy cream, diced tomatoes with garlic, and arugula to make this amazingly rich, comforting, and holy-crap-nothing-will-ever-taste-as-good-again One Pot Sausage Ravioli Skillet in Tomato Spinach Cream Sauce.

This sausage skillet ravioli in a tomato spinach cream sauce is one of my favorite recipes of all time – it is bursting with cheesy, creamy flavor and is great for big families or groups – I often make a giant batch of this easy pasta for my friends when they have a newborn so they have an easy meal to pop in a pan and reheat – though it is so rich and delicious it tastes like it’s been cooking all day!

I got the idea for this creamy sausage ravioli skillet pasta recipe from my sweet friend Sarah of Bombshell Bling – she makes a delicious, creamy tortellini and spinach one pot pasta that her sweet mom Sally used to make.

This one pot creamy sausage and ravioli pasta with spinach cream sauce is awesome because there is no taking stuff in and out of the pan- just brown the sausage and then dump everything in, stir, and enjoy a gourmet meal in no time!

All you have to do for a restaurant quality Italian creamy pasta dinner with sausage and spinach is stir it a bit, let it get happy- and sit back while everyone admires your undeniable cooking prowess through muffled notes of “mmmmmmm sooo good”.

Creamy ravioli and sausage skillet- this dinner is so delicious and easy!

To Make This Recipe, You’ll Need:

  • Ravioli
    • If you are looking for the best type of ravioli to put in this dish, I suggest a super doughy egg-noodle based ravioli (typically in a Kosher section of your grocer’s freezer.)
    • I’m making this recipe with a simple cheese ravioli – but feel free to try all sorts of raviolis to find your favorite flavors! Roasted garlic, mushroom, spinach, chicken, and even lobster ravioli would all be heavenly in this creamy ravioli dinner.
  • Heavy Cream
    • Don’t skip or substitute this – you need the rich full fat cream for the best tomato spinach cream sauce flavor!
  • Sausage
    • While I love to make this recipe with classic breakfast sausage, it is crazy delicious with mild or spicy Italian sausage, herbed German sausage, and even spicy chorizo! Get creative and add the sausage you love, and try different flavor combinations.
  • Canned tomatoes with garlic
    • While you can always add fresh garlic (sautee with sausage for extra fragrant and rich garlic flavor) I like to simplify this recipe even more by using diced tomatoes with garlic already in the can. You can change this up and go for all sorts of variations of diced tomatoes – maybe a south of the border kick with diced tomatoes with green chilis? Or one with more oregano, basil, and thyme for more classic Italian red sauce flavor.
  • Large Nonstick Pan
    • A nonstick pan is essential here – as your pasta cooks down and gives off starch, it can settle at the bottom of a pan and stick or worse – burn. Stir your pasta often to help prevent this – but a nonstick pan will be your best friend for this recipe!

Tips and Tricks for Perfect Ravioli Skillet

  • Brown the sausage
    • This recipe has very few ingredients – so each one should shine! To get the most rich, salty, and meaty flavor from sausage, it really needs to be browned well before cooking the rest of this dish. I like crunchy, salty browned bits of sausage in this dish – don’t skimp on sausage browning time. A couple extra minutes to brown sausage well will pay off so much in the flavor department!
  • Don’t skip the cream
    • This recipe is in no way, shape, or form a diet dish. It is loaded with fat, calories, carbs, and FLAVOR. You might be tempted to swap the heavy cream in this dish for something a little lower calorie or lower fat, but trust me – you need to ignore this urge. We’re building a very basic but very delicious sauce that won’t properly emulsify with the ravioli if you don’t use a cream addition with enough fat.
  • Use fresh spinach
    • While flash frozen spinach is an excellent option for many dishes, the frozen spinach flavor will completely overpower this dish – opt for fresh spinach.
    • If you don’t have fresh spinach or arugula, skip it and enjoy a decadent tomato cream sauce for your ravioli.
  • Cook ravioli al dente if not slightly under
    • If you plan on reheating this dish at all – or you know it will sit out a bit before serving – cook the ravioli just under al dente so it still has a little bite and hasn’t fully released all it’s starches. The starch will continue to break down in the hot cream sauce, and can easily turn the ravioli into a mushy mess if overcooked.This skillet sausage and ravioli dish is so creamy and delicious- YUM!
  • Don’t add in extra liquid if you don’t need it. 
    • While this recipe is pretty easy – you do need to monitor the pasta a bit as the ravioli cooks, especially if you’re cooking frozen ravioli right out of the freezer that hasn’t been thawed. You want just enough liquid in the pan to cook the pasta – but not so much it is too watery or thin.
    • If you need extra liquid in the pan to prevent burning or sticking, add a tablespoon at a time until you have enough.
  • Don’t pour off cooking liquid. 
    • It might seem tempting to pour out extra liquid, but this recipe’s out of this world creamy tomato and spinach sauce is in part formed by the emulsification of the sauce thanks to the combination of thick starches the ravioli gives off into cooking liquid and the fat from the heavy cream coming together. If you find you have a little too much liquid, let it cook off a tiny bit more – don’t pour all the tasty flavor you’ve worked to create down the drain.
  • Don’t over reduce the tomato cream sauce
    • This sauce will look thin while still in the pan when it is hot – while you should give the cream some time to emulsify with starch the pasta gives off, don’t over-reduce it or it will look like oily, sweaty pasta that has absorbed all of your rich spinach tomato cream sauce.

The spinach ravioli cream sauce recipe comes together magically with just a little bit of stirring- and the flavor of ordinary breakfast sausage is incredibly elevated with a doughy pasta and garlic-infused tomatoes!

Love this delicious, easy dinner- one of our favorite ways to use ravioli!

Using Frozen Ravioli

If you’ve ever wondered if you can cook using frozen ravioli (or other frozen egg noodle pastas) – you definitely can, especially creamy dishes like this ravioli skillet!

There is a slightly different process in using still-frozen ravioli instead of thawed or fresh ravioli – follow these easy tips to a perfect easy fresh from the freezer pasta dinner with no thawing!

  • Increase cook time
    • Since your ravioli will be frozen solid, you’ll need to increase your cooktime anywhere from 5-10 minutes, depending on the size and shape of your ravioli.
  • Add 1/2 cup water or stock
    • You’ll need more liquid in your creamy ravioli skillet to allow it to cook longer without the ravioli completely absorbing it or completely cooking off – add 1/2 cup water, stock, wine – whatever thin (non cream) liquid you prefer.
  • Add cream when ravioli is at temperature, not earlier
    • Wait to add the cream (and the spinach) until the ravioli is warmed all the way through (though not completely cooked) so you don’t over reduce as the ravioli cooks from frozen.
This ravioli and sausage skillet is so delicious- my family devours it!

FAQs

How long can this recipe keep?

This recipe can be kept in the refrigerator for up to four days in an airtight container.
You can freeze this dish for up to four months.

Can I freeze this dish?

While you can freeze this dish, the cream sauce may separate or become grainy once thawed. If you plan to freeze it, you might want to do so before adding the cream, and then add it when reheating.

What can I serve with this dish?

A side salad with a light vinaigrette and a crusty piece of bread to soak up the sauce make great accompaniments.

Can I make this dish vegetarian?

To make a vegetarian version, omit the sausage and consider adding extra vegetables such as bell peppers, zucchini, or mushrooms.

Can I add cheese to this dish?

Yes, you can finish the dish with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan or Romano cheese for added flavor. Some recipes also include mozzarella for a gooey, melted texture.

This is the tastiest one pot pasta, ever!!!

Sausage Skillet Ravioli in Tomato Spinach Cream Sauce Recipe

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Keywords: tortellini, meat sauce, spinach

Sausage Skillet Ravioli in Tomato Spinach Cream Sauce

Yield: 6 people
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 17 minutes

Sausage Skillet Ravioli in Tomato Spinach Cream Sauce Recipe - This One Pot Creamy Ravioli and Sausage Skillet is full of flavor and so easy- bursting with rich, creamy flavor, cheesy ravioli and hearty sausage, tomatoes, and rich creamy spinach sauce! 

Ingredients

  • 1 lb breakfast sausage
  • 25 oz frozen egg noodle ravioli, frozen or fresh
  • 20 oz diced tomatoes with garlic
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup spinach or arugula

Instructions

  1. In a large pan, brown sausage on medium high heat and break up into crumbles- about 8 minutes.
  2. Toss in ravioli and stir to coat with sausage grease. Don't let ravioli stick to bottom of pan.
  3. Slowly stir in tomatoes and let liquid cook down, about four minutes.
  4. Add in cream and stir, reducing heat to medium low.
  5. Let sauce thicken and add spinach or arugula to let wilt.
  6. Check doneness of pasta- if soft and springy and hot to the touch, pasta is done!
  7. If pasta is still slightly frozen, add a little water to prevent overcooking sauce and keep tossing on medium high heat until it is done.
  8. Plate and enjoy!
Nutrition Information
Yield 6 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 506Total Fat 31gSaturated Fat 12gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 16gCholesterol 123mgSodium 767mgCarbohydrates 37gFiber 4gSugar 4gProtein 22g

Nutrition is automatically calculated by Nutritionix - please verify all nutrition information independently and consult with a doctor or nutritionist for any and all medical and diet advice.

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About Courtney

Courtney loves to share great wine, good food, and loves to explore far flung places- all while masting an everyday elegant and easy style at lifestyle blog Sweet C’s Designs. Sweet C's devoted to finding the best food and drinks you'll want to make or find, around the world!

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8 Comments

  1. Maybe it was the brand of frozen ravioli I used, but I would not recommend cooking the ravioli in the sauce. I think it’s best to cook it alone and then add the sauce. I also think it could use more spinach. otherwise the sauce came out deliciously.

  2. I had no groceries, but somehow most of the ingredients for this. I made a few substitutions with what I had on hand and it was delicious! I had been wondering what to make with my frozen gorgonzola ravioli from The Italian Store in Arlington and this was it!

  3. This turned out amazing! But I did not use canned tomato. I used one juicy fresh tomato. Instead of adding water for more liquid, I used some white wine. Then I put a tab of butter in with the heavy cream.

  4. This recipe sounds delicious! Now I can amp up the boring ravioli that is usually on our plates – thanks for the recipe.