My celebration of National Pasta Month continues with these beef ravioli with creamy tomato sauce and ricotta!
It’s been a rough few days since I’ve been feeling under the weather! Although even being sick hasn’t prevented me from appreciating all the beautiful fall colors out there! We headed to the Michigan football game on Saturday (where we kicked Illinois bootay, Go Blue!) and the trees were all shades of beautiful red, yellow and orange. I just can’t get enough of it! And the pumpkin spice lattes. Definitely was ready for those!
Related: Spring Asparagus and Pea Ravioli with Lemon Beurre Blanc
Today I’m sharing another gorgeous pasta recipe! This beef ravioli recipe is one of my favorites. It is nice and hearty for the fall and winter, and it stores very easily in the refrigerator for simple weeknight meals. The ravioli are filled with ground beef mixed with carrots, and my secret ingredient: cocoa powder! It makes the filling so luxurious and rich. The sauce here is a tomato sauce made creamy with the addition of mascarpone. Then I topped the whole dish with fresh parsley and super fresh ricotta cheese: my new favorite thing!
To make these freezer friendly, place extra ravioli on a sheet tray in the freezer (make sure they are not touching or overlapping). Once frozen, remove them to a freezer bag. The sauce can be placed in a tupperware container and placed directly into the freezer. To reheat, defrost sauce on the countertop for an hour or place in the microwave. Then heat in a sauce pot until warmed through. Cook ravioli as below (add 1-2 minutes). Enjoy!
Now it’s your turn: what is your favorite fall or winter ravioli recipe? Share with me by commenting below! And be sure to join the mailing list below too, don’t miss any more pasta recipes this month!
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cups semolina flour
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tbsp. milk
- 2-4 tbsp. water
- 2 slices bread
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 2 large carrots, peeled and finely diced
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 tbsp. cocoa powder
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
- ½ tsp. ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- ½ cup shallot, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ tbsp. tomato paste
- ¼ cup white wine
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 26 oz. pureed tomatoes (or strained tomatoes)
- ¼ tsp. Italian seasoning
- 8 oz. mascarpone
- Kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
- 4 oz. fresh ricotta (for serving)
- Parsley, minced (for serving)
- To a large stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, add all-purpose flour, semolina flour, and salt. Mix to combine. With mixer running on medium, add eggs, olive oil, and milk. Mix until the dough comes together into a rough ball. It may be necessary to add a little bit of water: Put the 2-4 tablespoons of water into a small cup and add just a splash or two at a time. Wait 10-15 seconds and repeat if the dough still has not come together. (You will be able to tell when it is ready!) Turn out dough onto a smooth flour-covered surface and knead for 1-2 minutes. Cover with saran wrap and allow to rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the filling. In a shallow dish, soak bread in milk, turning occasionally until fully saturated. Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, melt butter and olive oil. Sauté carrots until they start to brown, about 3-4 minutes. Add ground beef and sauté until browned throughout, breaking up the meat with the back of a wooden spoon - about 3-4 minutes. Add cocoa powder, salt, and pepper and stir until combined, about 30 seconds.
- Transfer carrot and beef mixture to a medium sized bowl and allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Squeeze some of the excess milk out of the bread and tear it into small pieces, adding it to the beef. Stir until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper, as desired.
- Click here for instructions on how to fill ravioli!
- Bring a large covered pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
- To prepare the sauce, melt butter and olive oil in a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sauté shallot until it becomes translucent, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds, stirring to prevent garlic from browning too quickly. Add tomato paste and stir for 30 seconds until shallot and garlic mixture is evenly coated. Deglaze pan with white wine, using a wooden spoon to scrape up brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Add chicken stock, tomato puree and Italian seasoning, whisking to combine. Allow to simmer over low-medium heat for 40 minutes until sauce is thickened and easily coats the back of a spoon. Turn off the heat and add the mascarpone and ricotta, stirring until evenly combined. Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook ravioli in boiling water until they float, about 3-4 minutes. Serve topped with tomato sauce and lots of fresh ricotta cheese and minced parsley. Enjoy!