Cheese Ravioli with Broccoli (and a herby crumb)

Cheese ravioli with broccoli, sautéed with herbs and lemon topped with a crispy herbed crumb.

This is a simple ravioli recipe but such a delicious one. Homemade or store-bought cheese ravioli is the base and it's topped with tender sautéed broccoli, pine nuts, and herbed breadcrumbs.

This makes a healthy and easy meal. Fresh broccoli is high in protein and fiber and vitamin c. It also contains a multitude of other vitamins and minerals such as folic acid, vitamins A, B, E, and K as well as calcium, selenium, and magnesium. 

Sauteed broccoli with butter

The humble broccoli has been lifted in this dish with lemon notes and a buttery thyme sauce. A large broccoli head can be sliced into small broccoli florets, or use broccolini and skip the cutting altogether.

Fry the broccoli in olive oil until tender and lightly caramelized. Then add in pine nuts, lemon juice, butter, and fresh thyme. The butter browns and becomes this amazing brown butter sauce. It is nutty and flavorful and will coat the cooked ravioli at the end. 

The Herbed Breadcrumbs

Simple breadcrumbs become one of the main stars in this dish with fresh herbs, lemon zest, and garlic. They're blitzed together to create a textured crumb that's gently baked until crunchy and fragrant.

This adds the perfect texture contrast to the soft ravioli.

The fresh herbs used in the crumb can be changed to suit your tastes. If you can, use a variety of fresh herbs such as thyme, sage, parsley, cilantro, and basil. A wider variety adds more flavor. 

The Ravioli

Any cheese-filled ravioli will work here which is why this is a perfect recipe for easy dinners. Use a bag of ravioli from the bought or homemade. Sometimes simple meals are the best, and using a store-bought variety brings the total time required in this dish right down.

Cook the ravioli according to the package instructions, then drain and add it to the broccoli pan and toss it all together. 

Ingredients

The full ingredient amounts and nutrition information are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. You will need -

• Broccoli
• Cheese ravioli
• Butter
• Pine nuts
• Bread crumbs
• Fresh herbs like thyme, sage, basil, cilantro, and parsley.
• fresh garlic cloves
• Olive oil
• Lemon
• Salt and black pepper
• Parmesan cheese for serving

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.
2. In a small food processor, combine the ingredients for the fresh herb crumb. Pulse it together a few times until it creates a coarse crumb.
3. Spread the crumb onto an oven tray and bake for 5-7 minutes until lightly crisped and fragrant.
4. While the crumb is baking, slice the broccoli into small florets and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
5. Add two tablespoons of the oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat then add the broccoli and sautee it in the oil for approximately 3 minutes until just tender.
6. Add in the pine nuts, fresh thyme, lemon juice, salt and pepper, and butter, and cook it over medium heat until the butter has melted and lightly browned.
7. Once the water has boiled, add in a pinch of salt and the ravioli and cook until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water. Drain the ravioli in a colander.
8. In a pan, add the pasta water, and butter. Stir to combine the two into a sauce and let it simmer for a minute or two.
9. Add the drained ravioli to the broccoli pan. Toss it together to coat it in the butter sauce over low heat.
10. Serve the ravioli and broccoli topped with a few spoonfuls of bread crumbs and a drizzle of the butter sauce.

Serving and Storing

Serve the ravioli with broccoli topped with the herbed breadcrumbs, and parmesan cheese.

Leftover ravioli can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. It can also be frozen for up to three months in a freezer bag or sealed container.