Frozen Ravioli Recipe to Make Your Life Easier (Vegan)

How do you make store-bought vegan butternut squash ravioli taste even more delicious? Add some steamed baby broccoli along with hearty kidney beans or vegan sausage, toss everything in a creamy green pea pesto, and garnish with toasted pine nuts for a weeknight dinner packed with flavor and texture. This frozen ravioli recipe is the ultimate comfort food. 

Vegan squash ravioli with baby broccoli is the perfect recipe when you need inspiration for healthy dinner ideas for a family. It has all the delicious flavors of a regular ravioli recipe but is so much easier to make. You really can’t go wrong with this dish.

WHY WE LOVE THIS RECIPE

• Easy to make. Using frozen ravioli and pre-cooked kidney beans (or pre-cooked plant-based sausage) makes this an easy recipe. 
• Versatile. Whether it’s a rainy autumn day, a cold winter evening, or a warm summer day, ravioli are always suitable. You can vary the recipe as you like and use different kinds of veggies.
• Great as leftovers. Like most pasta dishes, any leftovers from this frozen ravioli recipe will be delicious when reheated the next day.
• A whole load of healthy goodness. This frozen ravioli recipe is a good example of healthy dinner ideas that taste good. Broccoli is a good source of fiber and contains minerals like iron, potassium, calcium, selenium, and magnesium. Kidney beans are an excellent source of plant-based protein.

INGREDIENTS

Here’s everything you need for this frozen ravioli recipe:

• Frozen ravioli
• Olive oil
• Pre-cooked kidney beans or plant-based sausages
• Onion
• Baby broccoli
• Garlic
• Currants
• Sea salt
• Black pepper
• Pine nuts
• Green peas
• Basil leaves
• Parsley leaves
• Sweet white miso paste
• Fresh lemon juice

INGREDIENT NOTES

• Frozen ravioli: Ravioli is the perfect blank slate for adding color, texture, and nutrients with assorted veggies. I use Rising Moon organic butternut squash ravioli, but any frozen ravioli will work for this recipe.
• Baby broccoli: I love to use fresh broccoli in this vegan ravioli recipe because it’s a great way to sneak in some veggies. 
• Kidney beans/vegan sausage: While this frozen ravioli recipe can be hearty enough to stand on its own, adding a protein like kidney beans or vegan sausage ups the satiety factor. For kidney beans, I like to use organic pre-cooked kidney beans from Jovial.
• Pine nuts: Toasted pine nuts add a warm, nutty essence and crunch to the dish and makes it taste amazing!
• Green peas: Peas are high in fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals, making the green pea pesto so nutritious. In addition, they create a creamy base for the pesto.
• Sweet white miso paste: Traditional pesto calls for a variety of cheeses. Using sweet white miso paste is a vegan-friendly way to add that salty, umami flavor to the pesto. 

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

STEP 1: HOW TO COOK BROCCOLI RABE 

Wash and rinse the baby broccoli. Trim the tough end of each stalk but leave the stems whole.

Fill a saucepan with 2 to 3 inches of water. Set a steamer basket inside the pan so that the basket sits above the water inside. (If you don’t have a steamer basket, put the veggies directly into an inch of boiling water.) Bring the water to a boil over high heat.

Arrange the baby broccoli in the steamer basket and cover. Steam for 3-5 minutes or until they become vibrant green and can be pierced with a fork. (Green veggies like broccoli will turn from bright green to drab olive green when they’re overcooked.)

Remove the baby broccoli from the pan and drain in a strainer or colander. Set aside.

STEP 2: COOK THE RAVIOLI AND MAKE THE PESTO

Cook the frozen ravioli according to the package instructions. Once the pasta is cooked, remove them from water and toss them with a bit of olive oil. Set aside.

Combine green peas (fresh or frozen) and ¼ to ½ cup water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until tender, stirring once or twice and lowering the heat as needed to maintain a simmer. Drain the peas and set aside.

Roughly chop the basil leaves and set aside.

Add the chopped basil leaves, cooked green peas, parsley leaves, pine nuts, virgin olive oil, chopped garlic, sweet white miso, sea salt, and fresh lemon juice to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth or leave a little texture if desired. 

STEP 3: SAUTÉ THE INGREDIENTS TOGETHER

Place the pine nuts in a single layer in a dry skillet over medium heat with no oil. Use a wooden spoon to stir frequently until the nuts are fragrant and golden brown, around 3 minutes. Remove immediately from heat and transfer to a plate to stop the cooking process.

If using vegan sausages, heat oil in a skillet and sauté the sausages on all sides until golden brown, about 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and cut them into diagonal slices. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. 

Add the diced onion and a pinch of sea salt. Stir and cook for a few minutes. Next, add the minced garlic and cook until everything is softened and fragrant.

Add the steamed baby broccoli and combine with the onion-garlic mixture. Cook for a few minutes. Add the remaining sea salt and black pepper to taste.

Reduce the heat and add the sausage/kidney beans. Cook and stir for a few minutes until they’re warmed through.

Add the cooked ravioli and currants to the mixture. Gently stir to combine everything. Cook for a few more minutes.

STEP 4: FINISH AND SERVE

Add spoonfuls of the green pea pesto to the ravioli mixture in the skillet. Gently toss to coat everything. Remove from the heat.

Garnish with toasted pine nuts. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

EXPERT TIPS

• Go for healthy brands. To buy the healthiest frozen or refrigerated ravioli, scan the ingredient list and opt for brands with ingredients you recognize (like flour, veggies, and herbs). Look for options containing no more than 300mg of sodium per serving, and consider whole-wheat varieties, if available.
• If stuck together, let them thaw. If the frozen ravioli are stuck together, let them thaw in the refrigerator first. You should then be able to separate them carefully.
• Serve with bread or a salad. This recipe is excellent on its own. However, you can also serve it with some garlic bread and a nice, crisp, green salad.
• Make it spicy. For a spicy kick, add a pinch or two of red pepper.
• Be gentle with cooked ravioli. It’s easy for cooked ravioli to fall apart. To prevent this, use a slotted spoon or scoop to lift the cooked ravioli out of the water rather than pouring them into a colander to drain them.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the best way to cook frozen ravioli?

It’s totally up to you. Typically, frozen ravioli are first boiled and then served in various ways, like with your favorite pasta sauce or as part of a pasta salad. Additionally, you can also make toasted ravioli or bake them in a casserole or as a pasta bake. In fact, you can even make ravioli soup.

How do you dress up frozen ravioli?

Dress up your frozen ravioli with homemade pesto, marinara sauce, vegan bolognese sauce, vegan alfredo sauce, or any other pasta sauce you like.

Do you have to boil frozen ravioli before baking?

No, you don’t have to. Follow the recipe instructions but plan to add some additional cooking time. The best way to know if the ravioli is done is to give one a taste. You want them to be tender and al dente. However, because refrigerated ravioli takes just minutes to cook, it’s the best option for baking.

Should I thaw frozen ravioli before cooking?

It depends on the cooking method. If boiling or baking, you can use frozen ravioli straight from the freezer. Just add a bit of extra cooking time to ensure that it’s cooked all the way through. The ravioli is ready to eat when it’s chewy yet firm and still holds its whole shape; it shouldn’t turn to mush. If the recipe calls for frying the frozen ravioli, first boil them for 2-3 minutes to thaw them. Pat dry and then proceed with the recipe instructions.

Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also stay in touch with us through social media by following us on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!

Print

TRY THESE WEEKNIGHT DINNER RECIPES NEXT:

First, if you enjoyed one of my favorite ravioli recipes easy enough for a weeknight dinner, then try my light and delicious pasta primavera recipe, which is perfect for any night of the week.

Next, try my mung bean soup recipe, which is easy to make, full of flavor, and a recipe that the entire family will enjoy.

Finally, try my vegan fried rice recipe, a satisfying, healthier take on greasy takeout rice. It’s as flavorful as it is colorful.

Natural Kitchen Cooking School, LLC participates in the Amazon Associate program. This means that we may receive a small commission for purchases made through links in this post. Thank you for your support of the work we do here at Natural Kitchen Cooking School!