Pioneer Woman baked spinach ravioli with pesto cream sauce is a quick, easy dinner bake with store-bought ravioli and a rich, cheesy pesto topping. It hits the table in 55 minutes with just 25 minutes of prep, which makes it a go-to for weeknight dinner, potluck or Sunday supper.
The pesto cream sauce needs low heat after you whisk in the pesto, because too much heat dulls the basil and turns the sauce gritty. If you skip this step you get a flat coating instead of the smooth herby cream that makes the dish work.
Fresh spinach goes right into the baking dish with the hot ravioli so it wilts into every layer and gives you greens in every bite. That also means no extra pan for sauteing, which cuts the cleanup to one pot and one dish.
Pioneer Woman Baked Spinach Ravioli With Pesto Cream Sauce
Course: DinnerCuisine: American, ItalianDifficulty: Easy4
servings25
minutes30
minutes1038
kcalTender ravioli baked under creamy pesto sauce and two melted cheeses until the edges brown, while wilted spinach adds color and freshness throughout.
Ingredients
Kosher salt, for the water
2 10-ounce packages fresh or frozen spinach ravioli
1 5-ounce bag baby spinach
2 tbsp. salted butter
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 c. half-and-half
1 7-ounce container pesto
2 c. grated whole-milk mozzarella cheese (about 8 ounces)
1/4 c. freshly grated parmesan cheese
Directions
- Boil the ravioli: Preheat the oven to 400° and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, add the ravioli and cook according to the package directions, then drain.
- Layer with spinach: Combine the spinach and drained ravioli in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, then gently toss so the leaves spread evenly throughout.
- Make the roux: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat and whisk in the flour, then cook, stirring, until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Once golden, slowly whisk in the half-and-half until smooth and keep stirring until it thickens, about 7 minutes.
- Add the pesto: Reduce heat to low and whisk in the pesto until heated through, about 1 minute, since too much heat dulls the basil.
- Bake until bubbly: Pour the pesto cream sauce over the spinach and ravioli, then spread with a spoon so all the ravioli are coated. Then sprinkle with the mozzarella and parmesan before baking until the sauce bubbles and the edges brown, about 25 minutes. Once done, let it cool 5 minutes before serving.
FAQs
Can I Swap the Spinach Ravioli for Another Kind?
Cheese, mushroom or meat ravioli all work here, since the pesto cream pairs with almost any filling. If you use frozen ravioli, cook it a minute longer than the package says so the centers soften before baking.
How Long Do Leftovers Keep?
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, since the cream sauce holds up well when chilled. When you reheat a portion, add a splash of half-and-half to loosen the sauce because it thickens as it cools.
Can I Assemble This Ahead of Time?
You can layer the ravioli, spinach and sauce in the baking dish up to 24 hours ahead, then cover tightly and refrigerate. Once you are ready to bake, add the cheese and tack on 5 to 10 extra minutes since the dish will be cold going in.
What if I Don’t Have a 9-by-13-Inch Baking Dish?
A 3-quart dish or a deep 10-inch cast-iron skillet holds everything, though the layers will be thicker and may need a few extra minutes. But avoid going much smaller, because the sauce overflows once it starts to bubble.
Why Did My Sauce Come Out Too Thin?
The roux likely needed more time before you added the half-and-half, so the flour did not fully activate as a thickener. Once the butter and flour hit 2 to 3 minutes of whisking and smell nutty, slowly pour in the half-and-half while stirring to avoid lumps.
