This sauce is ridiculously simple, but works so well with a range of different ravioli fillings. Ready for a new go-to ravioli sauce? Follow me…
Tomato Sauce for Ravioli
What makes this sauce great for ravioli?
Sauces for ravioli are always a delicate balance of making sure they’re adding to the dish, but not overpowering the ravioli filling. You want the sauce to compliment the ravioli and bring out the best in the filling, and that’s exactly what this sauce does. It’s a subtle no-fuss sauce, but it’s simplicity really works.
Ravioli Tomato Sauce Ingredients
I promised a 4 ingredient sauce, and that I stick to! Here’s what you’ll need:
Canned Tomatoes – I recommend using peeled plum tomatoes, because they tend to be slightly sweeter than crushed/chopped. They also give you more of a rustic texture in the sauce. Make sure you get a good quality brand – Napolina is a pretty safe bet, Mutti and San Marzano are great if you can get your hands on them. Basil – MUST be fresh! You’ll use a whole small bunch, just to pack in the flavour. Garlic – I recommend very finely slicing it, just for a more rustic feel. Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Again, try and use a good quality brand. This is used to fry the garlic, but it also adds an undertone of flavour to the sauce.
Garlic Basil Tomato Sauce
This is a really simple sauce, so a couple of things to bring out the best in it:
Seasoning – Season with a good pinch of salt and pepper at the start, then adjust when the sauce is cooked. Simmer – A nice long simmer will reduce the sauce right down, which in turn will intensify the flavours, sweeten the tomatoes and marry all the flavours together.
Another tip is to start the sauce off without the heat on. When you add the garlic to the oil I recommend doing it without the heat on, then bringing it to a fairly low heat. This will not only give you more control over the garlic potentially overcooking/burning, but it also gives more chance for the garlic to infuse into the oil.
Can I make this sauce ahead of time?
Yep! You can either store in the fridge or freezer then reheat when needed. Process shots: add garlic to oil (photo 1), fry until soft/very lightly golden (photo 2), add tomatoes, basil and s&p (photo 3), simmer and break up tomatoes with wooden spoon (photo 4), adjust seasoning if needed (photo 5), stir in ravioli (photo 6).
What else could I add to this sauce?
With a good seasoning of salt and pepper and a long simmer, these simple ingredients are all you need. However, here’s a few extras you can add if you wanted:
Sugar – You might still find the tomatoes a touch sour after simmering, so you can balance this out with a pinch of sugar if needed. Chilli Flakes – If you want a little heat you can add in chilli flakes along with the garlic to infuse the oil. Parmesan – To serve if you fancy!
What kind of Ravioli to use?
This goes with a range of different ravioli fillings. Here’s some ideas:
Spinach & ricotta or any type of cheese Sausage/spicy sausage Lobster or most types of seafood Bolognese or beef ravioli Any type of chicken ravioli
Can I use Tortellini?
For all intents and purposes tortellini/tortelloni will work perfectly!
Serving Ravioli in Tomato Sauce
You want the sauce nice and thick, because the small amount of excess water from the ravioli will thin it back out again. Serve it up with any leftover basil and parmesan if you fancy! It’s filling by itself, but also perfect with garlic bread (or cheesy garlic bread!). After a different sauce for ravioli? Check out my Garlic Cream Ravioli Sauce, Creamy Lemon Ravioli, Creamy Tuscan Ravioli and Brown Butter Sauce for Ravioli! Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this tomato ravioli sauce shall we?!
How to make Tomato Sauce for Ravioli (Full Recipe & Video)
For more similar recipes check out these beauties too:
Easy Tomato Pasta Recipes
Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta Penne Arrabiata Pasta Pomodoro Tomato Spinach Pasta
If you loved this Tomato Sauce for Ravioli Recipe recipe then be sure to pin it for later! Already made them or got a question? Give me a shout in the comments below and pick up your free ecookbook along the way!
