20-Minute Ravioli with Simple Sauce (Printable)

Tender cheese ravioli in vibrant tomato-basil sauce, ready in 20 minutes

# What You’ll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 18 oz fresh or refrigerated cheese ravioli

→ Sauce

02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
04 - 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
05 - 1 teaspoon sugar
06 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
07 - ½ teaspoon dried oregano
08 - ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
09 - 1 small bunch fresh basil, chopped

→ Garnish

10 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
11 - Extra basil leaves, for serving

# How-To Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds, until fragrant.
03 - Stir in crushed tomatoes, sugar, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
04 - Add ravioli to the boiling water and cook according to package instructions (typically 3–4 minutes), until they float to the surface. Drain gently.
05 - Add chopped basil to the sauce, then fold in the drained ravioli, tossing gently to coat. Serve immediately, topped with grated Parmesan and extra basil.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 20 minutes with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry
  • The sauce tastes like it simmered all day but actually cooks while the pasta water boils
02 -
  • Fresh ravioli cooks incredibly fast, so do not walk away from the pot. Three minutes is the difference between perfect pasta and a sticky disaster.
  • If your sauce seems too thick, add a splash of the starchy pasta water before draining. It creates a silky, restaurant-quality coating that clings to every piece.
03 -
  • Reserve about ½ cup of pasta water before draining, even if you think you will not need it. That starchy liquid is magic for fixing sauces that are too thick or creating that silky restaurant texture.
  • Use a spider or slotted spoon to transfer the ravioli instead of pouring everything into a colander. You avoid breaking the delicate pasta and keep some of that precious pasta water.

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