This recipe for Cheese Ravioli with Brown Butter and Fresh Tomato Sauce is an easy way to transform store-bought fresh ravioli into a quick, impressive weeknight meal. Scroll down to the recipe card for the printable instructions and ingredient list so you can make it at home.
This brown-butter ravioli is a fantastic, fast option for dinner — especially in summer when tomatoes are at their sweetest. The recipe requires just a few ingredients and comes together in minutes, making it perfect for busy evenings.
My family loves ravioli, and this version takes store-bought packages and elevates them with a nutty brown butter sauce, blistered tomatoes and fresh basil. It’s simple but full of flavor.
The sauce is made by melting butter and cooking it until it browns and develops a rich, nutty aroma. Add cherry or pear tomatoes and cook until they soften and begin to burst; finish with chopped fresh basil and season to taste. Toss the hot sauce with freshly cooked ravioli and finish each plate with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan. That’s it — a restaurant-worthy dish in under 20 minutes.
This recipe is included in my cookbook, which features more than 190 family-friendly recipes for every meal. The book collects favorites that don’t always appear on the website and offers a wide range of approachable dishes for everyday cooking.
How to make Ravioli with Brown Butter
Brown butter has a warm, nutty flavor that pairs beautifully with sweet, blistered tomatoes and fresh basil. To prepare the sauce, melt butter in a skillet over medium heat and let it cook until it turns amber-brown and gives off a toasty aroma. Add halved cherry or pear tomatoes and lower the heat so the tomatoes soften and begin to burst without burning the butter. Stir in chopped basil, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then remove from the heat.
Cook the store-bought fresh ravioli according to package directions, drain, and return to the pot briefly to combine with the brown butter and tomato sauce. Serve immediately with freshly grated Parmesan on top. The whole process takes around 20 minutes from start to finish.
If you enjoy simple, ingredient-focused dinners, try other quick recipes like Parmesan Crusted Chicken or easy baked chicken drumsticks. These dishes share the same appeal: minimal prep, big flavor, and family-friendly results.
Cheese Ravioli with Brown Butter and Fresh Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- Two 9-ounce packages fresh ravioli
- 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) salted butter
- 2 cups cherry or pear tomatoes, halved if large
- 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Cook the ravioli according to package directions, then drain and keep warm.
- While the ravioli cooks, melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and add the tomatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes soften and begin to burst and the butter turns golden-brown, about 7 minutes. Watch closely so the butter does not burn.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the chopped basil. Season the sauce with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Toss the hot ravioli with the brown butter and tomato sauce, or spoon the sauce over individual servings. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan and serve immediately.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate and should be used as a guideline only.
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