In a hurry during the week? Buy lobster ravioli from the store. But what’s the best sauce for lobster ravioli? Here’s a quick and easy lobster ravioli sauce recipe that you can make in the time it takes to boil the pasta water. It’s a creamy red sauce with a flavor that reminds me of lobster bisque. I use this cream sauce for lobster ravioli, but it’s good on many seafood and pasta dishes.
This expensive seafood is often seen as an extravagance, and when I use it in a recipe, I try to use every last bit of it. So, every time I make a Connecticut lobster roll, I save the shells and use them to make my own lobster stock, which I then use to make lobster bisque.
By comparison, lobster ravioli is a relative bargain. Usually about $5-$7 for a 12-ounce package. But what sauce goes best with it? There isn’t a “right or wrong” answer because everyone has their own tastes, but I do have a favorite.
Lobster ravioli is truly a decadent and delicious pasta dish. The tender pasta pockets are filled with a rich creamy lobster filling that provides a lovely briny flavor and luxurious texture in every bite. But what really takes lobster ravioli over the top is pairing it with the perfect complementing sauce. The sauce helps to enhance the flavors of the pasta while also adding another layer of texture and creaminess. So what kind of sauce should you serve with lobster ravioli? Here is the ultimate guide to picking the ideal sauce to go with this gourmet pasta dish.
Get to Know the Flavors in Lobster Ravioli
Before deciding what sauce pairs best with lobster ravioli, it’s helpful to understand the flavors built into the dish itself:
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Lobster – The star of the show! The lobster meat provides a sweet and delicate briny seafood flavor It has a luxuriously smooth texture
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Ricotta Cheese – Ricotta is often mixed into the lobster filling. It has a mild, creamy flavor that complements the lobster.
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Pasta – The tender pasta pockets add substance and also absorb some of the sauce. Fresh pasta works best for ravioli.
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Herbs – Delicate herbs like chives are often added to the filling This provides light fresh notes
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Salt – A pinch of salt enhances the sweetness of the lobster.
Once you understand the flavors inherent in a good lobster ravioli, it’s easier to pick a sauce that will complement and enhance (rather than overwhelm) the dish.
The Best Sauce Options for Lobster Ravioli
Here are 10 delicious sauce options to consider for lobster ravioli:
1. Browned Butter Sauce
Browned butter (or beurre noisette) is one of the classic sauce pairings for lobster ravioli. To make this sauce, butter is melted and cooked until it turns a light golden brown. The butter takes on a sweet, nutty, toasted flavor as the milk solids caramelize. Fresh lemon juice is usually added to brighten up the buttery flavor. When tossed with lobster ravioli, this sauce highlights and enhances the sweetness of the lobster filling. It clings nicely to each tender pasta pocket. For an even easier browned butter sauce, you can use browned butter flavored olive oil.
2. Alfredo Sauce
For a creamy, indulgent pairing, rich alfredo sauce is a perfect match for lobster ravioli. Made from butter, cream, and parmesan cheese, alfredo is an ultra-smooth and velvety sauce with a mildly nutty flavor. It blends beautifully with the creamy ricotta in the lobster filling and creates a truly luxurious dish. Just be careful not to overpower the delicate lobster.
3. Vodka Sauce
Another creamy sauce option is vodka sauce. This pink sauce is made from tomato sauce, cream, and vodka which lends a subtle tangy kick. The creamy tomato notes pair nicely with the sweet lobster in the ravioli. The tomato flavor is mild so it doesn’t mask the lobster. Just add a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley on top for a pop of color and freshness.
4. Pesto Sauce
For a fresh and herbaceous sauce, you can’t go wrong with pesto. Traditional pesto genovese contains basil, olive oil, pine nuts, garlic, and parmesan. The bright green color looks beautiful contrasted against the pale pink lobster ravioli. The kick of garlic and hit of aromatic basil complements the sweet lobster filling. A drizzle of good olive oil on top finishes it off.
5. Lemon Cream Sauce
Playing up the natural sweet and briny notes in the lobster filling, a lemon cream sauce is a stellar pairing. This elegant sauce combines lemon juice, lemon zest, shallots, white wine, and heavy cream. The vibrant lemon brightens up the lobster’s flavor while the cream adds luxurious richness and body. Fresh chives or tarragon can be used as a flavorful garnish.
6. White Wine Butter Sauce
For a quick and easy sauce, a white wine butter sauce is hard to beat. Shallots and white wine are reduced down and then finished with chilled butter cubes to create a light emulsion sauce. The acidic white wine cuts through the rich butter and pulls out the sweetness of the lobster ravioli filling. The butter ensures the sauce clings nicely to each tender pasta pocket.
7. Cheese Sauce
Of course, when it comes to pasta, you can never go wrong with a delicious cheese sauce. Blending melty cheeses like parmesan, asiago, and fontina into a creamy sauce pairs perfectly with the cheese-filled lobster ravioli pockets. You get layers upon layers of cheesy goodness in each bite. Just add a pinch of nutmeg or cayenne pepper to prevent the cheese sauce from becoming one-note.
8. Tomato Cream Sauce
For a unique twist on marinara, make an indulgent tomato cream sauce. Saute garlic and onions, add canned crushed tomatoes and tomato paste, and then finish with a splash of heavy cream. The fresh tomatoes offer pleasant acidity while the cream provides a silky smoothness that brings everything together. This more complex tomato sauce still lets the lobster shine.
9. Hollandaise Sauce
While unconventional, hollandaise sauce can make a lovely pairing for lobster ravioli. This elegant, French-inspired butter sauce contains egg yolks, butter, lemon juice, and seasoning. It has a rich, velvety consistency punctuated by pleasantly tart lemon notes that enhance the sweetness of the lobster filling. Just drizzle a bit of hollandaise over each ravioli.
10. Cheese Fondue
Finally, if you want to get really decadent with lobster ravioli, try dipping each piece into hot, melty cheese fondue. Opt for fondues with nutty, creamy cheeses like gruyere, emmenthaler, and fontina. The ooey-gooey cheese will take these pasta pockets over the top. Just be careful not to burn your mouth!
Complementary Flavors to Look For
When evaluating sauce options for lobster ravioli, keep these complementary flavors in mind:
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Butter – Adds richness and enhances natural sweetness
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Cream/Cheese – Provides a luscious, creamy texture
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White Wine/Lemon – Brightens with acidity and vibrancy
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Tomato – Contributes mild sweetness and savoriness
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Herbs – Offers freshness and aromatic qualities
Easy Add-Ins for Extra Flavor
Here are some quick ingredients you can add to basic sauces to amp things up:
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Fresh herbs – Basil, tarragon, chives, parsley
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Lemon zest
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Diced sun-dried tomatoes
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Crumbled bacon
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Toasted pine nuts or walnuts
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Minced garlic
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Crushed red pepper flakes
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Grated parmesan cheese
With so many tasty sauce possibilities, you’re sure to find an ideal match for lobster ravioli. Sauce can truly take this pasta dish to the next level. Next time you enjoy this gourmet classic, experiment with a new sauce pairing to keep things interesting. Your tastebuds will thank you!
What sauce is best on lobster ravioli?
You could use a simple brown butter sauce like I do for my sweet potato gnocchi, but for lobster, I like a creamy bisque-like sauce that brings out the flavors of the juicy lobster and soft pasta the most. This is my favorite lobster ravioli sauce and I think you’ll be a fan, too.
How to make creamy sauce for lobster ravioli
- Boil some water in a pot to cook the ravioli. You’ll use some of the pasta water in the sauce.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and cook the onions until they are soft and clear. Do not brown the onions.
- Add the tomato paste to the onions and stir. Cook and stir for one to two minutes, until the tomato paste starts to turn brown.
- Add the crushed red pepper flakes and stir to combine.
- Add the kosher salt and pepper, and then deglaze the pan with the vermouth.
- Add the pasta water and stir. Cook at a fast simmer for one to two minutes.
- Add the heavy cream and heat through for another minute.
- To move the lobster ravioli from the pot to the sauce, use a slotted spoon or kitchen spider. Toss the pasta to coat it with the sauce. Serve.
- If you don’t have dry vermouth, which is my favorite drink to pair with seafood, you can use cognac, sherry, or dry white wine instead.
- Leave out the tomato paste and crushed red pepper flakes for a smooth white sauce. Instead, make a roux with 1 tablespoon of flour added to the sautéed onions. Deglaze with the vermouth. Pour in the hot pasta water and keep mixing until the sauce gets thick. Then add the heavy cream. Finish with 1/2 cup of fresh grated parmesan cheese.
- Add a cup of cooked shrimp, lobster, or crab meat for a very fancy dinner.
- Tarragon, which is fresh, goes well with lobster ravioli sauce that is creamy. You can also sprinkle on some chopped parsley for color.
- If you want the lobster ravioli sauce to taste more meaty, add 4 ounces of chopped pancetta at the beginning. Fry it in the oil, then add the onions and keep going with the recipe.
- You can leave out the crushed red pepper if you’re not into heat.
No. This sauce works best at the last minute… plus you need the starchy pasta water for the sauce.
You can, but it’s not nearly as good as the first night.
Yes, this creamy sauce is delicious over cheese filled ravioli and tortellini, gnocchi or other stuffed pastas.
