If you ever want ravioli that actually makes noise (it’s crispy!)
Let me tell you—Toasted Skillet Ravioli with Lemon & Brown Butter is the dish that proved you can make pasta bold and crunchy without a single drop of boiling water. The first time I made this, I was honestly just hungry, a little grumpy, and had half a bag of frozen ravioli from last week’s grocery run (let’s not talk about those freezer excavations—sometimes you find a relic or two). But after a handful of kind-of-burned attempts, I hit on the goldilocks crispy stage and now, let’s just say, even the neighbors come sniffing around when the butter starts browning. My niece once wandered in thinking I was making cookies, that’s how toasty-buttery it smells.
Why I Keep Coming Back to This Recipe
I make this when dinner plans have gone off the rails and I just want something with a little zing—I mean, lemony butter drizzling over golden noodles? Who doesn’t? My friends keep swiping the pan before I even get to plate it, which is either flattering or frustrating depending on the day. Also, you only use one pan. (If there’s a heaven for lazy cooks, this is how you get in.) There was a stretch where I tried frying the ravioli in olive oil alone (oops, not the same) but once I stuck with the butter AND just a whisper of oil to stop burning, well, crisis averted.
Ingredients You’ll Need (and a few you probably don’t)
- 1 bag (about 450g/16oz) fresh or frozen cheese ravioli (okay, meat ones work too, but cheese ones crispen best for me)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (though my aunt says salted is fine, it’s not my go-to)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (or any mild vegetable oil—I’ve even used sunflower fancying myself a chef, just once)
- Zest of 1 lemon (I suppose orange would be wild—haven’t tried it yet, but why not?)
- Juice from half the lemon, give or take; I may be a bit heavy-handed here
- 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan (shhh, pre-grated will work in a pinch)
- Salt and black pepper, as you like
- small handful chopped fresh parsley (I sometimes skip this, especially if the bunch at the shop looks tired)
- Optional: a sprinkling of red pepper flakes if you’re craving a bit of a kick
How I Actually Toast Skillet Ravioli (steps + minor meltdowns)
- Grab your biggest skillet (nonstick works but honestly any heavy pan will do, I’ve even used a battered old cast-iron when nothing else was clean), and heat the olive oil plus 2 tablespoons butter on medium. Wait ‘til the butter’s just foaming, not browned.
- Dump in your ravioli—still frozen is fine, just don’t cram them all in if you want them really crispy, sometimes I do this in two quick batches for extra crunch.
- Let them hang out, undisturbed, for about 3 minutes. This is usually the moment when I start doubting myself, but don’t poke yet! Once they’re golden underneath, give them a flip and keep going until both sides are as crisp as autumn leaves; usually 5-7 minutes is my sweet spot.
- Scoot the ravioli out onto a plate. Lower the heat a little, drop in the last tablespoon of butter, and let it melt until it’s just turning nutty-brown (don’t wander off or you’ll get black bits instead of brown, which I’ve learned the hard way).
- Toss in the lemon zest and red pepper flakes now if using—stand back, it sizzles. Swirl for a few seconds, then kill the heat and squeeze in your lemon juice.
- Pour that fragrant goodness right over your golden ravioli. Sprinkle with parmesan and parsley (or not), big pinch of salt and cracked pepper to taste too.
- This is the point where I sneak one—okay, three—just to check seasoning.
- Serve hot and listen for compliments. Or pretend not to, if that’s your thing.
Random Notes That Made It Better
- The ravioli really do have to be in a single layer, otherwise half wind up limp—it’s tragic but true.
- Browning the butter is like spinning plates. Watch it; it turns very fast from yum to yikes.
- You can use spinach ravioli, but they aren’t quite as crispy in my experience—someone else might disagree though.
Variations I’ve Tried (and one I won’t repeat)
- Tossing a little fried sage in the butter—delightful, as long as you don’t overdo it (I did; it got weirdly floral).
- Lime zest and juice instead of lemon? Actually, pretty zippy.
- Meat ravioli got a bit oily; stick with cheese or even mushroom if you’re feeling fancy.
You Really Only Need One Thing (but…)
- Big skillet, yes. But I’ve managed with a high-sided saucepan once, it just takes longer and the flipping’s a faff.
- Don’t sweat if you only have a small frying pan; do batches and keep the rest warm in the oven.
How to Store (though they’ll probably vanish)
Technically, you can put leftovers in a lidded container in the fridge up to 2 days. Re-crisp in the skillet if you care about that. I, uh, don’t think ours have ever survived till the next morning. That’s just the honest truth.
If You Want to Make This a Meal
We pile them on a plate and go family style—though my cousin likes them with a leafy salad, and once my grandad dunked them straight in marinara sauce (I don’t judge). A squeeze more lemon never hurt anybody. Sometimes, I add a side of garlic bread “just because”—call it carb-on-carb. No regrets.
Pro Tips From Hard-Learned Mistakes
- Don’t rush the browning; I tried cranking the heat to finish quicker and everything got, let’s say, deeply tan. Go medium-low and be patient.
- Actually, if you use fresh ravioli, watch even closer—they go from pale to crispy at lightning speed.
- If your Parmesan is more like pebbles, grate it finer or you’ll bite into a cheese chunk (not awful, but a bit much).
Real Questions I’ve Been Asked More Than Once
- Can I use tortellini instead? Yeah! They get even crunchier—just keep ‘em spaced out.
- Does it work with gluten-free ravioli? Sort of (honestly, some brands go mushy, others crisp up okay; you have to experiment a little).
- Is the brown butter step really necessary? You could just use regular melted butter I suppose, but brown butter gives this kind of… nutty, toasty magic you don’t get otherwise. And it only takes a minute or two, I promise.
- What if I don’t have lemon? Skip it, or try a little vinegar for tang. Or, on second thought, a splash of white wine would be posh.
- How do you keep them crispy if serving later? Tricky! Maybe a low oven, uncovered, for a bit. But they’re best right away—I mean it.
So that’s my take—odd digressions and all. Hope you toast up something splendid, and if your batch disappears too fast, well, that’s the surest sign you’ve done it right.
Ingredients
- 1 bag (about 450g/16oz) fresh or frozen cheese ravioli (okay, meat ones work too, but cheese ones crispen best for me)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (though my aunt says salted is fine, it’s not my go-to)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (or any mild vegetable oil—I’ve even used sunflower fancying myself a chef, just once)
- Zest of 1 lemon (I suppose orange would be wild—haven’t tried it yet, but why not?)
- Juice from half the lemon, give or take; I may be a bit heavy-handed here
- 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan (shhh, pre-grated will work in a pinch)
- Salt and black pepper, as you like
- small handful chopped fresh parsley (I sometimes skip this, especially if the bunch at the shop looks tired)
- Optional: a sprinkling of red pepper flakes if you’re craving a bit of a kick
Instructions
-
1Grab your biggest skillet (nonstick works but honestly any heavy pan will do, I’ve even used a battered old cast-iron when nothing else was clean), and heat the olive oil plus 2 tablespoons butter on medium. Wait ‘til the butter’s just foaming, not browned.
-
2Dump in your ravioli—still frozen is fine, just don’t cram them all in if you want them really crispy, sometimes I do this in two quick batches for extra crunch.
-
3Let them hang out, undisturbed, for about 3 minutes. This is usually the moment when I start doubting myself, but don’t poke yet! Once they’re golden underneath, give them a flip and keep going until both sides are as crisp as autumn leaves; usually 5-7 minutes is my sweet spot.
-
4Scoot the ravioli out onto a plate. Lower the heat a little, drop in the last tablespoon of butter, and let it melt until it’s just turning nutty-brown (don’t wander off or you’ll get black bits instead of brown, which I’ve learned the hard way).
-
5Toss in the lemon zest and red pepper flakes now if using—stand back, it sizzles. Swirl for a few seconds, then kill the heat and squeeze in your lemon juice.
-
6Pour that fragrant goodness right over your golden ravioli. Sprinkle with parmesan and parsley (or not), big pinch of salt and cracked pepper to taste too.
-
7This is the point where I sneak one—okay, three—just to check seasoning.
-
8Serve hot and listen for compliments. Or pretend not to, if that’s your thing.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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