Lobster ravioli with marinara sauce, the original, classic Italian way. Super simple and utterly delicious.
It is a very versatile sauce that takes about 20 minutes to prepare. A tasty sauce that goes well with fried fish like calamari or pasta. It adds flavor and enhances any dish. If you are in the mood for something richer, my lobster ravioli with creamy mushroom sauce pairs the same delicate pasta with earthy mushrooms and cream.”
Recipe Overview: Lobster Ravioli with Marinara Sauce
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Servings: 4 people
- Cook Method: Stovetop
- Flavor & Texture: Tender lobster ravioli are paired with a light, bright San Marzano tomato sauce enhanced with dry white wine, fresh parsley, and a touch of garlic. The delicate lobster filling balances beautifully with the fresh acidity and richness of the marinara sauce.
- Difficulty: Easy.
- Why this Recipe? Ready in just 20 minutes, this elegant yet simple lobster ravioli makes a wonderful weeknight dinner while being special enough to serve when entertaining.
This Italian marinara sauce is a little different from the version we are most familiar with here in the States, and that is exactly what I love about it.
I have been making this recipe since my early teenage years from an Italian cookbook written entirely in Italian. I loved that book because the recipes were simple to follow, and it is where so many of my early baking ideas came from.
As a teenager, I spent far more time baking desserts than cooking. Cooking usually happened only when my brother and I were alone for a couple of days.
Over the years, I have made a few small changes to this marinara sauce, but the heart of the recipe has remained the same: tomatoes and white wine. It is light, flavorful, and wonderfully simple.
And if you have ever had lobster ravioli, you already know how delicious they are. This bright, delicate marinara sauce is the perfect match, allowing the sweet lobster filling to shine without overpowering it.
In this Article
- Recipe Overview: Lobster Ravioli with Marinara Sauce
- Italian Marinara Sauce
- What are San Marzano tomatoes?
- Ravioli
- Key Ingredients
- Equipment Needed
- How to make this fantastic Lobster Ravioli with Marinara Sauce
- Other uses for your marinara sauce
- Substitutions and suggestions
- Storage and reheating instructions
- Lobster Ravioli with Marinara Sauce FAQs
- More Tomato Sauce Pastas You Will Love
- Lobster Ravioli with Marinara Sauce
Italian Marinara Sauce
The Italian homemade marinara sauce is lighter than its American counterpart, and people prepare it slightly differently.
In Italy, people use whole garlic to flavor olive oil at the start of cooking. Remove the golden garlic from the pan and throw it away, never using it again.
The tomatoes used are fresh or canned San Marzano and are free of added garlic, onion, or herbs. As I like to call it, it is at its purest state.
This light tomato sauce gets its name from the added white wine, which gives it a delicious taste. It would be best if you didn’t skip this crucial ingredient.
Lastly, cook it for about 15 minutes only. That is one of the best parts of Italian recipes; they are the best for a quick weeknight dinner.
What are San Marzano tomatoes?
San Marzano is a type of plum tomato. Longer and thinner than your typical plum tomato. Vibrant red in color and rich in flavor.
They also have fewer seeds than your regular plum tomatoes.
One thing that makes the San Marzano tomatoes the most sought after by chefs worldwide. Besides having fewer seeds, they have less acidity than other tomatoes. Idyllic for Italian cuisine.
I love San Marzano tomatoes; they have less acidity than other tomatoes.
Ravioli
My all-time favorite, and if you are so inclined and have time, I have an excellent recipe for Homemade Ravioli that you will love to make.
Once you have the homemade dough, you can create any ravioli filling you wish.
Key Ingredients
San Marzano tomatoes – peeled and left whole or chopped are fine. Don’t add garlic, onion, or spices to it. They will change the taste of the dish.
Olive oil or Extra virgin olive oil– an ever-present ingredient in Italian cooking.
Garlic cloves – peeled, end hard core removed and left intact. They give out their wonderful aroma to the olive oil.
White wine – Dry white wine gives a great flavor to this dish. The alcohol will evaporate, making it safe to give to young children.
Flat leaf parsley – Gives it that beautiful flavor. Do also chop the stems as they contain the essential oils of the parsley, thus giving your sauce a wonderful taste.
Lobster ravioli – A pure delight to enjoy with this marinara sauce. However, any ravioli will work if you cnnot find them at your local grocery store.
Salt and pepper – Add a little seasoning at the start and again just before finishing cooking. The sauce gets stronger as it cooks, so be careful not to add too much seasoning.
Equipment Needed
Large pot – To cook the ravioli. Ensure that it is large enough to hold the pasta comfortably while cooking.
Large skillet or small pan – To prepare the tomato sauce. Any enamel cast iron or stainless steel. I do not recommend Lodge or any cast iron, as the acidity of the tomato will lift any skillet coating.
Colander – To drain the ravioli.
Chef’s knife – To chop finely the parsley
Cutting board – I prefer using wood to do any chopping.
Serving plates or large bowls– a beautiful serving plate is always welcome at any table.
How to make this fantastic Lobster Ravioli with Marinara Sauce
This is a very straightforward, authentic Italian recipe. I have prepared this marinara sauce recipe in two ways.
First, I put the wine in the pan after taking out the garlic. I let it evaporate and then added the tomato sauce.
In the second method, I added the wine at the same time as the tomato.
I like both methods, but prefer the second one because the tomato has a more pungent taste. Try both ways and see which one will become your favorite.
Fresh pasta cooks faster, so remember to time it. Begin making the tomato sauce before boiling the pasta water.
Start with the pasta sauce:
Step 1: Place a large enough pan to hold the tomato sauce over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and the garlic.
Step 2: Golden the garlic and toss.
Step 3: Add the tomato with all the juices, wine, and half of the parsley. Stir and cook over medium-low, stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes. Taste and season as needed.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil
Step 4: Add your fresh lobster meat ravioli and cook according to the package instructions.
Step 5: Drain
Assemble your pasta dish
Step 6: Add tomato sauce on a plate, ravioli on top, and marinara sauce.
Step 7: Sprinkle the remaining chopped fresh parsley over and serve hot.
Other uses for your marinara sauce
You can use this wonderful marinara sauce recipe in your homemade pizza alongside any fried calamari or crunchy fried shrimp.
Spread over some roasted Italian bread to make bruschetta.
Substitutions and suggestions
Substitutions:
Peeled, chopped, or grated beautiful fresh tomatoes will make an excellent substitution for the canned ones.
You can substitute lobster-filled ravioli with any ravioli of your choice. Mozzarella and spinach work well with this sauce.
Spaghetti, fettuccine, or pappardelle pasta will work well too.
Fresh pasta cooks faster than dry store-bought pasta. Therefore, it is essential to pay attention to the cooking time. Additionally, we recommend starting boiling the water for the pasta first. Cook the pasta al dente.
Suggestions:
You can add a few fresh basil leaves instead of the freshly chopped parsley at the end of cooking.
Add a small piece of Italian red peperoncino or red pepper flakes to add some heat.
If you have half of an onion, chop it finely and add it to the early cooking process.
Storage and reheating instructions
Storage
This simple ingredients marinara sauce recipe stores well for three to four days in an airtight container in the fridge. I like to use glass jars, but any container will work, too.
You can also freeze the marinara sauce for later. Place the desired amount in freezer containers or bags and freeze for up to three months. When ready to use, thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Reheating
Bring to room temperature and place in a skillet over medium heat. Add a couple of tablespoons of water and stir to reheat evenly.
Lobster Ravioli with Marinara Sauce FAQs
Is marinara sauce authentic Italian?
Yes, although we do not know the exact location of the Marinara sauce creation, it was most likely first created in the southern part of Italy, either Napoli or Sicily region, after the tomatoes were introduced to the New World in the 16th century.
What is the difference between marinara and traditional tomato sauce?
Although the two sauces share many ingredients, the consistency and depth of color is the main difference. Marinara is brighter, thinner, and more sauce-like. The tomato sauce is thicker and closer to a gravy.
What do Italians call sauce?
Italians say “Sauce” in two ways: Salsa and /or sugo.
Cheese or no cheese on pasta with seafood?
No, you do not put cheese over any seafood pasta dish. Seafood is not meant to be served with cheese, as the flavors do not work together. As Italians will say: “It muddles the flavor of seafood”.
More Tomato Sauce Pastas You Will Love
If you tried this Lobster Ravioli with Marinara Sauce or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below.
Lobster Ravioli with Marinara Sauce
Ingredients
- 12 ounces San Marzano tomatoes
- 2 garlic, peeled and end removed garlic
- ½ cup white wine
- 3 tablespoons Italian flat-leaf parsley
- 1 pound lobster ravioli
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a medium size sauce pan add olive oil and garlic over medium heat. Once the garlic is golden, remove and discard.
- Add the tomatoes, white wine, salt and pepper, and half of the parsley. Cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- In the meantime, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the ravioli per package directions,
- On a warm plate, spread a ladle of tomato sauce, arrange the ravioli over it. Add a couple of spoonful of tomatoes sauce over the ravioli and add more parsley.
Nutrition
Giangi’s Kitchen provides nutritional information, but these figures should be considered estimates, as a registered dietician does not calculate them.
- Course: Classics, Sauces, Fish, Pasta, Rice & Grains, Dinners
- Cuisine: Italian
- Type: Under 45 minutes
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Originally published on February 2, 2017.
Cliff Monzeglio
Sorry Giangi, I was looking for the ‘Lobster’ Ravioli recipe. For me, that’s the heart and sole heart of this dish. I make my own ravioli, which I learned from my paternal Grandmother and my Father, whose family immigrated here in 1910. I find that factory made ravioli are generally long on pasta and short on filling. My family’s cooking philosophy is the reverse.
Thank you for your website.
Giangi Townsend
You are most welcome and not a problem at all, Cliff. I make homemade ravioli too, but sometimes when time is not permitting, a good store bought kind is always welcomed.
My nonna as well as my mom made ravioli all the time too and it is so wonderful to have those loving memories.
I hope you will try my ravioli and other recipes.
Bon Appetit!
Liah
It’s my first time encountering this recipe, and I thought it would be tasty, as I make it, the result is truly what I was expecting, it was an awesome result! So tasty! I’ll make this once again at our next family gathering! Thanks for the recipe.
Giangi Townsend
The pleasure is all mine and so happy you enjoyed it.
Thank you for your feedback!
Jessa
I enjoyed the flavor of lobster with the marinara sauce! It was so simple to make. I still have some leftovers so I will be using them for my homemade pizza. Great recipe! Thanks!
Giangi Townsend
You are most welcome. Thank you for stopping by and making my recipe.
Enjoy!
Emmeline
I’ve always been a fan of lobster ravioli, and this homemade version with marinara sauce is divine. It’s a restaurant-quality meal made right in my kitchen!! thank you!!
Giangi Townsend
You are most welcome and I am happy you like them.
Thank you!
Carol
Simple yet so flavorful. The delicate lobster-filled pasta paired with the zesty marinara—Amazing! A fuss-free gourmet delight that’s now a star in my recipe collection.
Giangi Townsend
I am delighted that you enjoyed it.
Thank you for your feedback.
June
I could not believe how easy this recipe was to make and how full of flavor it was! I think I am going to make this again on Christmas Eve!
Giangi Townsend
We love the easiness of this recipe and I am happy you enjoyed it.
Thank you for stopping by and making one of my recipes.
Christine
I dearly love lobster ravioli and was thrilled when I came across this recipe! I’d never added white wine to my marinara sauce before, but I will be from now on — so good! Love this simple, delicious meal. Thanks for sharing it with us!
Giangi Townsend
The pleasure is all mine, Christine. Thank you for making my recipe and your feedback.
Enjoy!