This easy Asparagus Ricotta Ravioli recipe is made using wonton wrappers making the process simple and quick. The ravioli are stuffed with a flavorful asparagus and ricotta cheese filling and tossed in an herb butter sauce for a delicious meal that is sure to please.
Ravioli can seem pretty daunting to make but that doesn’t have to be the case. This easy asparagus ravioli recipe uses wonton wrappers to simplify the process quite a bit!
There is no need to mess around with homemade pasta dough. There is also no need to buy any special pasta machine or ravioli molds. The “pasta” portion of this recipe is as simple as it gets. Just open up a pack of wonton wrappers and start filling!
Making wonton ravioli is not only quick and easy, but it is also so much fun! You can get as creative as you like making tasty fillings that go beyond the standard options offered by store-bought ravioli.
This fresh asparagus and ricotta cheese filling is one of my favorites, especially during the spring time. It’s creamy and delicious. It pretty much tastes like spring in a pasta bowl! Add a browned butter herb sauce and you have a meal to impress!
Why we love Asparagus Ricotta Ravioli with Herb Butter Sauce:
- Well, it’s easy and who doesn’t love an easy recipe? Using wonton wrappers is a game changer and so much simpler than making pasta dough.
- It tastes like spring! As lovers of spring time flavors and especially spring asparagus (its one of my favorite spring veggies), this dish is up there with other spring time favorites like my Lemon Parmesan Pasta with Spring Peas.
- It’s fun to make. We love making this dish as part of our date nights, opening a bottle of wine and cooking together.
- This recipe makes delicious ravioli!
- It’s perfect for all sorts of occasions including date night meals, anniversaries, Mother’s Day, birthdays, etc.
Ingredients in Asparagus Ricotta Ravioli with Herb Butter Sauce
- Asparagus: one bunch of fresh asparagus with the woody ends trimmed. Half of the asparagus will be used to make the filling and the other half will be used to serve with the cooked ravioli.
- Ricotta cheese: If the ricotta cheese seems “wet”, it’s important to strain it. A wet filling will cause the filling to leak out and ruin a good ravioli. To strain it, simply place it in a cheese cloth. Tie the cheese cloth onto the handle of a wooden spoon and then suspend the spoon over a large pot, allowing the liquid to drip into the pot.
- Parmesan cheese: Used in the filling as well as to top the ravioli before serving.
- Pine nuts: used in the filling.
- Herbs: I use a combination of fresh herbs and dried herbs but you could substitute whatever you have on hand. I use fresh parsley and dried basil in this recipe. You can also substitute other herbs like dried thyme.
- Seasoning: Salt and black pepper.
- Wonton wrappers
- Butter: Used to make the delicious brown butter sauce. Browning the butter gives it a nutty flavor that is so good!
- Optional toppings: crispy prosciutto and red pepper flakes
**Note: Ingredient quantities and full instructions are in the recipe card at the end of this post.**
How to make this easy asparagus ravioli
- Prepare the filling. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the asparagus. Cook for about 3-4 minutes or until they begin to turn tender. Set half of the asparagus aside. Add half of the asparagus to a food processor with the other ingredients for the filling. Process until everything is smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
- Assemble the wonton ravioli. To assemble the wonton ravioli, fill a small bowl with a couple tablespoons of water. Remove a few wonton wrappers from the package and set them down on a clean, dry surface. Cover the remaining wrappers with a clean towel to prevent drying. Dip your finger in the water and run it along the edge of a wonton wrapper. Place a tablespoon of filling in the center of the wonton wrapper and top it with another wrapper. Press down firmly on the edges to seal the ravioli, being careful to press out any air. Repeat with all of the ravioli.
- Boil the fresh ravioli. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and add ravioli in batches of about 5 to cook until they float to the top (about 2 minutes).
- Make the herb butter sauce. Meanwhile, to make the Herb Butter Sauce. Heat a small silver saucepan or skillet over medium-high heat and add butter (you want a light coloured pan so that you can see the butter turn brown). Let the butter cook until it becomes frothy and begins to brown. Add the basil and parsley. Let cook for about a minute. Taste and season with salt and pepper, as needed. Set aside.
- Assemble the dish. Add the ravioli to the skillet with the sauce and carefully give it a good toss to coat them evenly or, alternatively, plate the ravioli and top them with the herb butter sauce. Add some asparagus to each plate. Top the ravioli dish with Parmesan cheese. Add red pepper flakes and crispy prosciutto* if desired.
Can you prep the asparagus wonton ravioli in advance?
This meal can easily be prepped in advance to make dinner a breeze.
I like to make the asparagus filling for this recipe ahead of time and then store it in the fridge until it is ready to use. This significantly reduces the prep time so you can get dinner on the table quicker.
You can even assemble the ravioli ahead of time. As you are making them, place them on a parchment lined baking sheet and arrange them so that they are not touching (to prevent sticking). Then cover the baking sheet well with plastic wrap and pop it in the fridge overnight.
Can you freeze wonton ravioli?
Yes, this asparagus wonton ravioli can be frozen for several months. To freeze the ravioli, as you are making them, arrange them on a parchment lined baking sheet making sure they are not touching. Pop the entire baking sheet in the freezer for a couple of hours until the ravioli are frozen solid. Then transfer the ravioli to a freezer bag.
When you want to cook them, there is no need to thaw. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook them as stated in the recipe, adding a couple of minutes to account for them being frozen.
Storing leftovers and reheating
Once cooled, leftover ravioli can be placed in an airtight container and stored in the fridge. To reheat them, heat a teaspoon of butter or olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the ravioli. Heat, being gentle to flip the homemade ravioli without breaking them. If needed, you can add a little bit of water.
Making your own ravioli is so much easier with this wonton shortcut! It makes it possible to enjoy homemade ravioli on special occasions without breaking a sweat…or as any night of the week dinner, quite frankly. As an asparagus lover, this is one of my favorite recipes for ravioli and I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do!
Happy cooking!
-Cathy
Looking for another asparagus recipe to take advantage of the season? You may also like:
Asparagus Puff Pastry Tart
Asparagus and Pea Quiche
Orecchiette Pasta with Asparagus Pesto
Creamy Asparagus Soup
Air Fryer Asparagus
If you’re a fan of ravioli, be sure to also check out these easy recipes:
Ravioli with Spinach, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Artichokes
Butternut Squash Ravioli with Brown Butter Sage Sauce
Asparagus Ricotta Ravioli with Herb Butter Sauce
Ingredients
Ravioli Filling
- 1 bunch asparagus woody ends trimmed
- 1 cup ricotta cheese strained
- 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 1 tablespoon parsley
- salt and pepper
Herb Butter Sauce
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2 tablespoons parsley finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- salt and pepper
Other Ingredients
- 1 package wonton wrappers (about 40 wrappers)
- Parmesan cheese
- 2 strips prosciutto cooked in a pan until crispy and crumbled (optional)
- red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
Prepare the filling
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the asparagus. Cook for about 3-4 minutes or until they begin to turn tender.
- Set half of the asparagus aside. Add half of the asparagus to a food processor with the other ingredients for the filling. Process until everything is smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Assemble the wonton ravioli
- To assemble the wonton ravioli, fill a small bowl with a couple tablespoons of water. Remove a few wonton wrappers from the package and set them down on a clean, dry surface. Cover the remaining wrappers with a clean towel to prevent drying. Dip your finger in the water and run it along the edge of a wonton wrapper. Place a tablespoon of filling in the center of the wonton wrapper and top it with another wrapper. Press down firmly on the edges to seal the ravioli, being careful to press out any air. Repeat with all of the ravioli. [Note: you can leave them as is or use a cookie cutter to cut them into a smaller circle or any shape you like.]
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and add ravioli in batches of about 5 to cook until they float to the top (about 2 minutes).
Make the herb butter sauce
- Meanwhile, to make the Herb Butter Sauce. Heat a small silver saucepan or skillet over medium-high heat and add butter (you want a light coloured pan so that you can see the butter turn brown). Let the butter cook until it becomes frothy and begins to brown. Add the basil and parsley. Let cook for about a minute. Taste and season with salt and pepper, as needed. Set aside.
Assemble the dish
- Add the ravioli to the skillet with the sauce or, alternatively, plate the ravioli and top them with the herb butter sauce. Add some asparagus to each plate. Top with Parmesan cheese. Add red pepper flakes and crispy prosciutto* if desired.
Notes
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In a skillet, heat a teaspoon of olive oil over medium high heat and add the prosciutto slices, making sure not to overlap. If there is not enough room in your skillet, do this in batches. Cook them for a couple of minutes, flipping until it begins to shrivel up and get a little crispy. Remove it from the pan and let it cool. It will crisp up more as it sits.
Note: Metric ingredient measurements are provided as a courtesy using a third-party calculator and are rounded to the nearest unit. The recipes provided on this site have not been tested with metric measurements and their accuracy cannot be verified.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is based on third-party calculations and is an estimate only. Accurate nutritional facts will vary based on the particular brands used, portion sizes, measurement accuracy and more.
