This creamy lobster ravioli sauce complements delicate, rich, sweet lobster with garlic, butter, bright lemon, crisp white wine, and earthy sage. It's an easy recipe that will be sure to impress!
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Why You'll Love Easy Lobster Ravioli Sauce
Rich, delicate, lightly sweet lobster meat wrapped in thin, savory sheets of tender pasta--what could be better?
There's no need to buy fresh lobster whole and break it down when there are many brands of quality lobster ravioli available pre-made. Make lobster ravioli easy! Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, and Costco all have great options. And if you're feeling like going to extra mile, you can absolutely make homemade lobster ravioli!
Complement the beautiful buttery lobster with a mix of bright, fresh lemon, garlic, butter, and earthy sage. Round that out with a hint of floral acidity from white wine, and you have the best sauce for lobster ravioli I’ve ever tasted.
While some recipes suggest heavy cream or a tomato base, I find that cream sauce mutes the lobster flavor and red sauce overwhelms it. This lobster ravioli sauce recipe is a more traditional butter sauce. It should be subtle yet tangy to balance the richness of the lobster meat.
It's a quick and easy dinner. The sauce comes together in about 15 minutes and uses only a few ingredients.
Your lobster ravioli only takes about 3 minutes to cook, depending on the brand, so you’ll have an impressive dinner on the table quicker than you can order takeout.
It's been tested by a culinary professional. I tried several different varieties of lobster ravioli with different sauce options. I tried lemon zest vs. lemon juice, creamy sauces, white sauces, a sauce without herbs.
I tried the butter over medium heat and over low heat. (OK OK, you get it!) Of every variation tested, the sauce presented here is the best to serve with lobster ravioli.
It’s also versatile. Not in the mood for lobster? Use this sauce for another seafood ravioli (crab, maybe?), for spaghetti or other pasta varieties, over scallops or other fish or chicken… options abound.
This is perfect for many occasions, like a special occasion, a date night at home, or just as a weeknight treat!
Top with some chopped fresh herbs, like fresh chives, and pair with some easy sides, like a salad and or some sautéed vegetables, for an amazing meal that your family and friends will love.
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What You'll Need
- Butter: I prefer to use unsalted butter so that I can determine the level of salt in the dish.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic is best, but if you don’t have access to it, try this jarred chopped garlic.
- White Wine: I used a Pinot Gris, but Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, or any dry white wine - something you would drink - would be excellent here.
- Lemon: Again, fresh is best, but you can also try bottled lemon juice in this recipe.
- Fresh Sage Leaves: I don't recommend using anything else in place of the sage here. If you can't find any, finish the sauce with some fresh herbs like parsley or basil.
- Pasta Water Be sure to reserve some of the pasta water from your ravioli before you strain it.
- Kosher Salt My favorite brand is Diamond Crystal kosher salt. It coats food better and has a less concentrated flavor than other salts, making it easier to taste as you go.
- Store-bought Lobster Ravioli: This sauce is also great with other seafood pasta, fish dishes, regular pasta like spaghetti, and even chicken or butternut squash ravioli. I used Trader Joe's lobster ravioli, which was excellent.
How to Make Sauce for Lobster Ravioli
Step One To make the sauce, melt the butter. Cook at a low simmer over medium-low to low heat.
Step Two Add the minced garlic and the sage.
Step Three Add the lemon juice and the wine. Cook for several minutes on medium-low to low heat, until a bit of the alcohol flavor has cooked out of the sauce.
Step Four Season with salt. In the meantime, cook the lobster pasta to package directions. Reserve some of the pasta and remove the ravioli with a slotted spoon.
Step Five Slowly stir in a bit of the pasta water at a time. This will help to thicken the sauce.
Step Six Stir continuously until the sauce thickens a bit.
Step Seven When the sauce lightly coats the back of a spoon, it is the right texture. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt if needed.
Step Eight Add the cooked lobster ravioli to the pan with the brown butter sauce. Coat well, add an extra squeeze of lemon if you'd like, and serve right away.
FAQ
Garlic butter sauce, lemon butter sauce, and white wine sauce for ravioli are the most popular choices. In this recipe, all of these flavors and warm, earthy sage combine for what I believe to be the best lobster ravioli sauce - buttery, bright, and wonderfully balanced.
My family does! And yes, ravioli is commonly served with a sauce or a broth in traditional Italian cooking.
You can. Check package directions for how to prepare. I tested this recipe with several different types of ravioli, and the texture remained good in each with frozen lobster ravioli.
Try something light, like a fresh salad or sautéed greens. Check out the How to Serve section below for more suggestions!
Absolutely! Try it on different seafood dishes, different pasta, and even chicken.
Variations
Different Herbs: If you can’t find sage, try adding a bit of fresh thyme. It will be a more delicate flavor, but still delicious. You can also try fresh tarragon, fresh basil, or fresh parsley.
Spicy: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce for a hint of heat.
Cheese: Try adding some grated parmesan cheese to the final dish for a bit of extra saltiness and creaminess.
Shallot: Add more sweetness to this sauce with some finely chopped shallot. You can add shallot and garlic at the same time.
Add Lobster: If you want to make things extra fancy (or get some extra protein), you can serve this alongside lobster tails or add chunks of lobster tail meat to the sauce.
How to Store
Fridge Cooked lobster ravioli itself will last in the fridge for about 3 days. However, it cooks so quickly you may want to wait until ready to eat to cook it.
The lobster ravioli sauce will last for the same amount of time. Store the sauce and pasta separately to maintain the texture of the pasta.
To reheat, let the lemon butter sauce come to room temperature and then heat on medium-low to low heat on the stove until warmed through.
Freezer I would not freeze cooked lobster ravioli. You can store uncooked ravioli in the freezer.
You can make this sauce in advance, cool, and then pour into ice cube trays. Freeze completely then store in a gallon freezer bag or other freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
Defrost overnight in the fridge and then reheat on the stovetop as above.
How to Serve
Of course, sauce for lobster ravioli is best on, well, lobster ravioli. Below are some other suggestions for using this sauce, and sides to fill out your dinner table:
Pasta Try a different seafood pasta, such as crab or scallops. It's even good without the lobster as a sauce to go on plain pasta, like spaghetti or angel hair.
Chicken This sauce is delicious over chicken paillard, or chicken breast pounded very thin, would be fantastic with this sauce.
Salad A light, simple side salad is a perfect pairing for lobster ravioli.
Roasted Vegetables Looking for a warm vegetable side? Try this Roasted Tenderstem Broccoli or these Roasted Cherry Tomatoes on the Vine.
Sautéed Greens This Garlicky Sautéed Cruciferous Crunch is a wonderfully versatile side that would be excellent with this lobster ravioli.
Looking for more seafood dishes? Try this delicious Bloody Mary Shrimp!
How about a date night dessert? This mini skillet cookie is just delicious.
Expert Tips
- Pay close attention to your sauce and stir frequently. You’ll want the butter browned, but you will not want your garlic to get too dark or the sauce will become bitter.
- Taste your food! If you’re using salted butter, definitely taste the sauce before adding any additional salt.
- Use wine that you would be happy drinking. This will ensure the quality of your sauce. If you’re using a wine that you don’t particularly like, your sauce will not be the best it can be.
- If cooking the ravioli from frozen, you may need to either defrost in the fridge before cooking or add a few minutes to your cook time. Check your packaging for directions.
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment 💬 and a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below! You can also tag us @twocloveskitchen on Instagram or follow us on Facebook!
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📖 Recipe
Lobster Ravioli Sauce
Equipment
- Measuring Cups
- Medium Saucepan
Ingredients
Sauce
- 4 tablespoons butter unsalted
- 1 clove garlic large, finely chopped
- 4 sage leaves fresh, sliced widthwise into thin strips
- 1 tablespoon white wine
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup pasta water
- kosher salt to taste
Pasta
- 1 package lobster ravioli about 9 ounces
Instructions
- Melt the butter in your pan over medium-low to medium heat.
- Add the garlic and sage, and cook for about 1 minute, until the garlic has softened and is fragrant.
- Add the lemon juice and wine. Cook for about 5 minutes until the wine taste is less sharp and the butter lightly browns.
- In the meantime, cook ravioli in a large pot of salted, boiling water. If your ravioli is frozen, you may need to thaw before cooking. Your ravioli should float to the top when finished. Before draining, reserve about ¼ cup of pasta water.
- Set the cooked ravioli aside and drizzle with a bit of olive oil if needed so they don't stick.
- Add the pasta water little by little into the sauce, stirring constantly. Continue cooking for several minutes until the sauce thickens enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon and appears glossy.
- Add the lobster ravioli directly to the sauce, coat well, and serve.
Notes
- Estimated calories are for sauce only. Consult your packaging for calories in ravioli.
- Pay close attention to your sauce and stir frequently. You’ll want the butter browned, but you will not want your garlic to get dark or the sauce will be bitter.
- If you’re using salted butter, taste the sauce before adding any additional salt.
- Use wine that you would be happy drinking. This will ensure the quality of your sauce.
- Cooked lobster ravioli itself will last in the fridge for about 3 days. The sauce will last the same amount of time.
- Store the sauce and pasta separately to maintain the texture of the pasta.
- I would not freeze the cooked lobster ravioli. You can store uncooked ravioli in the freezer.
- The sauce can be cooled and then poured into ice cube trays. Freeze completely then store in a gallon freezer bag or another freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
- From fridge To reheat, let the lemon butter sauce come to room temperature and then heat on medium-low to low heat on the stove until warmed through.
- From freezer Defrost overnight in the fridge and then reheat on the stovetop as above.
Sandy says
Maybe a bit strange but could a bit of pesto added be good?
Genevieve says
Maybe! Pesto is really just fresh herbs, garlic, olive oil, and pine nuts, so nothing that would clash too terribly with this recipe. The basil and sage isn't a common flavor pairing, but I would be interested to hear how it turns out if you try it. 🙂
Lissamcb says
Perfect mix of flavors. Made our ravioli taste like fresh boiled lobster.
Genevieve says
So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Michael Quinzer says
1 thing I noticed in the directions. it says to add the pasta directly to the sauce and serve, but in the section about storing it says to store the sauce and the pasta separately to maintain pasta texture. Just pointing it out so people know that if they make more ravioli than they plan to eat that they should separate the portions they plan on eating from what they plan on storing.
Genevieve says
Thanks for the helpful point, Michael!
Saipanastasia says
simple yet great flavor
Genevieve says
Thank you!
Susan says
We never have wine in the house. I know that this will sound sacrilegious, but can I substitute chicken stock?
Genevieve says
Hi Susan, great question! I would actually sub in a bit of white wine vinegar if you have that so you get that tartness rather than subbing with chicken stock which would be strictly savory.
Jennifer says
Holy smokes this was SO good! The perfect sauce for the Rana fresh Maine Lobster Ravioli. It was just the right amount for an 8 oz package. The flavor is incredibly rich and decadent. Thank you!
Genevieve says
Yay! I am so happy to hear you enjoyed it, Jennifer!
Karen says
Recipe was so simple to make and incredibly delish! It’s a keeper! Karen
Genevieve says
Thanks so much, Karen!
Jake says
Have had this dish out at restaurants before and it's always such a hit. So when I saw this recipe I couldn't wait to give it a shot!! Used your tips to make the lobster ravioli sauce last night and came out amazing. Loved all the fresh ingredients. Thanks so much for this article!
Genevieve says
So glad you enjoyed it, Jake!
Molly Pisula says
Love this amazing sauce! The flavors are just perfect, and it's a wonderful pairing to lobster ravioli (or even just plain pasta!). Will definitely make again.
Genevieve says
Thanks so much, Molly! Glad to hear you enjoyed it.
Relle says
These are gorgeous! Can't wait to try it.
Jenn says
Sometimes simple is best and this sauce is terrific and paired perfectly with the ravioli!
Gail says
Loved this sauce so much! Definitely using it again with other types of pasta!
Genevieve says
Wonderful! Thank you, Gail!
Relle says
This looks awesome. Can't wait to try it.
Genevieve says
Thanks Relle!
MacKenzie says
Such a simple decadent dinner idea. We enjoyed last Friday with steak. It was better than a restaurant!
Genevieve says
Oh man, that sounds fantastic! Glad you enjoyed!
Sherrie says
This is spot on! So delicious and savory and yum! Thank you!
Genevieve says
Yay! Thanks Sherrie!
Wendy says
This was unbelievably good. Thanks so much.
Genevieve says
Thank you, Wendy! Glad you enjoyed it.
Journa Liz Ramirez says
My family was impressed with this sauce for lobster ravioli. It was so satisfying and good. I'll surely have this recipe on repeat. Thanks Gen!
Genevieve says
Thank you, Journa!
Kay says
This is so good!! Simple instructions! Loved it 😊
Genevieve says
Thanks Kay! Glad you liked it!