Cheese Ravioli with Marinara Sauce — Simple, Elegant, Delicious

Authentic Italian Gourmet Pasta Sauce. No Added Sugar. Ever.

Cheese ravioli with marinara is the pasta dish that requires almost no effort and delivers maximum satisfaction. The pillowy, cheese-filled pasta and the bright, rich marinara are made for each other — and with a great sauce, this 15-minute dinner tastes like something you'd order at a proper Italian restaurant.

Albanese's Finest Original Marinara — authentic Italian gourmet pasta sauce with no added sugar — is the sauce that makes this dish extraordinary. The natural brightness of the tomatoes cuts through the richness of the cheese filling perfectly, creating a balance that's clean, vibrant, and deeply satisfying.

• 1 lb fresh or refrigerated cheese ravioli
• 1 jar Albanese's Finest Original Marinara (24 oz)
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• Fresh basil
• Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Kosher salt
• Reserved pasta water

Step 1 — Build the sauce. Heat olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add sliced garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook 90 seconds until golden and fragrant. Pour in the marinara. Simmer 5–6 minutes over medium-low heat.

Step 2 — Cook the ravioli. Boil ravioli in salted water according to package directions — usually 3–5 minutes for fresh. Reserve ½ cup pasta water before draining.

Step 3 — Combine gently. Add drained ravioli to the sauce. Toss very gently — ravioli burst easily. Add a splash of pasta water if needed.

Step 4 — Serve immediately. Plate and top with torn fresh basil and Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Fresh ravioli is worth it. The refrigerated fresh ravioli from the grocery store cooks in 3–5 minutes and has a significantly better texture than frozen. For a 15-minute dinner, it's the right call.

Gentle tossing. Ravioli are filled pasta — toss them gently with a silicone spatula. Tongs will burst them.

Don't over-sauce. The ravioli are already filled with cheese — a generous coating of sauce is perfect. A pool of sauce is too much.

Variations

Ravioli Marinara with Spinach: Add 2 cups of baby spinach to the sauce in the last 2 minutes of simmering.

Ravioli Marinara with Meatballs: Add a few Homemade Meatballs in Marinara to the sauce for a heartier version.

Ravioli with Vodka Mascarpone: Prefer a creamy sauce? Substitute our Vodka Mascarpone sauce for the marinara.

About the Sauce

Albanese's Finest Original Marinara is made with no added sugar — which means the natural acidity of the tomatoes cuts through the richness of the cheese filling perfectly. It's the authentic Italian gourmet pasta sauce that makes simple ravioli taste like a restaurant dish.

No added sugar. Small-batch. Founder-made.

Shop Original Marinara →

Related recipes: Classic Spaghetti Marinara · Cheese Tortellini in Vodka Mascarpone · Easy Penne Marinara