I first fell in love with Trader Joe’s rotating roster of fresh ravioli about 15 years ago. Butternut squash, porcini mushroom and truffle, and even lobster — the beloved grocer has been churning out irresistible flavor combinations for years. Although time after time, I go back to the classic vegetable ravioli.
At first I’d boil these satisfying pockets of pasta according to the package’s directions, but it was only a matter of time before I started riffing. I combined my Trader Joe’s ravioli with different jarred sauces and brought a roulette wheel of possibilities to the two-ingredient dinner. And boiling? Well, I’ve moved on from that too.
My favorite way to prepare Trader Joe’s ravioli actually has nothing to do with a pot of water — it’s all about an oven and three supporting ingredients.
What’s So Great About Trader Joe’s Vegetable Ravioli?
I almost always make a beeline for the refrigerated section of Trader Joe’s so I can browse the ravioli and tortellini selection. Each package features fresh pasta with savory fillings, and they never disappoint. The best part is that the packages freeze perfectly. I almost always buy two packs when I shop: one for cooking, and one for freezing. (You don’t have to repackage them or anything — just pop the whole, unopened package in the freezer.)
Not only is Trader Joe’s ravioli a nice break from boiling dry pasta, but the price — usually under $4 — is also hard to beat for the excellent quality. I usually gravitate toward the vegetable ravioli, which is made with a zucchini and eggplant base and gets its savory cheesiness from mozzarella. It has a divine near-even pasta-to-filling ratio and is excellent on its own, but it’s especially great in a skillet bake.
What’s the Best Way to Enjoy Trader Joe’s Vegetable Ravioli?
I started making my ravioli skillet bake a few months ago, when all of my kitchen gear was in storage from moving. All I had was a nonstick skillet. Don’t get me wrong — it was a very nice skillet to be stuck with (it has a metal handle so I can move it from stovetop to oven without flinching).
This recipe only requires four ingredients: cream, spinach, Pecorino Romano cheese, and Trader Joe’s vegetable ravioli. The ravioli are the star of the show — they provide texture, flavor, and bulk. The Pecorino is how I get salty and umami flavors into the dish without needing extra ingredients, and the spinach is mostly because I like to get some greens into dinner. You could easily swap it out for kale, Swiss chard, collards, or mustard greens.
Taking a cue from the classic potato gratin, I use cream alone to make the velvety, thick sauce. It reduces down as it bakes, and the pasta’s starches thicken the liquid further. It’s like using pasta water, but cutting out the middleman. By the time my skillet bake comes out of the oven, it has a beautiful sauce that requires no work on my end. Here’s how I make it.
Find it in stores: Trader Joe’s Vegetable Ravioli, $3.99 for 8 ounces at Trader Joe’s
What’s your favorite way to eat Trader Joe’s ravioli? Tell us about it in the comments.
