This is a superb soup – the broth is so rich and full bodied it could almost be used as a tomato sauce if you thickened it up some. The ravioli are a great addition as the cheesiness mixes so well with the tomato based broth. Any cheese pasta would do well here, but the ravioli makes it just a little different and oh so yummy !

Ravioli Soup

4 servings
274 calories per serving

1 T olive oil
2 c frozen bell pepper and onion mix, thawed and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 t crushed red pepper
28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
32 oz. vegetable broth
1 c hot water
1 t basil flakes
1 t oregano flakes
9 oz. frozen cheese ravioli
2 c diced zucchini
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large soup pot and add peppers, onions, garlic and red pepper. Saute for 4 minutes then add tomatoes, broth, water and spice. Bring to a boil and add ravioli and cook 3 minutes less than the package instructions. Add zucchini, return to boil and cook another 3 minutes. Garnish with some parmesan cheese if you would like (not included in calorie count).

This is a rich, delicious dish. The whole ‘ravioli splitting in the boiling water’ hazard is gone and this is something you can put together ahead of time and then bake just before serving. Very easy, very convenient and very good !

Baked Ravioli

8 servings
355 calories per serving

28 oz. jar marinara sauce
25 oz.package frozen cheese ravioli
2 c shredded no fat mozzarella cheese
2 T grated parmesan cheese
1 c sliced mushrooms (fresh or canned)
9 oz. frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry in a colander
½ t salt
½ t pepper
½ t garlic powder
½ t onion powder
Pam

Heat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 13×9 pan with Pam. Spread ¾ c sauce in bottom and arrange ½ the ravioli in the dish. Top with the spinach and mushrooms and then sprinkle with salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. Top with half of the remaining sauce and 1 c mozzarella cheese. Add another layer of ravioli, then the rest of the sauce. Finally add the rest of the mozzarella and then sprinkle with parmesan cheese and cover and bake 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 15 minutes until hot and bubbly. Then let sit 15 minute before serving.

This dish has a great cream sauce that goes perfectly with the ravioli. I bet that the dish would be great with a mushroom ravioli substituted. It’s a heavier dish, but certainly within the calories and sometimes you just gotta splurge !

Ravioli with Mushroom Sauce

2 servings
367 calories per serving

2 c refrigerated fresh cheese ravioli
½ c sliced mushrooms
1 T chopped shallots
1 T pine nuts or walnuts
1 T chopped yellow bell pepper
1 T chopped red bell pepper
1 t oil
2 t cornstarch
½ chicken broth
¼ c fat free half and half
1/8 t salt
1/8 t pepper
Optional – grated parmesan

Cook ravioli according to package instructions. Spray a skillet with Pam and cook mushrooms, shallot, nuts and peppers in oil until tender – add a little hot water if they start to dry out. Mix cornstarch, broth and half and half with the salt and pepper and then gradually stir into the pan. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and cook 2 minutes or until sauce is thickened. Serve mixed with drained ravioli. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

This was just a fabulous way to get all the flavor of ravioli without sitting down to a bowl of JUST ravioli and breaking the scales. The eggplant, zucchini and tomatoes were a great complement and this sure was one filling meal !

Ravioli Stew

4 servings
335 calories per serving

3 T oil
2 c eggplant, cubed
14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes undrained
½ t basil flakes
1 c water
1 medium zucchini cut into half moons
9 oz. refrigerated cheese ravioli
1 c shredded parmesan cheese
Pepper to taste

Heat oil and cook eggplant 5 minutes then mix in tomatoes and basil and heat to boiling. Then lower heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in water, zucchini and ravioli and heat to boiling. Reduce heat and cover and simmer 10 minutes stirring once or twice then sprinkle with cheese and pepper, cover and heat 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.