This beautiful dish of Ravioli Primavera pairs green peas and asparagus with ricotta ravioli for a fresh taste of spring! It cooks in minutes and is a perfect quick meal.
Primavera and Ricotta
Primavera (when related to pasta) means a pasta dish made with sauteed spring vegetables. This recipe uses fresh premade ravioli with sweet ricotta cheese. You can find it in the refrigerated section of grocery stores. There are many brands that make ravioli with ricotta, but I especially like Trader Joe’s Cacio e Pepe, pronounced–kaa cho eh peh pay–and means cheese and pepper. The ravioli shells are made with black pepper and have a ricotta filling. Although it is delicious in this dish, many ravioli brands would be just as tasty!
Prosciutto
Can I Substitute Bacon for Prosciutto?
Yes, feel free to substitute bacon if you prefer it instead of prosciutto. Cook 4 or 5 slices of bacon and then chop it to sprinkle it on the finished dish.
Do You Cook the Prosciutto?
Yes, cook it until crispy to garnish the finished dish. Be sure to carefully separate the thin slices to keep them from breaking apart. Then remove any plastic sheets separating them, and place them on parchment paper or a silicone mat on the baking sheet. Keep an eye on them because they can quickly burn since they are thinly sliced! Once crisp, roughly or finely chop them (your choice) and sprinkle them over the finished dish.
Note: Proscuitto can be eaten without cooking because it has been prepared by a curing process and is safe to eat.
Place the Prosciutto on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. 
Bake until crispy, turning the pan once.
How to Make Vegetarian Ravioli Primavera
If you want to make this a vegetarian dish, simply omit the Proscuitto. The dish will be just as delicious!
Prepare the Pasta and Vegetables
Let the ravioli simmer in lightly-salted water per the directions on the packaging. Add the green peas when there is one minute of cooking left. I have had the best results using frozen green peas for this recipe, but you can also use fresh peas. I don’t recommend canned green peas for this dish because they usually lack the sweet taste of fresh and frozen peas.
Cut the Vegetables for Ravioli Primavera
Cut the fresh asparagus on the bias in thin slivers. Bias cutting is simply a diagonal cut. First, remove the lower hard stalk about 2-3 inches from the bottom. Then try cutting 3 or 4 steams at a time to make quick work of cutting.
Slice the shallot into thin rings with a horizontal cut. Thin slicing helps the vegetables cook quickly.
Saute the Vegetables for Ravioli Primavera
Cook the vegetables in a non-stick or seasoned pan to use less cooking oil. Add the minced garlic when the asparagus and shallots are wilted and soft. Hand chop the garlic, use an electric chopper, or use prepared minced garlic from a jar.
Garnish Ravioli Primavera with Parmesan Cheese
Sprinkle some grated Parmesan cheese over the finished dish if desired. Enjoy!
Other Dishes You Might Like
Here are other dishes with either peas or pasta that you might like. Click on each name to link to the recipe.
- Peas and Pasta
- Dill Peas and Potatoes
- Hatch Chile Macaroni and Cheese
- Chicken Piccata
- Baked Chicken and Herbs
| Prep Time | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time | 13 minutes |
| Servings |
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- 4 slices thinly sliced prosciutto
- 8-9 ounce package ravioli stuffed with ricotta (Trader Joe's Cacio de Pepe recommended)
- 1 cup frozen green peas
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 8-10 asparagus stalks, cut thin and on the bias
- 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced into rings
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons butter, divided
- Salt and pepper to taste
- fresh parmesan cheese, grated (optional)
Ingredients
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- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place a sheet of parchment paper onto a baking sheet and then add the prosciutto slices, spreading them out so they do not overlap. Bake for 11-13 minutes or until crispy, turning the baking sheet around after 6 minutes.
- Place a pot of lightly salted water on high heat and bring it to a boil. Add the ravioli and reduce the heat to low. Simmer the ravioli according to the package directions. Add the green peas to the pot and cook during the last minute of the pasta cooking. Then drain the water, leaving the pasta and peas in the pan, and add 1 tablespoon of butter. Stir to melt the butter and coat the pasta with it.
- While the oven preheats and the pasta water comes to a boil, wash and dry the asparagus. Cut off the lower 2-3 inches to remove the tough stalk. Peel and thinly slice the shallot horizontally into rings. Mince a garlic clove or measure 1 teaspoon of pre-minced garlic from a jar.
- Add olive oil to a skillet and heat on medium until hot. Then add the asparagus and shallot. Reduce heat to low and cook until they are wilting and almost tender. Add the garlic and 2 tablespoons butter and continue cooking until the vegetables are tender and the garlic fragrant, about 30-60 seconds. Pour the cooked vegetables into the pot of cooked ravioli. Stir to mix well. Place into a serving dish, if desired. Crumble the prosciutto and sprinkle over the ravioli. Garnish with fresh Parmesan if desired. Serve immediately.
Substitutions
You can substitute 4-5 slices of chopped cooked bacon for the prosciutto.
Servings
This dish will serve 2-3 large appetites or 4 servings with a side or dessert.