It’s rare that a recipe that boasts a 10-minute cook time actually translates to that in real life. There are usually too many variables to predict prep time anyway— I always do my best to be accurate with time estimates, but it’s definitely an art, not a science, and usually more like a crapshoot. (How fast do you chop? What type of stove do you have? How many kids— and therefore, interruptions— will you be dealing with?)
Thankfully, the fewer variables there are, the less wiggle room you need for interruptions, and this recipe has such a short number of tasks that it’s nearly bullet-proof. Here they are:
Boil water.
Cook ravioli for 3 minutes.
Wash and slice tomatoes.
Melt butter in a pan and gently wilt spinach for 1 minute; add cream.
And you’re done.
Some nights, I’d be totally willing to eat a kind-of gross dinner if the payoff was spending only 10 minutes in the kitchen. But to spend 10 minutes and actually get a delicious (and healthful) meal out of it? Sign me up.
Lobster Ravioli with Spinach & Cherry Tomatoes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4
For Dietary Restrictions
Gluten free: Use gluten-free ravioli or tortelloni.
Dairy free: Use vegan ravioli; use olive oil instead of butter.
Kids Can Help
Wash tomatoes; older kids can stir the pasta and spinach as they cook.
Ingredients
3 8-oz bags of lobster ravioli or 1 25-oz bag of cheese ravioli
1 Tbsp butter
1 5 oz container of baby spinach
1 cup of cherry tomatoes
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup heavy cream
Salt
Directions
Step 1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add ravioli and cook ~4 minutes, or until ravioli reach 160 degrees. Drain; set aside.
Step 2
While ravioli is cooking, quarter the cherry tomatoes and set aside.
Step 3
Heat a medium or large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp butter, then 2 handfuls of spinach. Allow to wilt, stirring occasionally. Add the remaining spinach and stir until all spinach has just wilted; remove from heat.
Step 4
Sprinkle the spinach generously with salt. Add cream, olive oil, and tomatoes to the pan and stir briefly to combine.
Step 5
Portion out the ravioli into bowls (you may need to rinse ravioli in hot water and shake gently to help them come apart; make sure to drain well.) Distribute the spinach, tomatoes, and liquid from the pan evenly over the ravioli. Serve immediately!