Lobster Ravioli Sauce Recipe with a Seafood Compound Butter
This creamy lobster ravioli sauce is the perfect easy recipe for any date night or special occasion. Made from whole foods and simple ingredients, this creamy butter sauce is the perfect sauce to top any seafood ravioli.
This simple yet decadent herb butter sauce comes together in under 15 minutes and will become your go to lobster ravioli topping.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
This lobster ravioli sauce recipe starts with a simple compound butter of fresh tarragon, parsley, dill, chives and smoked paprika. While making a compound butter might sound intimidating to some, if you can softened butter and stir a spoon, you can make compound butter.
Homemade compound butter is so smooth, fresh and flavorful that it doesn’t even need the addition of heavy cream to make the creamiest herb butter sauce you’ve ever tasted.
To turn the butter compound into a true butter sauce, we will be whisking in seasoned pasta water vigorously to the melted butter to create the best sauce that is both thick and creamy.
This butter compound sauce can be used on all kinds of seafood like lobster tails, shrimp and scallops as well as chicken for any non-seafood lovers. Experiment with using this sauce on different kinds of fresh pasta to make a variety of dishes.
What You’ll Need:
- Large stock pot- to boil the lobster ravioli
- Small saucepan- to melt compound butter and make the butter sauce
- Whisk or flat whisk (preferred)- to whisk together the melted butter and pasta water
- Chef’s knife- for chopping fresh herbs
- Spider strainer or slotted spoon- to remove the cooked ravioli
- measuring spoons
- rubber spatula or spoon
Optional: - Immersion blender- skip the flat whisk and use an immersion blender to quickly emulsify the melted butter and pasta water
Ingredients:
- Store-bought lobster ravioli (Rana brand is what I used, available most grocery stores) or homemade lobster ravioli
- unsalted butter
- salt
- tarragon
- parsley
- chives
- dill
- smoked paprika
- celery seed
- garlic cloves
- bay leaves
- black peppercorns
How to Make Compound Butter:
Begin with a stick of room temperature unsalted butter or soften cold butter in the microwave making sure not to melt it. As soon as the butter is soft enough to stir and smooth with a spoon, remove it. Chop tarragon, parsley, dill, and chives super fine.
Add the chopped fresh herbs, smoked paprika and salt to the softened butter and stir. The compound butter can be used immediately but it is even better made ahead of time to allow the flavors to marry together.
To store the butter in the fridge: take a piece of parchment paper and roll the compound butter into a log on the parchment paper. Wrap the butter log tightly in the parchment paper and place in the fridge to firm up.
How to Flavor Pasta Water for Lobster Ravioli:
In a large stock pot filled with four quarts of water, add black peppercorns, kosher salt, smashed garlic cloves, bay leaves and celery seed.
Bring the seasoned pasta water to a rolling boil.
Cook store-bought ravioli in the large pot of salted water according to package instructions (typically about 4-5 minutes).
Using a spider strainer or slotted spoon, remove lobster ravioli. Do NOT drain the pasta water. We will use this reserved pasta water to make the butter sauce.
How to Make a Butter Sauce:
To turn the compound butter into a true emulsified butter sauce, pasta water will be whisked quickly into the melted compound butter to create a heavenly creamy lobster ravioli sauce.
The pasta water is essential to thicken the sauce, but for this recipe we will be seasoning the pasta water to not only infuse the lobster ravioli with more flavor as it cooks, but also to add more depth to our butter sauce.
While the lobster ravioli is cooking, begin making the butter sauce by slowly melting the compound butter in a small saucepan over low heat on the stove. Melting the butter takes about the same time as cooking the lobster ravioli, so these two steps can be done at the same time.
When the butter is fully melted, add in 1/4 cup of the seasoned pasta water to the melted compound butter by whisking the melted butter vigorously as you add in the pasta water to “emulsify” them or make the two liquids become one creamy sauce.
Be sure the pasta water you reserve has been strained of any remaining black peppercorns, bay leaves and garlic cloves. An immersion blender can be used in place of whisking and is a much faster way to emulsify the two liquids but a whisk will work as well.
The sauce is emulsified when it is thick and creamy and coats the back of a spoon.
Toss the Cooked Ravioli in the Butter Sauce and Serve:
Add the delicious lobster ravioli to the creamy butter sauce and toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle with finely grated parmesan cheese, fresh chives and fresh parsley if desired.
A simple side salad and slice of garlic bread are the perfect complement to this decadent main dish. Try my one hour pull apart garlic bread for a delicious bread that is a great option for dipping in any leftover lobster sauce.
More Ways to Serve Lobster Ravioli Sauce:
For extra protein consider adding cooked shrimp or extra chunks of lobster meat to the finished sauce and tossing with the cooked lobster ravioli to coat.
Top with additional herbs and spices such as fresh basil, fresh parsley and red pepper flakes for a colorful punch of flavor.
How to Store Leftover Lobster Ravioli:
Lobster ravioli is best served fresh, but leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
More Recipes You May Enjoy:
One Hour Garlic Pull Apart Bread
Mike’s Hot Honey Crispy Fried Chicken
Meatloaf with Bacon Onion Jam Topping Recipe
Printable Recipe:
Lobster Ravioli Sauce Recipe with Seafood Compound Butter
Ingredients
- Seafood Compound Butter:
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons fresh chives
- 1 teaspoon fresh tarragon
- 1 teaspoon fresh dill
- 1 teaspoon parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Pasta Water:
- 4 quarts of water
- 2 smashed garlic cloves peeled
- 1.5 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 mounded teaspoon celery seed
- 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- Ravioli:
- 2-8 oz packages of store bought lobster ravioli such as Rana brand
Instructions
To Make the Compound Butter:
- 1. Chop fresh tarragon, parsley, dill, and chives super fine. To a bowl add softened butter, salt, smoked paprika, chopped tarragon, parsley, dill and chives.
- 2. If using immediately, begin making the seasoned pasta water. If you are preparing the compound butter ahead of time, use parchment paper to roll butter into a log. Wrap tightly in the parchment paper and place in the fridge.
NOTE: Melting the compound butter and cooking the lobster ravioli take the same amount of time, so they can be done at the same time.
Season the Pasta Water for Lobster Ravioli:
- 1. In a large stock pot filled with four quarts of water, add black peppercorns, kosher salt, smashed garlic cloves, bay leaves and celery seed.
- 2. Bring the seasoned pasta water to a rolling boil.
- 3. Cook store-bought ravioli in the large pot of salted water according to package instructions (typically about 4-5 minutes).
- 4. Using a spider strainer or slotted spoon, remove lobster ravioli. Do NOT drain the pasta water. We will use this reserved pasta water to make the butter sauce.
How to Make a Butter Sauce:
- 1. While the lobster ravioli is cooking, begin making the butter sauce by slowly melting the compound butter in a small saucepan over low heat on the stove. Stir and swirl the butter in the pan frequently to avoid burning.
- 2. When the butter is fully melted, add in 1/4 cup of the seasoned and strained pasta water to the melted compound butter by whisking the melted butter vigorously as you add in the pasta water to "emulsify" them or make the two liquids become one creamy sauce.
- 3. An immersion blender can be used in place of a whisk to emulsify the two liquids. This is a much faster way to emulsify the two liquids but a whisk will work as well.
- 4. The sauce is fully emulsified when it is thick and creamy and coats the back of a spoon.
- 5. Toss the cooked ravioli in the finished butter sauce and garnish with parmesan cheese, chives, and parsley. Serve immediately.
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