Ravioli, cheese and spinach-filled, with cream sauce
Common food
Photo: Wikipedia
These are delicate, half-moon pasta parcels generously stuffed with a creamy blend of ricotta cheese and earthy spinach. Each bite offers a satisfying contrast between the tender, al dente pasta and the rich, savory filling, all coated in a velvety, indulgent cream sauce. With a balanced profile of protein and carbohydrates, it's a comforting yet substantial meal.
Calorie split: 15% protein · 43% carbs · 42% fat
↓ Full nutrition💚 Why it's loved
People adore it for the perfect marriage of rich, cheesy filling and the luxurious, coating cream sauce, creating a deeply comforting experience. It's a beloved classic that evokes feelings of home-cooked Italian comfort food, making it a versatile favorite for both quick weeknight dinners and special occasions.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
The combination of refined pasta and cream sauce can lead to a rapid blood-sugar spike, and the dish is often high in sodium and saturated fat. To counteract this, pair it with a large side of non-starchy vegetables (like a simple arugula salad) to add fiber, and practice mindful portion control by starting with a single serving.
Key benefits
- Provides a good source of protein from cheese and pasta.
- Offers calcium for bone health from the dairy filling.
- Contains iron and vitamins from the spinach component.
- Delivers quick energy from its carbohydrate content.
- A comforting, satisfying meal that can support portion control.
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
The word 'ravioli' likely derives from the Italian 'riavvolgere,' meaning 'to wrap,' and the earliest known mention of a similar stuffed pasta is in a 14th-century letter from an Italian merchant.
Full nutrition (USDA data · scales with serving)
| Water | 70.3 g |
| Energy | 145 kcal |
| Protein | 5.6 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 6.7 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 15.7 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 0.70 g |
| Total Sugars | 1.8 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 91.0 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 1.3 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 25.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 100 mg |
| Potassium, K | 176 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 398 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 0.55 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.04 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 7.4 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 3.0 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.16 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.21 mg |
| Niacin | 1.1 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.08 mg |
| Folate, total | 37.0 ug |
| Folic acid | 16.0 ug |
| Folate, food | 21.0 ug |
| Folate, DFE | 48.0 ug |
| Choline, total | 43.9 mg |
| Vitamin B-12 | 0.30 ug |
| Vitamin B-12, added | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 126 ug |
| Retinol | 83.0 ug |
| Carotene, beta | 513 ug |
| Carotene, alpha | 1.0 ug |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 3.0 ug |
| Lycopene | 0.00 ug |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 1111 ug |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.87 mg |
| Vitamin E, added | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3) | 0.80 ug |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 71.2 ug |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0.00 g |
| Caffeine | 0.00 mg |
| Theobromine | 0.00 mg |
Fat & fatty acid profile (per 100g)
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 2.3 g |
| SFA 4:0 | 0.05 g |
| SFA 6:0 | 0.04 g |
| SFA 8:0 | 0.02 g |
| SFA 10:0 | 0.06 g |
| SFA 12:0 | 0.07 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.22 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 1.3 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 0.54 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 2.4 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.07 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 2.4 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.01 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 1.3 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 1.1 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.11 g |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.01 g |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.00 g |
| Cholesterol | 60.0 mg |
Amino acid profile (per 100g)
Estimated from OLIVE GARDEN, cheese ravioli with marinara sauce — USDA does not publish this profile for Ravioli.
| Tryptophan | 0.17 g |
| Threonine | 0.28 g |
| Isoleucine | 0.32 g |
| Leucine | 0.67 g |
| Lysine | 0.51 g |
| Methionine | 0.18 g |
| Cystine | 0.12 g |
| Phenylalanine | 0.36 g |
| Tyrosine | 0.26 g |
| Valine | 0.38 g |
| Arginine | 0.31 g |
| Histidine | 0.17 g |
| Alanine | 0.26 g |
| Aspartic acid | 0.54 g |
| Glutamic acid | 2.0 g |
| Glycine | 0.20 g |
| Proline | 1.0 g |
| Serine | 0.40 g |
| Hydroxyproline | 0.00 g |
FAQ
Can I make this dish ahead of time?
Yes. You can assemble the ravioli and refrigerate them (uncooked) for up to a day, or freeze them on a tray before bagging. Cook from frozen, adding a minute or two to the boiling time. The cream sauce is best made fresh but can be gently reheated.
What's a good substitute for the cream sauce?
For a lighter version, try a simple brown butter and sage sauce, a fresh tomato and basil sauce, or even just a drizzle of high-quality olive oil with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Is this suitable for a vegetarian diet?
The cheese and spinach filling is vegetarian, but you must check the pasta dough ingredients. Traditional fresh pasta contains eggs, which is fine for most vegetarians. For a vegan version, you would need plant-based pasta and a dairy-free filling.
Nutrient density (calculated · NRF9.3)
Nutrient Rich Foods index: beneficial nutrients (protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals) minus saturated fat, added sugar & sodium, per 100 kcal.
NRF9.3 index — Fulgoni, Keast & Drewnowski, 2009. Computed from USDA nutrients.
Weight-loss friendliness (composite index)
Energy density 1.45 kcal/g · 15% calories from protein · 0.7 g fiber · 1.8 g sugar per 100 g.
Composite of energy density (Rolls et al., 1999), protein & fiber satiety, minus sugar. A calculated heuristic — ranks satiety-per-calorie, not a clinical measure.
Dietary load (calculated from USDA values)
Potential renal acid load. Positive = acid-forming, negative = alkaline-forming.
Sodium-to-potassium ratio: 2.26 (lower is better — aim for ≤ 1)
Sodium:potassium per WHO potassium guidance. Computed from USDA nutrients.