Ravioli, cheese-filled, with meat sauce
Common food
Photo: Wikipedia
Plump pasta pillows, typically made with egg dough, are stuffed with a creamy cheese filling (often ricotta) and generously coated in a rich, savory meat sauce (ragù). The texture is a delightful contrast between the tender, slightly chewy pasta and the smooth, molten cheese center, all enveloped in a hearty, umami-packed sauce. At 137 kcal per 100g, it's a moderately energy-dense dish where the protein from both the cheese and meat contributes to its satisfying nature.
Calorie split: 18% protein · 41% carbs · 40% fat
↓ Full nutrition💚 Why it's loved
People adore the comforting, hearty combination of textures and flavors—the soft pasta, creamy cheese, and rich meat sauce create a deeply satisfying, classic Italian comfort food. It's also incredibly versatile, serving as a standalone main course or a luxurious first course, and is deeply embedded in family meals and celebrations.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
The refined carbohydrates in the pasta can cause blood-sugar spikes, and the dish can be high in sodium and saturated fat from the cheese and meat sauce. To counteract this, pair it with a large, fiber-rich green salad dressed with vinegar or lemon juice to slow digestion, practice portion control, and consider using a leaner meat (like turkey) or a vegetable-heavy sauce.
Key benefits
- Provides a complete protein source from both pasta and cheese filling.
- Contains calcium and phosphorus from the dairy-based filling.
- Offers B vitamins (like B12) from the meat sauce and egg pasta.
- The combination of protein and fat promotes satiety.
- Can be a source of iron from the meat component.
🍽️ 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 written record of the dish is in a 14th-century Italian manuscript.
Full nutrition (USDA data · scales with serving)
| Water | 71.0 g |
| Energy | 137 kcal |
| Protein | 6.4 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 6.1 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 14.3 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 0.80 g |
| Total Sugars | 1.4 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 64.0 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 1.4 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 15.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 89.0 mg |
| Potassium, K | 176 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 598 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 0.85 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.06 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 8.0 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 1.9 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.13 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.18 mg |
| Niacin | 1.5 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.08 mg |
| Folate, total | 24.0 ug |
| Folic acid | 14.0 ug |
| Folate, food | 11.0 ug |
| Folate, DFE | 34.0 ug |
| Choline, total | 39.6 mg |
| Vitamin B-12 | 0.35 ug |
| Vitamin B-12, added | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 62.0 ug |
| Retinol | 55.0 ug |
| Carotene, beta | 75.0 ug |
| Carotene, alpha | 1.0 ug |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 2.0 ug |
| Lycopene | 3404 ug |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 58.0 ug |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.76 mg |
| Vitamin E, added | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3) | 0.30 ug |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 3.2 ug |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0.00 g |
| Caffeine | 0.00 mg |
| Theobromine | 0.00 mg |
Fat & fatty acid profile (per 100g)
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 2.5 g |
| SFA 4:0 | 0.05 g |
| SFA 6:0 | 0.04 g |
| SFA 8:0 | 0.03 g |
| SFA 10:0 | 0.06 g |
| SFA 12:0 | 0.07 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.27 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 1.4 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 0.55 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 2.1 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.12 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 2.0 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.01 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 0.78 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 0.70 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.05 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
Is cheese-filled ravioli with meat sauce a good source of protein?
Yes, it provides a good amount of protein from both the cheese filling (like ricotta) and the meat in the sauce, making it a more substantial meal than plain pasta.
How can I make this dish healthier?
You can boost nutrition by using whole-wheat pasta, adding finely chopped vegetables (like mushrooms, spinach, or carrots) to the meat sauce, and serving it with a large side salad to increase fiber intake.
What is the difference between this and other stuffed pastas?
While similar to tortellini or cappelletti, ravioli is typically larger and square or round. The specific combination of a cheese filling with a separate meat sauce is a classic preparation that highlights the contrast between the two components.
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 1.37 kcal/g · 19% calories from protein · 0.8 g fiber · 1.4 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: 3.40 (lower is better — aim for ≤ 1)
Sodium:potassium per WHO potassium guidance. Computed from USDA nutrients.