Heart Shaped Goat Cheese Ravioli is a colorful pasta filled with goat cheese and spinach, and topped with a savory brown butter sauce. We used beets to dye the pasta dough and add an earthy flavor to the dish. The goat cheese and beet flavor pair perfectly, making each bite rich & flavorful. Vegetarian or not, you will fall in love with Heart Beet Ravioli this Valentine's Day!
Valentine's Day is here, which means lots of pink, red, and delicious heart-shaped recipes. Valentine's Day is a sweet way to celebrate the people and things you love. We usually plan something fun to do with our dogs and make a tasty dinner. Since one of our personal initiatives this year is to be more eco-friendly & environmentally conscious, we decided to make a vegetarian Valentine's Day pasta. This Heart Beet Ravioli is a healthier, hearty ravioli that pairs perfectly with a glass of white wine.
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Ingredients
Pasta Dough
- Beets - Add pink color and a light earthy flavor to the pasta dough
- All-purpose flour - Provides the gluten needed to give pasta dough its elasticity.
- Egg white - Makes the pasta dough pliable.
- Egg yolk - Adds richness to the pasta dough.
- Eggs - Helps to give the pasta its structure and strength.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Add flavor and makes the dough easier to work with.
Ravioli Filling
- Goat cheese - A strong and earthy cheese.
- Lemon zest - Adds yummy citrus flavor.
- Nutmeg - Provided a light nutty flavor to the filling.
- Spinach - Adds a mild sweetness to the filling.
- Salt - Accentuates the other flavors in the filling
- Freshly cracked black pepper - Adds a spicy kick to the filling.
Sauce
- Butter - Acts as an emulsifier and thickens the sauce.
- Shallot - Provides a light aromatic to the sauce.
- White wine - Adds light sweetness.
- Basil Leaves - Fresh torn basil adds a brightness to the sauce.
Instructions
Pasta dough
- Using a blender or food processor, blend the beets until they turn into a smooth paste. Set the paste aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, eggs, egg yolk, olive oil, salt, & beet paste. Whisk with a fork until the dough comes together. At this point, use your hands to knead the dough until it forms a smooth ball.
- In lieu of needing by hand, you may also whisk the ingredients in a large mixing bowl, then add the dough to a stand mixer with a dough hook and mix on low until the dough forms a smooth ball.
- Once the dough ball forms, place the ball in a clean mixing bowl and cover with a clean kitchen cloth. Let the dough rest for 30-45 minutes.
- After the dough rests, cut the dough into even quarters. Use a rolling pin to roll out each quarter into thin sheets of pasta of equal width and length. You may also use a pasta machine to roll out the dough. Set the four sheets aside.
Filling
- Using a blender or food processor, add the goat cheese, lemon zest, nutmeg, spinach, salt, and pepper. Pulse until the mixture is well-blended and smooth. Scoop into a bowl and set aside.
Ravioli
- Lay the sheets of pasta on a lightly floured surface. Using a 3-inch heart shaped cookie cutter, cut the sheets of pasta into 32 hearts for 16 ravioli. Lay the hearts out into two rows of 16.
- Scoop a tablespoon of the goat cheese mixture onto the center of the first 16 hearts, leaving enough space around the perimeter of the hearts.
- Whisk the leftover egg white in a bowl. Using a brush or your finger, lightly brush the egg whites around the perimeter of the hearts with the filling center. Cover each of the ravioli with the other 16 hearts and seal.
- Using a fork, press around the perimeter of the ravioli to close them completely. Set the ravioli aside.
Sauce
- In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the white wine, shallots, and a pinch of salt. Stir the shallots and heat the butter until it begins to bubble and brown, but not burn, about 8 minutes.
- While the brown butter sauce is cooking, boil salted water for the ravioli in a large pot. Cook the ravioli in the boiling water for 3 minutes and use a slotted spoon to remove them.
- Plate the ravioli and drizzle the brown butter sauce on top. Garnish with fresh basil and grated parmesan cheese or Parmigiano Reggiano.
Substitutions
- Whole Wheat Flour - Replace all purpose flour with whole wheat flour.
- Red wine - use red wine instead of white wine to add more body to the sauce.
- Ricotta - Replace goat cheese with ricotta for a milder tasting cheese.
Variations
- Spicy - Add red chili flakes or fresh cracked black pepper to spice up the sauce.
- Garlic - If you want to add a hint of garlic to the sauce, slice one clove in half, and cook it with the other sauce ingredients.
Equipment
Heart Shaped Ravioli requires common kitchen essentials. To make this pasta, you need a food processor, cheese grater, rolling pin, pasta machine, heart shaped cookie cutter, tongs, mixing bowl, measuring cup, skillet or non-stick pan, and large pot or dutch oven.
If you don't have a food processor, you can use a blender. To easily capture all of the sauce from the blender, use a mini baking silicone spatula to scrape ingredients from the sides of the blender walls.
To explore more kitchen items to make your kitchen complete, head to our Kitchen Essentials Shop.
Storage
Best enjoyed immediately. However, if you have leftovers, store them in an air-tight container and keep in the fridge up to 3 days. To reheat leftovers, heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a pan over low heat. Add the leftover ravioli and use tongs to gently separate the ravioli in the pan to cook. Place a lid on top of the pan and allow it to reheat, about 5 minutes.
Did You Like this Recipe?
If you loved these heart shaped ravioli, rate the recipe and tell me more in the comments below! For more great valentines day and pasta check out Valentines Cookies (heart shaped cookies), Cacio e Pepe with Burrata, Traditional Bolognese Sauce (Ragù alla Bolognese), and Pumpkin Ravioli (Uovo in Raviolo).
Heart Shaped Goat Cheese Ravioli
Ingredients
Pasta Dough
- 2 small beets, cooked and peeled (~2 oz)
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 egg white
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
Filling
- 8 oz goat cheese
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest, grated
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 cups spinach, chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cracked pepper
Sauce
- 4 tablespoon butter
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup white wine
- 6 basil leaves, thinly siced
- Shaved parmigiano-reggiano
Instructions
Pasta dough
- Using a blender or food processor, blend the beets until they turn into a smooth paste. Set the paste aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, eggs, egg yolk, olive oil, salt, & beet paste. Whisk with a fork until the dough comes together. At this point, use your hands to knead the dough until it forms a smooth ball.
- In lieu of needing by hand, you may also whisk the ingredients in a large mixing bowl, then add the dough to a stand mixer with a dough hook and mix on low until the dough forms a smooth ball.
- Once the dough ball forms, place the ball in a clean mixing bowl and cover with a clean kitchen cloth. Let the dough rest for 30-45 minutes.
- After the dough rests, cut the dough into even quarters. Use a rolling pin to roll out each quarter into thin sheets of pasta of equal width and length. You may also use a pasta machine to roll out the dough. Set the four sheets aside.
Filling
- Using a blender or food processor, add the goat cheese, lemon zest, nutmeg, spinach, salt, and pepper. Pulse until the mixture is well-blended and smooth. Scoop into a bowl and set aside.
Ravioli
- Lay the sheets of pasta on a lightly floured surface. Using a 3-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut the sheets of pasta into 32 hearts for 16 ravioli. Lay the hearts out into two rows of 16.
- Scoop a tablespoon of the goat cheese mixture onto the center of the first 16 hearts, leaving enough space around the perimeter of the hearts.
- Whisk the leftover egg white in a bowl. Using a brush or your finger, lightly brush the egg whites around the perimeter of the hearts with the filling center. Cover each of the ravioli with the other 16 hearts and seal.
- Using a fork, press around the perimeter of the ravioli to close them completely. Set the ravioli aside.
Sauce
- In a medium skillet, melt the butter on medium heat. Add the white wine, shallots, and a pinch of salt. Stir the shallots and heat the butter until it begins to bubble and brown, but not burn, about 8 minutes.
- While the brown butter sauce is cooking, boil salted water for the ravioli in a large pot. Cook the ravioli in the water for 3 minutes and use a slotted spoon to remove them.
- Plate the ravioli and drizzle the brown butter sauce on top. Garnish with fresh basil and Parmigiano Reggiano.
Nutrition
Food safety
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
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