Healthy Ravioli with Walnuts

Did you know that walnuts can help protect you against heart disease? All the more reason to add a serving of walnuts wherever you can, and this Healthy Ravioli with Walnuts is a perfect place to add them. This traditionally heavy dish becomes lighter and healthier with lemons, asparagus, and spinach.

As you can probably guess, with lemon, spinach, and asparagus, this dish is super tasty, too. The lemon brightens up the recipe and brings just enough tartness to balance the salty Parmesan. And asparagus lends itself well to many pasta dishes, as do walnuts.

I like to lightly toast the walnuts in a frying pan over medium heat. Give them a shake or stir regularly if you do this, otherwise the walnuts will burn. It only takes a few minutes and toasting brings out more complex flavors. However, you don’t have to toast them. Either way, they bring a nice texture to the dish.

Another thing I love about this Healthy Ravioli with Walnuts recipe is that it’s quick. I love spending time in the kitchen letting a recipe come together slowly over good conversation, but that’s not always a realistic option. Some nights, I just need to get food on the table, and this is a tasty way to do it. Plus, clean up is a breeze, and that’s always a bonus!

Now then, how do you serve this Healthy Ravioli with Walnuts recipe? To be honest, I love this with a glass of water or a dry white wine. That provides plenty of room for all of the lemony, nutty, cheesy flavors to shine. A simple side salad is nice, too. Just some garden-fresh lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumber is lovely.

Healthy Ravioli with Walnuts

This quick and easy Healthy Ravioli with Walnuts is a delicious meal you’ll love to make with your heart in mind.

• Author: Addie Gundry
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 2 1x
• Category: Entrées

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 pound asparagus, cut into thirds
• 1 (8-ounce) package fresh regular, whole-wheat, or gluten-free ravioli
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup walnuts
• 2 tablespoons fresh minced parsley
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
2. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped asparagus to the pan, stir slightly to coat the asparagus with butter, and cover with the pan with a lid. Cook for 4 minutes.
3. While the asparagus is cooking, add the ravioli to the boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain and add to a bowl.
4. When the asparagus is done, remove with a slotted spoon. Add the asparagus to the bowl of ravioli. There will be some browned butter left in the bottom of the pan.
5. Add the lemon juice to the pan and season with salt and pepper.
6. Pour the butter-lemon sauce over the cooked ravioli and asparagus.
7. Add the walnuts, parsley, and Parmesan cheese and toss gently to combine.

Have you had a chance to make this Healthy Ravioli with Walnuts recipe? What did you think of it?