Olive Garden Ravioli Carbonara (Print Version)

Cheese ravioli in a rich carbonara sauce with pancetta, Parmesan, and parsley—quick and comforting Italian-inspired dinner.

# What You’ll Need:

→ For the Ravioli

01 - 567 grams cheese-filled ravioli (fresh or frozen)
02 - 1 teaspoon salt, for boiling water

→ For the Carbonara Sauce

03 - 113 grams pancetta or bacon, diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 240 milliliters heavy cream
06 - 120 milliliters whole milk, or more cream for extra richness
07 - 50 grams Parmesan cheese, grated
08 - 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
09 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
10 - 2 large egg yolks, whisked
11 - 28 grams unsalted butter

→ For Garnish

12 - 25 grams extra Parmesan cheese, grated
13 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
14 - Cracked black pepper, to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - Fill a large pot with water and add 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil. Add the cheese-filled ravioli and cook according to package instructions: approximately 3-5 minutes if fresh, 8-10 minutes if frozen. Reserve 120 milliliters of pasta cooking water. Drain ravioli and set aside.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook diced pancetta or bacon until crisp, about 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the pancetta or bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Leave approximately 1 tablespoon of rendered fat in the skillet.
03 - Using the same skillet, melt unsalted butter and add minced garlic. Sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Reduce heat to medium-low, then add heavy cream and whole milk. Stir gently for 2 to 3 minutes, allowing the mixture to warm. Add grated Parmesan cheese, black pepper, and salt; whisk until the cheese melts smoothly into the sauce. In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks. Gradually incorporate several tablespoons of the warm sauce into the yolks, whisking constantly to temper. Slowly pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the skillet, stirring continuously. Cook for an additional 2 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
04 - Add the cooked ravioli to the skillet with the carbonara sauce and toss gently to coat. Return the crispy pancetta or bacon to the pan and mix well. If the sauce appears too thick, add some of the reserved pasta water, a little at a time, to reach desired consistency.
05 - Transfer ravioli carbonara to serving plates. Sprinkle with additional grated Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley. Finish with freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Serve immediately for best texture and flavor.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • Uses simple ingredients you already know and love
  • Ready in under thirty minutes even if you start frozen ravioli
  • Crowd pleasing cheesy pasta and crispy bacon flavor
  • Creamy but not too heavy
02 -
  • Rich in protein thanks to egg yolks and bacon
  • Creamy carbonara sauce clings perfectly to every ravioli
  • Great for impressing dinner guests with very little work
03 -
  • Save some pasta water and use it little by little to get sauce just how you like it
  • Freshly grate your parmesan for the best spicy savory kick at the finish
  • Do not overcook the ravioli or they will fall apart when mixing with the sauce and bacon

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