dinner gluten-free vegetarian

Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Zucchini Ravioli

June 5, 2014

Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Zucchini Ravioli – a healthy, veggie swap for traditional pasta! This recipe makes a great low-carb dinner with an extra veggie punch.Spinach and Ricotta Zucchini Ravioli - a healthy, veggie swap for traditional pasta! This recipe makes a great low-carb dinner with an extra veggie punch.

Every ounce of me wanted to call these babies “Zavioli” but for SEO purposes I stuck to Zucchini Ravioli. But let’s make zavioli a thing, ok?

What are Zoodles?

Zoodles are zucchini noodles. While they aren’t a perfect match to fresh pasta, they’re a great alternative for those eating low-carb, avoiding grains or just want more veggies in their life! They can be made with a peeler or a knife but it is exponentially easier if you use a spiralizer. Lucky for you, when I created this recipe I didn’t have a spiralizer yet so all it takes is a peeler, steady hands and 5 minutes of patience.

 

Ingredients in Stuffed Zucchini Ravioli

  • zucchini
  • baby spinach
  • olive oil
  • garlic clove
  • dried basil
  • ricotta
  • tomato sauce
  • salt and pepper

Spinach and Ricotta Zucchini Ravioli // thehealthymaven.com

How to Make Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Zucchini Ravioli

Start by making your zoodles! Use a vegetable peeler to peel the zucchini into strips. Pro tip: go slowly and be patient! It’s way better to take your time and have a bunch of perfect zoodles than to rush and have to redo them! In a sauce pan, wilt your spinach and then add the garlic and dried basil. Take two of your zucchini noodles and criss cross them to make a “T”. Add one tablespoon of ricotta to the center of the “T” and one teaspoon of the spinach mixture. Fold and tuck the ends of the zucchini so the cheese and spinach are enclosed. Top with salt and pepper and bake for 20 minutes at 350º. In less than 30 minutes, you’ve got a fun and healthy dinner recipe!

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Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Zucchini Ravioli

Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Zucchini Ravioli – a healthy, veggie swap for traditional pasta! This recipe makes a great low-carb dinner with an extra veggie punch.

  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: serves 4

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 large zucchini
  • 4 cups baby spinach
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1 container light ricotta (475 grams)
  • 1/2 cup tomato sauce of choice
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Using a peeler, peel zucchini into strips. Discard ones that are too thin.
  3. In a large pan, add spinach and top with olive oil. Cook on medium-high heat until wilted.
  4. Add in garlic and saute for one more minute.
  5. Stir in dried basil.
  6. Take two piece of zucchini and place one on top of the other to create a “T”.
  7. Add 1 tablespoon of ricotta to the center of the “T” and top with 1 teaspoon of spinach.
  8. Take one side of the bottom strip and fold over center. Take the other side of the bottom strip and fold over the other piece covering the center.
  9. Take one side of the top piece and fold over the center (tucking in if possible) and then fold the other side of the top piece and fold it over the other side covering the center (tucking in if possible).
  10. Repeat until all zucchini, ricotta and spinach has been used (mine made 20 ravioli).
  11. Place zucchini in a large oven-proof pan and top with salt and pepper.
  12. Bake for 20 minutes.
  13. Remove from oven and top with tomato sauce or sauce of choice.

Spinach and Ricotta Zucchini Ravioli - a healthy, veggie swap for traditional pasta! This recipe makes a great low-carb dinner with an extra veggie punch.

Like this recipe? Try these other simple dinner recipes:

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    • Reply
      Davida Kugelmass
      June 9, 2014 at 10:01 pm

      Hi Kristen! Thanks for sharing. Yes, I read that post a couple of years ago and actually bought a julienner peeler but it still took quite a long time and when you get down to the end it can be hard to continue peeling. I also lack patience so that’s probably the main problem 😉

  • Reply
    Tara | Treble in the Kitchen
    June 9, 2014 at 12:35 pm

    yum yum yum! I tried doing something like this once and it totally did NOT turn out…ha! Guess I’ll have to try again. Also, what brand of tomato sauce did you use?! I have the hardest time finding sugar free. 🙂

  • Reply
    Kelly - LEFT SIDE OF THE TABLE
    June 9, 2014 at 9:31 am

    I’m a huge HUGE fan of spaghetti squash, and i’ve wanted to try zucchini noodles. I’m happy I don’t need the fancy schmancy spiralizer for this recipe! I saw this recipe on your FB page on Friday, fell in love. I just love how you rolled them up, and tucked the cheese in the middle. So fresh, and guilt free which is perfect for that spaghetti fix in the summer. Thanks Miss Davida 😀

  • Reply
    Nicole @ Foodie Loves Fitness
    June 6, 2014 at 2:47 pm

    Well, this recipe is right up my alley! Zucchini is one of my favorite veggies. I just made zucchini cakes a few nights ago actually, and zucchini ravioli sounds fab! I don’t have a spiralizer either but totally want one. Have a great weekend, Davida!

  • Reply
    Mary Frances
    June 6, 2014 at 12:16 pm

    Zavioli – I love it. Oh the things we do for SEO. *sigh*
    I do not have a spiralizer. My parent’s eyes might roll back in their head if we got another kitchen gadget lol! But I’ve always loved the idea of veggie noodles. Totally giving this idea a try! You are definitely resourceful (and not at all thrifty or cheap because I’ve totally gotten that before 😉 )

  • Reply
    Joanne
    June 6, 2014 at 8:24 am

    I don’t have a spiralizer either!! And sometimes I feel like it is ruining my life. But you’ve given me a new sense of hope with these zaviolis!!

  • Reply
    Megan @ The Skinny-Life
    June 5, 2014 at 8:38 pm

    These are gorgeous like zucchini sushi!

    • Reply
      Davida Kugelmass
      June 7, 2014 at 10:27 am

      Zucchini sushi!! Zushi! I think you just coined a new name 😉

  • Reply
    Alison @ Daily Moves and Grooves
    June 5, 2014 at 8:34 pm

    How fancy! Spiralizers do seem overrated and mono-functional.
    My family is usually pretty resourceful. When we try to buy expensive things like a bread maker or snow cone machine, they just end up in the basement.

  • Reply
    Amanda
    June 5, 2014 at 8:25 pm

    Oh my… I WANT THIS RIGHT NOW!!!!

  • Reply
    Chelsea @ Chelsea's Healthy Kitchen
    June 5, 2014 at 7:42 pm

    I got a spiralizer for Christmas, made “zoodles” once, and I spent the next 2 days with a stomach ache, I kid you not haha. Although perhaps it’s the fact that I served the zucchini noodles with a lentil pasta sauce… talk about fibre overload. Next time I’ll definitely stick to meat or cheese as my protein to minimize the fibre. So basically this recipe looks perfect. Can’t wait to try it!

  • Reply
    Miss Polkadot
    June 5, 2014 at 6:15 pm

    Laady, you’ve outdone yourself – if that’s even possible. Good idea here especially because I’ve been buying tonnes of zucchini and will likely tire of using them in stews and stir-fries only sometime soon.
    Resourceful? Yes, that’d be me. My family might go with stingy there but nobody’s listening to them in that point. On that note: no, I don’t own a spiralizer though have already decided I’ll let my mum know to give Santa a hint this year. But you don’t absolutely need one: I got the cheapest julienne peeler I could find and it works a charm plus doesn’t take ages. Because I’d have no patience for that.

  • Reply
    Amy @ Elephant Eats
    June 5, 2014 at 3:43 pm

    While I agree that zucchini really can never be a pasta substitution, I think that these look pretty tasty in their own right! And I think you’re smart not to spend money on a spiralizer…how much use could you possibly get out of that thing before you’re sick of spiral veggies.

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