Description
Enjoy a restaurant-style Olive Garden Ravioli Carbonara made with cheese-filled ravioli tossed in a rich and velvety carbonara sauce of crispy pancetta, sautéed garlic, heavy cream, milk, Parmesan cheese, and egg yolks. This creamy Italian-American classic is garnished with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan, perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner or special family meal in about 25 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Ravioli
- 567 grams cheese-filled ravioli (fresh or frozen)
- 1 teaspoon salt, for boiling water
For the Carbonara Sauce
- 113 grams pancetta or bacon, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 240 milliliters heavy cream
- 120 milliliters whole milk (or more cream for extra richness)
- 50 grams Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 2 large egg yolks, whisked
- 28 grams unsalted butter
For Garnish
- 25 grams extra Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- Cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the Ravioli: Fill a large pot with water and add 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring it to a boil, then add the cheese-filled ravioli. Cook fresh ravioli for about 3-5 minutes or frozen for 8-10 minutes until tender. Reserve 120 milliliters of pasta water before draining the ravioli and setting it aside.
- Prepare and Cook Pancetta or Bacon: In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the diced pancetta or bacon until it becomes crisp, about 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the cooked pancetta or bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving about 1 tablespoon of rendered fat in the skillet for the sauce.
- Prepare the Carbonara Sauce: Using the same skillet, melt the unsalted butter and add the minced garlic. Sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Reduce heat to medium-low, then add the heavy cream and whole milk. Stir gently for 2 to 3 minutes to warm the mixture. Add the grated Parmesan cheese, ground black pepper, and salt, whisking until the cheese melts smoothly into the sauce.
- Temper and Add the Egg Yolks: In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Gradually whisk several tablespoons of the warm sauce into the yolks to temper them, preventing curdling. Slowly pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the skillet while stirring continuously. Cook for another 2 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly without scrambling the eggs.
- Combine Ravioli and Sauce: Add the cooked ravioli to the skillet with the carbonara sauce and toss gently to coat each piece. Return the crisp pancetta or bacon to the skillet and mix well. If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water a little at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
- Garnish and Serve: Transfer the ravioli carbonara to serving plates. Sprinkle additional grated Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley over the top. Finish with freshly cracked black pepper to taste and serve immediately for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Save some pasta water to loosen the sauce if it thickens too much.
- Freshly grate Parmesan cheese for the best flavor and aroma.
- Do not overcook ravioli to prevent them from falling apart in the sauce.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated up to three days; reheat gently with a splash of milk or cream.
- Frozen ravioli can be used; adjust cooking time accordingly.
- Bacon can substitute pancetta if unavailable.
- To enrich the sauce further, use all heavy cream or add extra Parmesan cheese.
- Best served immediately to enjoy creamy texture and flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Classic Comfort Foods
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Keywords: Ravioli Carbonara, Olive Garden Copycat, Creamy Pasta, Pancetta Carbonara, Italian-American Dinner, Cheese-filled Ravioli, Comfort Food
