I never thought I’d be the kind of person to make lobster ravioli at home — it always sounded like something best left to restaurant chefs. But after trying it once in my kitchen, I realized it’s not as complicated as it sounds.
With a little prep and a calm pace, you can pull this off without any fancy equipment. The lobster filling is rich and buttery, and the creamy garlic sauce pulls everything together.
Here’s exactly how I do it.
Step 1: Gather Your Ingredients
@rappingchefLOBSTER RAVIOLI 🦞😂🎶👨🏾🍳♬ original sound – The Rapping Chef 🎤👨🏾🍳
For the filling, I use
- 1 cup cooked lobster meat, chopped pretty fine
- ½ cup ricotta cheese
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
- A pinch of salt and pepper
- A squeeze of lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon or parsley (optional)
If I have leftover lobster from another dish, that’s ideal — but you can also use frozen tails. Just boil them gently until opaque and let them cool before chopping.
For the dough
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs
- A pinch of salt
- Sometimes I add a drizzle of olive oil if the dough feels dry
I was actually inspired to give it a try after a night out with friends at a bar in Elmwood Park we’d been watching the game, enjoying a few drinks, and by the time I got home, I knew I wasn’t about to flour up the kitchen.
But I still wanted something comforting and impressive. That’s when I started leaning on store-bought pasta sheets — or even wonton wrappers when I’m in a real pinch. They work way better than you’d think, and no one’s ever guessed I didn’t roll the dough myself.
Step 2: Make the Pasta Dough (Or Don’t)
When I have the time and energy, I like making pasta dough from scratch. There’s something kind of satisfying about turning just flour and eggs into something that feels handmade and special.
I pour the flour out onto a clean countertop, make a well in the center, crack in the eggs, and slowly pull the flour in with a fork. Once it starts to come together, I knead it for a good 8 to 10 minutes until it feels smooth and stretchy, then wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest for about 30 minutes.
Step 3: Prepare the Lobster Filling
While the dough is resting, I move on to the filling. I start with freshly cooked lobster meat — or thawed from frozen if that’s what I have — and chop it finely so it spreads easily into the ravioli.
Then I mix it with ricotta cheese, Parmesan, a squeeze of lemon juice, salt, pepper, and a few chopped herbs like parsley or tarragon if I have them in the fridge. I don’t whip it too much — I just gently fold it all together until it’s nicely blended.
Once it’s ready, I put the filling in the fridge to chill. It’s a small step that really helpit’s time to form the ravioli. Cold filling holds its shape better and makes less of a mess when you start assembling.
Step 4: Roll and Fill the Ravioli
After the dough has rested, I cut it in half and start rolling it out. When I want it to be exact, I use my hand-crank pasta roller — but a rolling pin works fine if you go slowly and evenly. I try to roll the dough thin enough that I can see a shadow or light through it, not paper-thin, but thick.
Once the dough is ready, I lay out one sheet and place small spoonfuls of filling about two inches apart. I brush a bit of water around each filling mound with my finger, then gently lay the second sheet of dough on top.
I press the dough down around each pocket, pushing out any air to avoid bubbles that might burst when boiling. Then I cut them into squares using a knife or a fluted cutter if I’m feeling a bit fancy.
If I’m making them ahead of time, I lay the finished ravioli on a baking sheet lined with parchment and dusted with semolina or flour to keep them from sticking.
Step 5: Make the Creamy Garlic Sauce
Now for the sauce — this part honestly brings everything together. In a saucepan, I melt about two tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Once it’s hot, I add two cloves of minced garlic and stir for about 30 seconds — I want them soft and fragrant, not browned.
Then I pour in one cup of heavy cream and let it simmer for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens a bit. Once it’s slightly reduced, I stir in about a quarter cup of grated Parmesan cheese and season the sauce with a bit of salt, pepper, and sometimes a pinch of lemon zest.
If I happen to have a splash of white wine open, I’ll toss that in too for extra flavor.
I keep the sauce warm on low heat so it’s ready when the ravioli are done. It’s smooth, garlicky, and just rich enough without being too heavy.
Step 6: Cook the Ravioli
I bring a large pot of salted water to a boil — enough to give the ravioli space to move without sticking. I cook them in small batches so they don’t crowd each other. It usually takes 3 to 4 minutes for them to cook; they’ll float to the top when they’re ready.
Using a slotted spoon, I gently lift them out and drop them right into the pan with the garlic cream sauce. I swirl the pan a bit to coat them all evenly. The starch from the pasta thickens the sauce just enough to help it cling to the ravioli.
If I’ve made a large batch, I freeze half before cooking. They freeze well in a single layer on a baking sheet, and once solid, I transfer them to a bag or container. When I want them later, I just cook them straight from frozen — they only take a minute or two longer.
Step 7: Plate and Serve
When it’s time to serve, I spoon the ravioli onto warm plates and drizzle a little more sauce on top. I usually add extra Parmesan and a bit of fresh parsley.
If I want to elevate it a little — like for a small dinner party or just to treat myself — I add a tiny drizzle of truffle oil. It’s not required, but it’s one of those touches that makes the dish feel like something from a restaurant.
The final dish is rich, comforting, and full of flavor — tender pasta, creamy filling, buttery garlic, and licorice sauce. Every time I make it, I’m reminded that some of the best meals don’t require going out or ordering in. They just take a bit of patience and a good recipe.
Bottom Line
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This dish feels like something you’d only order at a nice restaurant, but honestly, making it at home is completely doable.
The texture of the fresh pasta, the richness of the lobster, and the creaminess of the garlic sauce — it all just works. I’ve made this for small dinner parties and date nights, and it always gets a great reaction.
Lobster has a reputation for being overpriced or overhyped, but in a recipe like this, it finally earns its keep.
If you’ve never made ravioli before, lobster might seem ambitious, but it’s worth trying at least once. You’ll see how approachable it is, er, that, you’ll probably want to make all kinds of filled pasta.