The 15-Minute Dinner I’ve Made Hundreds of Times

There’s a common misconception that because I went to culinary school and cook for a living, I must prepare elaborate meals every night—but that couldn’t be further from the truth. When it comes to making dinner, I’m a minimalist: minimal ingredients, minimal prep, and minimal cleanup.

I love a one-pot or one-pan meal, and if I can make it quickly, even better. This recipe is the perfect example of minimalism, using just five ingredients, one pan, 15 minutes start to finish. The combination of cheesy ravioli, tender spinach, and meaty sausage keeps me coming back for more.

The Trick to Making This Dinner Fast

I attribute my minimalist cooking philosophy to my days as a meal kit recipe developer, where I was tasked with creating quick, flavorful dinners with minimal cleanup.

These recipes challenged me to think outside the box and come up with smart, time-saving hacks, which is where I first used this method. Instead of waiting for a large pot of water to boil, the ravioli steams in the skillet with a small amount of water, similar to how you would cook a potsticker, reducing the time and cooking vessels needed.

Another way to save time is by using sausage because it’s a great way to add flavor using one simple ingredient. Speaking of time savers, baby spinach is the perfect tender green to quickly wilt in the skillet and help get some veggies into your dinner—no need to make a side!

How To Make My 15-Minute One-Pan Ravioli

To make four servings, you’ll need:

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
• 18 ounces fresh or frozen cheese ravioli
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• 1 (6-ounce) bag baby spinach
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup (1 3/4 pounces) grated Parmesan cheese

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up as you go, until browned, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the ravioli, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 cup water. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook until the ravioli are al dente, about 4 minutes. Add the spinach and a pinch each of salt and pepper, cover, and cook until the spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes.

Add the cream and simmer, stirring occasionally, until it has reduced slightly and is starting to lightly coat the ravioli, about 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat, stir in half of the Parmesan, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve the ravioli topped with the remaining Parmesan and a few grinds of pepper.

Quick Tips for Making My One-Pan Ravioli

If you’re not a fan of pork sausage, you can swap in fresh Italian chicken sausage instead. Just make sure to remove the sausage casing before adding it to the skillet.

I’m a huge fan of pre-grated Parmesan for convenience, but with a caveat: it’s best to avoid any pre-grated Parmesan with added preservatives and additives because it won’t melt as smoothly and can cause clumping. I prefer store-grated Parmesan because it’s ground up in-store using a hunk of aged Parm without the additives.

I chose straightforward cheese-filled ravioli for this recipe, but the beauty is that it’s versatile and customizable. If you want to switch up the flavor of the ravioli, go ahead. Both fresh and frozen will work, so choose whatever brand or type you normally buy. Or swap for tortellini.