Hey and welcome back! I am so glad you decided to join me today. This week I am bringing you a super easy dish that is packed with flavor, is super easy on the wallet and is a great Monday night meal. So grab a drink and let’s get cooking!
This week I bring you a meatless meal of sauteed spinach and tomatoes in a creamy alfredo, over top of mozzarella-filled ravioli. This dish is great for a Monday evening when you don’t have time or patience to spend in the kitchen and you don’t want something too heavy. For this dish you will need:
Ravioli (I used mozzarella filled from the refrigerator section)- 2 bags
2 jars Alfredo sauce – I prefer Bertoli if I am using store-bought
1 container cherry tomatoes
2 cups spinach (add more if you want)
1 stick of butter
1 clove garlic minced
Salt and pepper
Sourdough bread
This dish prepares fast. Put on the water to boil for the ravioli. In a saucepan melt about 2-3 tablespoons butter. While the butter is melting slice cherry tomatoes in half and begin adding to the pan as you cut them. Let the tomatoes simmer for about 2-3 minutes. Now add your minced garlic and spinach and toss until wilted and then add the alfredo sauce. Let the sauce simmer for a few minutes and just like that the sauce is done!
When you add your ravioli to the water, set a timer for a minute or two less than what the package says — I have learned the hard way if you let the ravioli boil until the time the package says at least one or two end up bursting open and it makes a mess. Drain the ravioli once it is done and serve with the sauce on top. I like to serve dishes like this with some crusty toasted sourdough bread.
To make the bread I melt the remainder of the stick of butter and brush it on the pieces of bread and top with a little garlic salt. Put the bread on a cookie sheet under the broiler for 1-2 minutes and the dinner is served.
When I talked to Annie and Clay at The Village Wine Shop about a wine pairing for this dish here is what they had to say, “To pair with any tomato-based dish, pizza, or BBQ, we have chosen Juan Benegas Malbec, from Mendoza, Argentina.
Extremely popular, Argentinian Malbec is an inky, medium-bodied, dry red wine with strong impressions of dark fruits on the nose and palate. This wine tends to have mellower tannins than its French counterpart. Starkly different from French versions in structure and flavor, this wine is a good investment for collectors, as the wine can age for several years before drinking. This wine also pairs very well with any savory red meat dish— particularly dishes that include spice.
This black fruit forward grape is bold yet smooth, medium body, semi-dry and soft. Grab a ravioli, chew a bit, then sip the Malbec right after. The dance is incredible and super tasty!”
Earlier I mentioned this is a meal that is packed with flavor and won’t hurt the wallet either. I did the math and this meal came out to $24.23 and should feed a family of four — that’s $6.06 per person!! You can make this meal your own in so many ways — add mushrooms to bulk it up or chicken or shrimp if you want meat.
At our house, we try to have meatless meals here and there and it’s fun to find new ways to do that. Whatever you do make this dish your own and as always I am sending love from my kitchen to yours!
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