Shrimp with ravioli is a quick skillet dinner with tender shrimp, fresh ravioli, and a pesto-tomato pan sauce. It came from my mom, a master at pulling dinner together from whatever’s on hand, and it’s been a family favorite ever since!
More quick shrimp pasta dinners to try:
Photography by BEA MORENO.
Before You Get Started
A few things to know before you start cooking so the dish comes together smoothly:
- Use fresh refrigerated ravioli. It cooks in minutes and holds its texture better than frozen or shelf-stable options.
- Pull the shrimp the second they turn pink. They’ll warm back through when you toss everything at the end, and overcooked shrimp get tough fast.
- Canned tomatoes are just as good outside of peak season. A can of petite diced tomatoes works beautifully when fresh tomatoes aren’t sweet and ripe.
How to Make Shrimp with Ravioli
This is a fast recipe, so gather everything before you start the pan. Once the ravioli hits the water, the whole thing comes together in about 15 minutes!
Step 1: Cook the Ravioli
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the ravioli according to the package instructions. Fresh ravioli usually takes 3 to 5 minutes.
Drain and set aside while you work on the sauce.
→ Spinach, cheese, and lobster ravioli all work well here. Skip beef or sausage-filled ravioli; those richer fillings fight with the shrimp and the bright pan sauce.
Step 2: Sauté the Shrimp
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the shrimp in a single layer and cook, stirring, until they just turn pink and opaque. This only takes 2 to 3 minutes.
Use a slotted spoon to lift the shrimp out to a plate, leaving the oil and any browned bits in the pan. That flavor is the base of your sauce.
⇢ Starting with frozen shrimp? Thaw them quickly in a bowl of cold water for 10 to 15 minutes, then pat dry before they go in the pan. Wet shrimp will steam instead of sear.
Step 3: Build the Pan Sauce
Add the tomatoes to the same skillet and cook, stirring, for 3 to 5 minutes until they soften and release their juices.
Pour in the chicken broth, white wine, and lemon juice, and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes. It should thicken slightly and coat the back of a spoon. Stir in the pesto and butter at the end, just until the butter melts into the sauce.
⇢ No white wine? Swap in an equal amount of chicken broth with a small extra squeeze of lemon. The sauce will still come together; it’ll just be a touch less bright.
Try it another way
tore-bought pesto keeps this fast, but my homemade pesto is worth the extra ten minutes when basil is in season.
Step 4: Combine and Serve
Return the shrimp to the skillet along with the drained ravioli. Toss gently so everything gets coated in the sauce without breaking the ravioli. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Serve right away with a handful of fresh herbs and shaved Parmesan on top.
⇢ Want a little heat? A pinch of crushed red pepper flakes stirred in with the tomatoes adds a nice warm background without overpowering the pesto.
Serving Ideas
A loaf of garlic bread and a crisp Southern Caesar Salad are the easiest way to round out this meal. The bread is non-negotiable in my kitchen; there’s pan sauce you’ll want to soak up.
If you’d rather lean on a green side, any of these work beautifully alongside.
Easy & delicious!
– Karen
Storage and Reheating
Leftovers keep, but this dish is best the day it’s made. Shrimp and cooked pasta don’t love a long stay in the fridge.
Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Reheating: Warm gently in a skillet over low heat, stirring just until heated through. Add a splash of chicken broth or a little extra pesto if the pasta seems dry. Go slow so the shrimp don’t overcook.
Freezing: Not recommended. Cooked ravioli turns gummy after thawing, and the shrimp texture suffers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen shrimp?
Yes. Thaw them first by placing the shrimp in a bowl of cold water for 10 to 15 minutes or by running them under cold water in colander, then drain and pat dry before they go in the skillet. Dry shrimp sear properly; wet shrimp steam and turn rubbery.
Can I make this without the white wine?
Yes. Replace the white wine with an equal amount of chicken broth and add a little extra lemon juice for brightness. The sauce will still come together and taste great.
What if the sauce seems thin?
Let it simmer a minute or two longer before adding the pesto and butter. You’re looking for a sauce that just coats the back of a spoon. If it’s still loose after that, a small knob of extra butter at the end helps it cling to the pasta.
More Quick Shrimp Dinners
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Shrimp with Ravioli
Ingredients
- 1 (9 ounce) package fresh ravioli (spinach, cheese, or lobster all work well)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb. peeled and deveined shrimp
- 1 ½ cups fresh seeded and diced tomatoes (or a 14.5 oz. can of petite diced tomatoes)
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup white wine (or additional chicken broth)
- Juice from ½ of a lemon
- 3 tablespoons prepared pesto sauce, plus extra as needed
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- Optional garnish: chopped fresh parsley or basil; shaved Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cook the ravioli in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- While the ravioli cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the shrimp and cook, stirring, just until they turn pink and opaque, about 2 to 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the shrimp to a plate, leaving the oil in the pan.
- Add the tomatoes to the skillet and cook, stirring, for 3 to 5 minutes until they soften. Stir in the chicken broth, white wine, and lemon juice, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon.
- Stir in the pesto and butter, just until the butter melts into the sauce.
- Return the shrimp and cooked ravioli to the skillet and toss gently to coat. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Stir in extra pesto, if needed, to better coat the ravioli.
- Serve immediately, garnished with fresh herbs and Parmesan if desired.
Notes
- Ravioli: Fresh refrigerated ravioli works best. Spinach, cheese, or lobster are all good choices. Skip beef or sausage fillings; those flavors fight with the shrimp and pan sauce.
- Tomatoes: Fresh tomatoes are ideal in peak summer. Outside of season, a 14.5 oz can of petite diced tomatoes gives you consistently good results.
- Frozen shrimp: Thaw in a bowl of cold water for 10 to 15 minutes, then pat dry before cooking. Dry shrimp sear; wet shrimp steam.
- Don’t overcook the shrimp. Pull them from the pan the moment they turn pink. They’ll warm through again when you toss everything at the end.
- No white wine? Swap in an equal amount of chicken broth with an extra squeeze of lemon.
- Pesto: Store-bought is a fine shortcut. My Homemade Pesto takes about ten extra minutes if you want to make it yourself.
- Add-ins: Stir in a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes with the tomatoes for heat, or finish with chopped fresh parsley, basil, thyme, or chives for a brighter, herbier flavor.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat in a skillet over low heat with a splash of broth or pesto, going slow to avoid overcooking the shrimp. Freezing is not recommended; cooked ravioli turns gummy after thawing.
Nutrition
Originally published in August, 2020, this post was updated in May, 2026.
This is an amazing and recipe till now and shrimp is one of my favourite sea food as well and its looks soo yummy & sound too delicious also…i will made it this weekend from your recipe…..Thanks for sharing….!
Enjoy, Hina! 🙂
I boiled the ravioli in vegetable stock and chicken boullion. I sautéed shallots and garlic before adding shrimp. Instead of white wine I used white wine vinegar. I mixed in basil and parsley as I join everything together. Lastly I added shredded Parmesan cheese at the end. The dish was absolutely delicious!
That sounds perfect!
What is the nutritional info for the recipe???
I need that to calculate for Weight Watchers?
Hi, Margaret! There’s a full nutrition panel that’s automatically generated at the bottom of the recipe box. Hope that helps!
I am making 3 times the amount of ravioli 27oz, Should the recipe be doubled or tripled?
Hi, Fern! Yes, if you want to prepare 27 ounces of ravioli, I would triple all of the ingredients so that the proportions stay the same. So use 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 3 lbs. of shrimp, 4.5 cups of tomatoes, etc. Enjoy!
This recipe is so delicious! I’m curious about the yellow pot shown in the photos. Is it a braiser and what size is it? Thanks
Hi, Kathleen! Yes, ma’am! It’s the 3 1/2 quart Le Creuset braiser in the color called “nectar.” Here’s the link: https://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/le-creuset-nectar-collection/?pkey=s~braiser~20&sbkey=default
I tried to ask you about baking my ravioli in my cream sauce …..it was perfecto…..can I add my raw shrimp & bake as I did…..or will the shrimp be over cooked? Shrimp on the side to be safe ? Scampi style ? & add to my spinach raviolis ….shrimp on top ? 1 hr 15 min cooked my ravioli in cream sauce….dont wanna mess this up !!! Thanks !
Wendy
Hi, Wendy! Cooking the shrimp separately would be the safest, since that way you can control exactly how long you cook them and make sure they’re done to your liking. If you want to bake them with your pasta, I would just wait to add them closer to the end. When you put the shrimp in hot pasta and sauce, they typically only take 5-10 minutes to cook through. Glad you enjoyed it!
Easy & delicious!
Thank you, Karen!
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