For the best Garlic Butter Cream Sauce for Lobster Ravioli, try this easy recipe. This quick 15-minute pan sauce rivals any fancy Italian restaurant. It is a must have. After all, butter & lobster are the dream team!
This is my #1 recipe on Pinterest for good reason - it is fantastic! Try it and see why thousands save this recipe every month & leave rave reviews.
Wondering why this sauce is best for lobster ravioli? It's simple, it has rich luscious flavors to complement the delicate shellfish filling. But don't stop there - this sauce is so good you will be making it for every kind of ravioli or tube pasta shape (rigatoni is my second favorite for this!)
When recipe testing for this, I tried different browned butter sauces, garlic lemon sauces, and other cream sauces. I liked them but was not totally "wowed". So I created the perfect combination of all three and you are going to LOVE IT!
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Ingredients for Lobster Ravioli Sauce
This shallot cream sauce recipe calls for only a few ingredients. It is important to use good quality & full-fat ingredients so it really shines & is to die for.
- Salted Butter - the base for the sauce.
- Heavy Cream - to thicken & make this creamy ( do not substitute with low-fat or fat-free)
- Shallots - the mellow sweet onion-like flavor pairs beautifully with garlic.
- Garlic - the classic Italian ingredient for a kick of pungent flavor.
- Brandy - my secret ingredient that elevates this to 5-star restaurant flavor. (alcohol-free substitution is shared below)
- Lobster Ravioli - rich seafood stuffed pasta, try your favorite store brand or get it fresh at an Italian market or pasta shop. Try Trader Joe's, Rana, Costco, or Three Bridges.
- Salt & Pepper - season to taste.
- Shaved Parmesan - the perfect sharp Italian cheese topping.
- Fresh Parsley - optional topping.
NOTE: Lobster ravioli is typically a fresh pasta either made homemade or store-bought. Lobster ravioli is perishable so I suggest using it within a few days of bringing it home.
See the recipe card for amounts & full instructions.
How to Make Garlic Butter Sauce for Lobster Ravioli
By the time the fresh pasta is done cooking, the sauce has come together. This simple recipe is ready in 15 minutes making it ideal for even a busy weeknight.
Here are the easy steps for making lobster ravioli & a garlic butter cream pan sauce:
- Boil the Lobster Ravioli
- Make the Brown Butter
- Saute the Garlic & Shallots
- Finish the Sauce
- Combine the Ravioli & Sauce
1 - Boil the Lobster Ravioli
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add a large pinch of salt. Cook the store-bought premade ravioli to al dente according to the directions on the package. Make sure not to overcook the fresh ravioli so it doesn't fall apart and the filling starts to come out.
** WHILE THIS IS COOKING START THE SAUCE SINCE IT DOESN'T TAKE LONG TO MAKE IT **
2 - Make the Brown Butter
Grab a skillet that will be large enough to make the sauce and hold all the cooked ravioli, start warming it up on medium heat. Add the butter and stir to melt.
Be sure to not leave it unattended so that it doesn't burn. Once it is melted, lower the temperature to medium-low. You will want to brown the butter but not too dark.
Once the butter is foaming and golden brown in color, turn the heat down to low. You do not want it a dark brown color as it will continue to cook when adding the other ingredients.
3 - Saute the Garlic & Shallots
Next, add the garlic and shallots to the butter sauce. Cook for 1 minute and stir constantly. You want them to soften and infuse flavor into the butter.
4 - Finish the Sauce
Depending on if you want to use brandy or lemon juice, it will be a different time when you add it to the cream sauce. When using brandy, add it before the cream.
For Brandy Cream Sauce
Once the garlic and shallots have just started to brown, it is time to add the brandy. Add it to the pan.
Cook for 1 minute to allow the alcohol to cook a bit off. The last step will be to add the cream and season with salt & pepper to taste. The beautiful pink color of this sauce will come together.
For Lemon Butter Sauce
If you want a lemon cream sauce for lobster ravioli, simply omit the brandy and replace it with fresh lemon juice.
Next, stir in the heavy cream and combine. The last step will be to turn the heat of the pan off add the lemon juice and stir. This goes in at the end so the sauce does not curdle.
5 - Combine the Ravioli & Sauce
So that the ravioli does not fall apart or break open, use a slotted spoon to transfer a few at a time from the pot to the pan. If you drain over a colander, save some of that pasta liquid.
Add the cooked lobster ravioli in a single layer over the browned butter cream sauce. Spoon in the reserved pasta water. This will help thicken the sauce and make it a bit sticky to adhere to the portions of ravioli. Finally, gently stir the sauce over the pasta to coat.
Look at that beautiful pink color. Plus it smells so good thanks to the brandy & garlic. You will not be able resist taking a bite right away - after all someone has to taste test, right?
Plate in a pasta bowl and top with shaved parmesan and fresh parsley. Enjoy immediately while the sauce is warm.
HINT: Next time plan to make my homemade ciabatta bread to sop up all this divine sauce.
Storing & Reheating
It is best to eat this lobster ravioli and cream sauce immediately. Place the leftover lobster ravioli that has been sauced in an air-tight container & refrigerate for up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing, cream sauces do not freeze well.
To reheat, microwave on low and add a touch more cream to bring the sauce back to a creamy texture; otherwise, the cream does separate and it is more of a butter sauce.
What to Serve with Lobster Ravioli
For the best side dishes to make and go well with this lobster ravioli recipe, try some of these ideas.
This is the perfect gourmet recipe for date night, anniversaries, birthdays, & dinner parties. It can be doubled for a large crowd or holidays.
If you love it at Olive Garden or Carrabas, this recipe will blow you away - 100x better!
FAQ
The creamy butter lobster dish is rich which pairs well with a buttery wine like Chardonnay.
There are a lot of great make-ahead pasta dishes, such as lasagna and pasta al forno. However, anything with a cream sauce is always best made fresh. I do not advise making this recipe ahead of time.
This pasta is wonderful with any seafood pasta dish. It would be great with shrimp pasta or crab ravioli too.
But if seafood is not your thing, try it with any Try it with mushroom, truffle, butternut squash, or pumpkin. It's delicious on tortellini, linguini, penne, or spaghetti.
Garlic Butter Cream Sauce for Lobster Ravioli
Ingredients
- 1 package lobster ravioli 8-10 oz package
- 3 Tablespoon salted butter
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 small shallot minced (about 2 Tablespoons)
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 Tablespoon brandy
- salt & pepper to taste
- 2 Tablespoons reserved pasta water
- ¼ cup shaved parmesan
- fresh parsley optional topping
- lemon juice optional to replace brandy if you do not use alcohol
Instructions
- Prepare garlic and shallot by mincing, set aside.
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add a large pinch of salt. Cook the ravioli to al dente according to the directions on the package. Drain the pasta, reserving about ¼ cup of the cooking water.You can start making the sauce at this time since it only takes about 10 minutes to make it.
- Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring. Once it is melted, lower the temperature to medium-low. Continue to stir and cook for 1 minute.Once the butter is foaming and golden brown in color, turn the heat down to low. You do not want it a dark brown color as it will continue to cook along with the other ingredients.
- Next, add the garlic and shallots. Cook for 1-minute stirring. You want them to soften and infuse flavor into the butter, not turn brown.
- If using brandy, add it now. Cook for 1 minute to allow the alcohol to cook a bit off. (DO NOT add lemon juice at this point if you are using that instead of brandy)
- Add the cream and season with salt & pepper to taste.
- OPTIONAL - If using lemon juice instead of brandy, turn the heat of the pan off and add that now. Stir to combine.
- Add the pasta water 1 TB at a time, stirring consistently. Cook until the sauce is creamy & evenly combined. Add the ravioli and gently toss to coat. I like to use tongs at this point.
- Serve with plenty of freshly shaved parmesan & parsley. Enjoy!
Notes
- Serve with any type of ravioli, tortellini, or stuffed pasta shape.
- Omit the brandy for an alcohol-free pasta sauce. Lemon juice can be used instead in the final step.
- The below information is an estimate since each brand/package of lobster ravioli can vary in calories, fat, protein, etc.
- The SAUCE ONLY for 2 servings comes in at 400 calories, 37g fat, 211mg salt, 3.5g carbs, & 5.5g protein.
Nutrition
More Italian Pasta Recipes
For more ideas like this, try these other quick & easy pasta recipes:
Emma says
Wow. You are right this sauce is worth scraping ever last bit off your plate. I followed the exact recipe with brandy and it was probably the best pasta dish I have ever made at home. Crazy good.
Caroline Parrott says
OMG that sauce looks amazing. While I am not a ravioli fan, I'm intrigued enough to make the sauce and drink it. . . just kidding, but maybe make it and add shrimp or scallops for a quick cook? What do you think of that?
Angela says
Yes, you can do that. I was just daydreaming today about making this with some steak tips, sauteed onions, and mushrooms. You can try it on other pasta or low-carb/gluten-free variations like spaghetti squash or Palmini (which I personally love). Please let me know how it goes and what you think of the sauce.
Bridget says
We had a brandy cream sauce at a restaurant with lobster ravioli last month for my anniversary. My husband keeps talking about how great it was and we had to figure out how to make it at home. I cannot figure this kind of stuff out but I can Google. This looked like it was close so I made it. My husband could not stop saying "wow". We both agree with a lot of wows. It is so good.