Delicious Brussels sprouts and ravioli in a rich maple butter sauce with bacon, pecans, and cranberries. Easy, flavorful, and perfect for fall dinners.
Brussels Sprouts and Ravioli in Maple Butter Sauce is a fantastic dish for the holiday season. So easy to make with any refrigerated or frozen ravioli. Simply slice the Brussels sprouts, brown them slightly, cook the ravioli, and then top them with toasted maple pecans and pine nuts in delicious butter sauce.
The goal for this Brussels Sprouts recipe is to cook something season appropriate, add some protein (bacon), carbs (ravioli) and fats (a handful of nuts) for a powerful and comforting combination of a hearty, colorful meal. With some chopping (Brussels sprouts and bacon) and a hint of sweetness (maple syrup) involved.
Why you will love this recipe
- Brussels Sprouts. I first learned to appreciate Brussels sprouts when I made a Brussels Sprout recipe with apples and Gorgonzola cheese. Brussels Sprouts are so crispy, delicious and amazing to work with!
- Easy to make. Brussels Sprouts with Ravioli recipe is incredibly easy to make, yet is impressive and sophisticated.
- Nutrition. Make a nutritious meal in the comfort of your home from fresh ingredients.
Main Ingredients
- Ravioli. First things first, we will be using square, round or any other shape ravioli here. You can choose cheese ravioli or ravioli filled with meat, chicken or even lobster.
- Brussels Sprouts. Slice the spruts thinly into bite sizes so that they are enjoyable to eat.
- Bacon. Chop bacon into small chunks before cooking it to make it easy an painless to cook the bacon! After bacon is cooked, simply pat it dry with paper towel to remove all grease and wipe the pan of any bacon grease as well.
- Butter. Don't be afraid to use more (or less butter) than the recipe calls for. You can also substitute, or combine, with olive oil.
- Salt and pepper. Season well with salt and pepper. Seasoning really get lots of flavor out there!
How to make ravioli Brussels sprouts dinner
1. Cook the ravioli
Boil salted water, add ravioli, and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
2. Crisp the Bacon
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook sliced bacon until crisp, then remove to paper towels. Wipe out bacon grease from skillet.
3. Sauté Shallots and Brussels Sprouts
Add olive oil to skillet. Sauté chopped shallots until translucent. Add thinly sliced Brussels sprouts and cook until lightly browned on one side and tender. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from pan.
4. Make Maple Butter Sauce
Add butter, chopped pecans, pine nuts, and maple syrup to the skillet. Cook over medium heat until butter begins to brown and sauce is fragrant.
5. Combine everything
Reduce heat to low. Add cooked ravioli and Brussels sprouts back into skillet. Toss to coat everything evenly in sauce.
Brussels Sprouts and Ravioli with Maple Butter Sauce
Equipment
- 1 pot
- 1 Skillet 12 inch
- 1 Wooden spatula
- 1 collander or strainer
- 2 paper towels
Ingredients
- salt and pepper
- 1 lb. ravioli cheese, meat or lobster
- 4 strips bacon sliced
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 shallots chopped
- 3 cups brussels sprouts sliced
- ⅓ cup butter
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup pecans chopped
- ½ cup pine nuts
Instructions
- Heat up water in a pot. Once boiling, add ½ teaspoon of salt and ravioli. Cook according to the package instructions until semi soft (al dente).
- Preheat large 12 inch skillet on medium high heat. Add sliced bacon and cook until crisp. Remove bacon pieces into a paper towel.
- Wipe the same skillet and add the olive oil. On medium high heat add the shallots and cook for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Next add the Brussels sprouts. Cook until the sprouts are brownish on at least one side, about 4 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. The Brussels sprouts should be light green in color.
- Remove the Brussels sprouts from the skillet to a dish.
- Add butter to the same skillet, next add pecans, pine nuts, maple syrup and cook over medium heat, cooking until the butter begins to brown, about 3-4 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the ravioli into the sauce. Add cooked Brussels sprouts last and mix everything together. Serve immediately.
Tips and tricks for success
- Rest time. After seasoning the meat, allow it to rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Salting breaks down muscle fibers so they shrink less and retain more juices as they cook.
- Cast iron skillet. Ceramic skillet, Stainless steel skillet or cast iron pan both conduct the heat very well and are perfect to use when making ravioli with Brussels Sprouts.
- Cooked Brussels Sprouts to light green color. Do not overcook the sprouts! As long as you have light browning on one side - this indicates that Brussels Sprouts are soft and ready. Overcooking will lead to Brussels sprouts diminishing in size.
- Add more butter and/or olive oil. You can add more butter as you cook if needed. Olive oil is also a good substitute for butter in this recipe.
Can I make it ahead?
I do not recommend making this ahead, but you can definitely prep the main components of your meal ahead of time and refrigerate them until ready to cook a yummy ravoili dinner!
Storage and leftovers
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheat gently on the stovetop or microwave to avoid overcooking the Brussels sprouts.
- Since maple butter contains butter and maple syrup, keep the sauce refrigerated to maintain freshness and prevent spoilage.
- If maple butter separates, simply stir it back together before reheating.
- For longer storage, you can freeze portions sealed tightly for up to 2 months; thaw in the fridge before reheating.
Emma says
I see shallots in the instructions but not the ingredients list. Love the idea of adding them, how many would you recommend including?
Olya says
Thanks Emma - I added the missing shallots:). I used three and I sliced them thinly.