Heart Shaped Goat Cheese Ravioli is a vibrant pasta stuffed with tangy goat cheese and spinach, finished with a nutty brown butter sauce. Beet purée gives the dough a rosy hue and subtle earthiness that complements the creamy filling. This heart-shaped ravioli makes a charming vegetarian main for a Valentine’s dinner or any special occasion.
Valentine’s Day is the perfect excuse to make something colorful and heartfelt. This beet-dyed ravioli is satisfying and elegant, pairing beautifully with a crisp white wine. It’s also a simple way to celebrate with a meat-free meal that still feels indulgent and festive.
Ingredients
Pasta Dough
- Beets – Cooked and blended into a paste to color and flavor the dough.
- All-purpose flour – Provides structure and elasticity.
- Egg white – Helps bind the dough and seal the ravioli.
- Egg yolk – Adds richness to the pasta.
- Eggs – Give the dough strength and body.
- Extra virgin olive oil – Adds flavor and improves dough pliability.
Ravioli Filling
- Goat cheese – Creamy, tangy base for the filling.
- Lemon zest – Brightens the filling with citrus notes.
- Nutmeg – A pinch adds warmth and depth.
- Spinach – Chopped and blended for color and mild sweetness.
- Salt – Enhances the flavors.
- Freshly cracked black pepper – Adds a gentle bite.
Sauce
- Butter – Browns to create a nutty, glossy sauce.
- Shallot – Thinly sliced for a mild aromatic bite.
- White wine – Adds acidity and a touch of sweetness.
- Basil leaves – Torn fresh for brightness at the end.
Instructions
Pasta dough
- Blend cooked, peeled beets in a blender or food processor until smooth. Set aside.
- Combine flour, eggs, egg yolk, olive oil, salt, and beet paste in a large bowl. Mix with a fork until it comes together, then knead by hand until smooth. Alternatively, mix the ingredients in a bowl and finish with a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook on low speed until a smooth ball forms.
- Cover the dough and let it rest for 30–45 minutes.
- Divide the dough into quarters and roll each piece into thin sheets with a rolling pin or a pasta machine. Keep the sheets covered while you work.
Filling
- In a blender or food processor, pulse goat cheese, lemon zest, nutmeg, chopped spinach, salt, and pepper until smooth and well combined. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Ravioli
- On a lightly floured surface, use a 3-inch heart-shaped cutter to cut the pasta sheets into 32 hearts (16 tops and 16 bottoms).
- Place a tablespoon of filling in the center of 16 hearts, leaving a clear edge around the filling.
- Whisk the reserved egg white. Brush a thin ring of egg white around the edge of each filled heart, then top with the remaining hearts and press to seal.
- Crimp the edges with a fork to ensure the ravioli are fully sealed. Set aside until ready to cook.
Sauce
- In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the white wine, sliced shallot, and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter foams and begins to brown and the shallots soften, about 8 minutes. Watch closely so the butter doesn’t burn.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the ravioli for about 3 minutes, until they float and are tender. Remove with a slotted spoon.
- Arrange ravioli on plates, spoon the brown butter and shallots over them, and finish with torn basil and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Substitutions
- Whole wheat flour – Use in place of all-purpose flour for a nuttier, heartier dough.
- Red wine – Swap for white wine in the sauce for a deeper flavor profile.
- Ricotta – Replace goat cheese with ricotta for a milder, lighter filling.
Variations
- Spicy – Add red pepper flakes or extra cracked black pepper to the sauce or filling for heat.
- Garlic – Sauté a halved garlic clove with the shallots to add a subtle garlic note to the brown butter.
Equipment
Make these ravioli with common kitchen tools: a blender or food processor, rolling pin or pasta machine, heart-shaped cookie cutter, mixing bowls, measuring cups, a skillet or nonstick pan, tongs, and a large pot for boiling.
Storage
Ravioli are best served fresh. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a skillet with a teaspoon of olive oil over low heat, covering the pan for about 5 minutes and using tongs to separate the pieces as they warm.
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📖 Recipe
Heart Shaped Goat Cheese Ravioli
1 hr
Ingredients
Pasta Dough
- 2 small beets, cooked and peeled (~2 oz)
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 egg white
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
Filling
- 8 oz goat cheese
- 1 tbsp lemon zest, grated
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 2 cups chopped spinach
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cracked pepper
Sauce
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 6 basil leaves, thinly sliced
- Shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano
Instructions
Pasta dough
- Blend beets into a smooth paste and set aside.
- Mix flour, eggs, egg yolk, olive oil, salt, and beet paste until a dough forms; knead until smooth. Rest 30–45 minutes.
- Divide and roll into thin sheets with a rolling pin or pasta machine.
Filling
- Pulse goat cheese, lemon zest, nutmeg, spinach, salt, and pepper until smooth. Set aside.
Ravioli
- Cut pasta sheets into 32 heart shapes. Place filling on half of them.
- Brush edges with egg white, top with remaining hearts, and seal. Crimp with a fork.
Sauce
- Melt butter in a skillet, add wine, shallot, and salt. Cook until butter browns, about 8 minutes.
- Boil salted water and cook ravioli 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon.
- Plate ravioli, spoon brown butter and shallots over them, and finish with basil and Parmigiano-Reggiano.