Fried ravioli! These are so yummy, it’s almost ridiculous. They’re oh-so-crispy on the outside, and oozing with creamy, molten cheese on the inside.
Start with fresh ravioli. (Frozen will work, too. Just thaw them completely in the fridge first.) For this recipe, I used a four-cheese ravioli made locally.
Use any quality ravioli that you like. Nowadays, you can find all sorts of creatively filled ravioli at most markets, so you’ve got a lot of possibilities. (And, of course, you can also make your own. More on this to come soon.)
For an uber-decadent version of this appetizer, take it completely over-the-top and use lobster ravioli.
Dipping sauces for Deep-Fried Ravioli
Now, your sauce will depend, of course, on the type of ravioli you’re using. Here are 4 ideas:
+Four-cheese ravioli with fresh marinara sauce
+Spinach and cheese ravioli with ranch dressing
+Lobster ravioli with homemade aioli
+If you can find a sweet, ricotta filled ravioli, serve them with melted chocolate laced with a spoonful of raspberry jam
Deep-Fried Ravioli: A note on technique and ingredients
Like my Garlic and Spinach Parmesan Rice, this is more technique than exact recipe.
I like to use olive oil here, but that can get expensive. Canola or peanut oil would work as well.
If it needs to be said, hot oil is nasty, nasty stuff. Be careful, and keep pets and children (etc.) away from the pot.
Deep-Fried Ravioli
Fresh ravioli
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Fresh parsley, minced (for garnish)
Heat the deep-frying oil
Line a plate or sheet pan with a few paper towels. Set aside.
Set a large, heavy-bottomed pot on the stove. Fill it with 2 1/2 – 3 inches of oil. Turn the heat on high.
Deep-Fried Ravioli: Prep your ingredients
While the oil is heating, unwrap your ravioli. Sort through them quickly, and pull any apart that might be stuck together.
Pick out any ravioli that look suspect. (Ravioli that aren’t completely sealed will basically explode open when they hit the hot oil.) Set those aside or toss them.
Chop the parsley and set it aside.
How do I know when the oil is hot enough to deep fry?
Good question.
You can use a candy thermometer
Or, you can do what I do: Just do a quick visual check. Give a ravioli a quick dip in the oil and see if it starts bubbling rapidly.
With your hand or a slotted spoon, dip a ravioli partially into the hot oil. If bubbles quickly form around it (i.e. the ravioli starts to fry), your oil is hot enough. If you don’t see any bubbles, remove the ravioli and test again in a few minutes.
When the oil is ready, it will look about like this:
Warning: If you do this the way I did, be very, very careful. Oil burns are nasty. If you’re not comfortable or familiar with frying, definitely dunk your ravioli using a slotted spoon.
How to fry the ravioli
The whole cooking process is very, very fast. Don’t fry your ravioli til you can give it your undivided attention.
When the oil’s hot enough, add your ravioli to the pot. Do this in batches. When you put them in, the oil should immediately bubble up around them, like this:
After a minute or so, they should start to float up to the surface.
Stir the ravioli around, turning them over, with a slotted spoon or skimmer.
How do I know when the fried ravioli are cooked?
Ravioli are bitty things, so they’re not going to take long to fry.
When they’re puffy and golden brown, yank them out of the oil with a slotted spoon or skimmer. Let them drain for a minute over the pot, then transfer them to your paper towel-lined plate or sheet pan to drain.
If your oil was hot enough and you didn’t crowd the pot, they really shouldn’t be greasy at all.
Sprinkle with kosher salt to taste.
Repeat this process until you’ve used up all the ravioli. When each batch comes out of the oil, sprinkle it with kosher salt (to taste) while it’s still hot. This helps the salt stick. (If you’re frying a large batch, keep them warm in a 200-degree oven ’til they’re all fried.)
Sprinkle the heap with chopped parsley.
Serve and enjoy!
