Lobster Ravioli deserves a delicious sauce that compliments the seafood flavor. That’s why this Cajun Butter Sauce is the absolute BEST sauce to make with your lobster ravioli! This creamy sauce is just the right consistency to smother each ravioli with delicate butter that’s infused with bold Cajun seasoning!
When Dan was growing up, his family had a tradition of going to all-you-can-eat crab leg buffets for special occasions. They would load up plate after plate of crab legs. And how did they eat the crab legs you ask? Dipped in butter of course! That’s because seafood and butter are a match made in heaven.
While this isn't crab, lobster is pretty close so the same principles apply. This sauce has all the makings of the perfect seafood blend. It starts with butter and uses coconut cream as a base to give it a thick consistency but keep it on the lighter side. It features bold and spicy cajun seasoning to provide the bedrock of the flavor. And to tie it all together - minced garlic provides an aromatic finishing touch!
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Ingredients and Substitutions
This recipe uses simple ingredients that make for an amazing sauce! It's a combination of creamy, cajun, and lemon butter sauce.
All substitutions are a 1:1 substitute unless otherwise noted.
Lobster Ravioli: This type of pasta is filled with lobster meat and mild cheese. It can be found at national retailers like Costco and Target. Or, you can make your own!
Substitutions: Any type of ravioli can be used. However, this sauce is specially catered to complement the lobster flavor of this ravioli.
Butter: You can never have enough butter!
Substitutions: Salted or unsalted butter can be used. Otherwise, olive oil or avocado oil can be used in place of butter.
Cajun Seasoning: This Louisiana seasoning provides the signature flavor of this dish. Cajun seasoning is a mix of spices - typically paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, pepper, and oregano.
Substitutions: If you don’t have cajun seasoning spice, you can buy it here! Old Bay Seasoning is also a similar mix of spices. Otherwise, you can make your own using these common spices. Check out this recipe!
Garlic: Garlic is like love, you can never have enough! Ha, but seriously, sautéing garlic in butter enhances all the other flavors of this sauce. We prefer to use minced garlic because we are lazy.
Substitutions: You can use fresh garlic or garlic powder. Garlic powder is a replacement of 1 teaspoon powder with 1 tablespoon of minced garlic.
Coconut Milk: This provides the creaminess to the sauce, and coconut pairs perfectly with seafood flavor!
Substitutions: Cow’s milk such as heavy cream or half and half can be substituted.
Lemon Juice: When life gives you lemons, add them to your lobster ravioli sauce! Seriously though, butter and lemon just go so perfectly with seafood.
Substitutions: You can use bottled lemon juice, fresh lemon juice, or lemon zest.
Cornstarch: Cornstarch is the thickening agent for his sauce. We want to make sure our sauce is the right consistency to stick to the ravioli.
Substitutions: Arrowroot powder can be used in place of cornstarch.
Add ons: Parmesan cheese is a great addition to go on top of this ravioli. If you’re looking for extra spice, black pepper or red pepper flakes can be a great option. You can also add fresh herbs such as fresh parsley, fresh basil, fresh thyme, or lemon zest for some additional flavor and styling.
How to Make this - Step by Step
This lobster ravioli sauce recipe may look intimidating, but it's an easy recipe and we're here to guide you through it!
Step one: Bring a large pot of salted water and a little bit of butter to a boil (to keep the ravioli from sticking). Add ravioli to the pot of water. If using refrigerated ravioli, it typically cooks for 4-5 minutes. Frozen ravioli will need to be cooked for 8-9 minutes.
Step two: While the ravioli cooks, melt the remaining butter over medium-low heat in a saucepan.
Step three: Once ravioli is cooked, remove ½ cup of the pasta water and set aside. Then, strain ravioli from the pot and set them aside.
Step four: When butter is melted, add minced garlic and cajun seasoning and cook for 1-2 minutes. Stir constantly to keep the spices from burning.
Step five: Add lemon juice and pasta water to this mixture and bring to a low simmer. Allow to simmer for 1-2 minutes until it develops a slight sheen and is thicker than before.
Step six: Add cornstarch with coconut milk in a bowl and whisk until well blended. DO NOT add the cornstarch directly to the hot sauce, it will seize up and you will not be able to incorporate it. Add coconut milk mixture to the sauce and simmer and stir for 10 minutes. The sauce should start to thicken. Be sure to stir every couple of minutes to keep the coconut milk from burning or sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Step seven: Once the sauce has thickened, remove it from heat. Combine cooked ravioli with sauce and stir to coat. Then, add toppings if desired and enjoy!
Watch How to Make This - Step by Step
Joy Tip!
Cornstarch is a unique ingredient in that it swells when introduced to heat. That’s why it’s important to mix with a cool ingredient before adding it to the hot ingredient. This is called a cornstarch slurry and ensures that it will be fully incorporated into the sauce.
Facts and Common Questions
What is inside lobster ravioli?
Lobster ravioli typically has lobster meat and mild cheese. You can get it from most grocery stores, but we typically get ours from Costco. The Costco ravioli's main ingredients are ricotta cheese, lobster, and mascarpone cheese. You can also make your own homemade lobster ravioli with lobster tails and a few other ingredients - check out this recipe!
How do you know when ravioli is done cooking?
Typically, fresh ravioli takes about 4 minutes to cook when added to boiling water. It sinks to the bottom of the pot when first added and will float to the top of the water when it’s done cooking.
Want to Save it for Later? Here’s how!
To reheat from the fridge: This can be stored in the fridge for up to three days. When you want to eat, simply microwave for 1 minute.
To reheat from frozen: This ravioli can be stored in the freezer for a few months. When you want to reheat it, microwave from frozen for 2.5 minutes. If still cold, microwave for additional 15-second intervals until hot.
Fun Fact
Lobsters are not only delicious, but they’re also interesting creatures for many reasons. Did you know that lobsters have a dominant claw? Yep! They use their big dominant claw to crush hard things and their non-dominant claw to tear softer things. Lobsters are considered biologically immortal. How cool is that! (source)
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Recipe
Lobster Ravioli With Creamy Cajun Butter Sauce
Ingredients
- 13 oz Lobster Ravioli
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoon cajun seasoning
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ cup coconut milk
- ½ cup pasta water
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 pinch salt and pepper
Instructions
- Bring water with a pinch of salt and a little bit of butter to a boil. Add ravioli to pot with water. If using refrigerated ravioli, it typically cooks for 4-5 minutes. Frozen ravioli will need to be cooked for 8-9 minutes.
- While the ravioli cooks, melt butter over medium heat in a saucepan.
- Once ravioli is cooked, remove ½ cup of the pasta water and set aside. Then, strain ravioli from the pot and set aside.
- When butter is melted, add minced garlic and cajun seasoning and cook for 1-2 minutes. Stir constantly to keep the spices from burning.
- Add lemon juice and pasta water to this mixture and bring to a low simmer. Allow to simmer for 1-2 minutes until it develops a slight sheen and is thicker than before.
- Add cornstarch with coconut milk in a bowl and whisk until well blended. DO NOT add the cornstarch directly to the hot sauce, it will seize up and you will not be able to incorporate it. Add coconut milk mixture to the sauce and simmer and stir for 10 minutes. The sauce should start to thicken. Be sure to stir every couple of minutes to keep the coconut milk from burning or sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Once the sauce has thickened, remove from heat. Combine ravioli with sauce and stir to coat.
So yummy!