Beet and Lamb Ravioli
Indulge in a romantic and beautiful dinner that combines the earthy flavors of beet and the richness of lamb in a single exquisite ravioli! In this tantalizing creation, beet and lamb effortlessly intertwine in delicate ravioli, resulting in a symphony of taste that you won’t soon forget. Imagine serving this stunningly beautiful dish on Valentines day and wowing your partner with your culinary prowess. Every bite is a revelation, as the flavors meld harmoniously on your palate, leaving you craving for more!
The combination of beet and lamb may seem unusual at first, but this intriguing pairing is a match made in food heaven. The natural sweetness of the beet lends a subtle, yet distinct, complexity to the hearty lamb, elevating the overall experience to a whole new level. Whether you’re a fan of Italian cuisine or simply appreciate the art of culinary innovation, this beet and lamb ravioli is a must-try dish that promises to leave an indelible mark on your taste buds.
The inspiration for this recipe
I was asked to bring a “romantic” meal last time I did a cooking demo on TV, so I made these ravioli. Taking the effort to make homemade pasta is romantic enough on it’s own, but coloring them with beautiful beets takes it to the next level. I’m not sure why, but lamb also just feels like the most romantic of the meats. I used the whole beet in this recipe, including the greens and stems and for me when you do that with a vegetable it really adds to the enjoyment of the meal. Why do we normally throw away beet greens? They taste great!
Start by making the pasta dough
It starts like a regular pasta dough recipe- eggs and flour, but it’s spiked with grated raw beets that bring that vibrant color!
Mix it all together and knead for a few minutes to form the dough. If you want more info on making pasta at home, check out this guide.
The lamb and ricotta filling for the beet ravioli
Brown some ground lamb in a frying pan. Next add it to a bowl with ricotta, parm, and fresh mint and marjoram. I love the floral taste of fresh marjoram and it is going to be great with the earthy beets.
Form the ravioli
Roll out the beet pasta dough and add the lamb ricotta filling on top to form the ravioli
Then brush the whole thing with water to help the dough stick. Put another layer of beet pasta dough on top. Press around the lamb filling to remove all the air and seal the ravioli together.
Seal them up good and cut them into the ravioli shape.
Make the sauce
I love when I am able to use the whole vegetable in a dish. People often neglect the beet leaves and stems, but they are good too! It’s best to get beets at a farmers market for this dish cause at the grocery store the beet greens are usually wilted. Take the leaves off the stems first. Chop up the leaves, then cut the stems in a small dice.
Cook the stems with the onions, then add the cream and canned tomatoes. Finally stir in the beet greens.
Putting it all together
Boil the beet and lamb ravioli and then toss it right into the sauce to coat it.
Look at this beautiful beet and lamb ravioli!
A stunning dish that I think anyone would be impressed by!
The creamy filling goes great with the hearty pasta. It is really fun to be able to use all parts of the beets in this recipe. The pink and red colors are perfect for a Valentines meal!
Twists and variations on beet and lamb ravioli
If you can’t find good beet greens and stems, you could use swiss chard as a replacement. You could also use any ground meat if you don’t like lamb.
If you want more pasta recipes with beets, check out my rebel ravioli! If you like beet soup, I made a nice version with meatballs, cabbage, and spaetzle.
Beet and Lamb Ravioli
Equipment
Ingredients
Pasta
- 1 beet
- 4 eggs
- 3 cups flour
- salt
Filling
- 12 ounces ground lamb
- 1.5 cups ricotta
- 1 cup grated parm
- 1 tablespoon chopped mint
- 1 tablespoon chopped marjoram
- salt and pepper
Sauce
- 3 beets greens and stems only
- 1/2 onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup cream
- 14 ounces canned diced tomato
Instructions
- Grate the beet with a microplane into a fine paste. Mix it in with the flour and eggs in a bowl or in the food processor. Mix well to combine and knead for 5 minutes until a nice thick dough is formed. Add more flour as needed. Wrap in plastic and allow to rest for 30 minutes in the fridge.
- Cook the lamb in a frying pan with a little oil until browned. Season with salt and pepper while it is cooking. Pour into a mixing bowl and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Add in the rest of the filling ingredients. Stir well to combine.
- Roll 1/3 of your pasta dough through the pasta machine at the widest setting. Fold over and repeat 4 or 5 times until the dough is smooth. Roll the dough thinner moving the machine 2 notches thinner each time you roll it, repeating until you get to the 3rd thinnest setting.
- Place a tablespoon of filling on to the pasta sheet and repeat until the sheet is dotted with filling on one half of the sheet. Brush the dough with some water. Fold the other half of the sheet over onto the filling and gently seal the pasta on all sides of the filling. You want to make sure most of the air is removed from the pasta. Use a pasta cutter to cut the ravioli into a square and really seal in the filling. Place the finished pasta onto a sheet or towel with some flour. Repeat until you run out of filling or dough.
- Separate the beet greens from the stems. Chop up the greens. Slice the stems into small pieces.
- Cook the onion and beet stems in some oil for about 5 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook 2 minutes. Add in the cream and tomatoes and cook 20 minutes until thickened and smooth. Stir in the beet greens and cook another 2 minutes.
- Boil some water and cook your ravioli about 5 minutes until tender. Add directly to the sauce and stir to combine. Serve with parmesan and black pepper.
The color is gorgeous!
Wow this is a beautiful dish! Love it! Super creative and perfect for a special meal!